Gringoes.com: Who has right of way?

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Isos
Senior Member

Joined: 05 May 2008
Location: United States
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Posts: 264

Posted: 19 April 2012 at 18:36

Originally posted by Capybara

People in the car with me continually remind me NOT to stop for people crossing, as the motorist behind me will not be anticipating and i would cause him to rear end me.

I believe it was about a year ago now, but this happened to my wife. She stopped at the Para sign and a moto bike behind her hit her and flew off his bike. They had some arguement about the situation and then when on about their business.

Thanks
Isos

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

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IrishNatal
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Joined: 07 June 2011
Location: Brazil
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Posts: 337

Posted: 20 April 2012 at 19:16

Interesting read this one!

I find the roads here are hell on earth, poorly planned, marked and maintained. Factor in the in brazilian inability to drive, the moto boys, the cyclists with death wishes and pedestrians who seem to think its perfectly acceptable to walk in the middle of the road, how can it be anything other than anarchy? I was beeped to death yesterday for not driving up to a red light fast enough?? WTF??

Another big question for me (maybe sven can shed light on it) is wether there is any "law" regarding tyres here in Brazil? A huge percentage of cars that i see parked day to day have tyres that are a total an utter disgrace, like racing slicks. I started to look for this when I was driving during heavy rain a few months ago and cars were behaving as if they were on ice. Also is there any onus on a car/moto owner to have inspections of their vehicles for roadworthiness?

Finally, if you are bored some day, play a game in your head while driving, spot the car without a ding or battle scar, its enlightening (at least it is here in NE).

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cara0910
Senior Member

Joined: 20 May 2011
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Posts: 608

Posted: 20 April 2012 at 19:54

@irishnatal there is always a law for everything in brazil but nobodoy follows any of them.

beeped to death yesterday for not driving up to a red light fast enough! hahahaha.

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TarkInBrazil
Senior Member

Joined: 04 January 2012
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Posts: 216

Posted: 21 April 2012 at 15:55

Originally posted by IrishNatal

...and pedestrians who seem to think its perfectly acceptable to walk in the middle of the road...

Of COURSE I walk in the road! On the sidewalk, you get hit by moto couriers. At least with the cars, the traffic is so bad that they aren't going more than 10kph anyway.

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man of leisure
Gringoes.com Guru

Joined: 22 January 2008
Location: Brazil
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Posts: 2974

Posted: 21 April 2012 at 16:02

I actually walk in the road with the baby stroller as it's not possible to use the uneven, undulating, pot-holed side walk that is irregularly peppered with anti-parking bollards . Even in Rio Zona Sul, with property prices high than the Upper East side of New York, you have million dollar apartments that are fronted by a sidewalk that only Fred Flintstone would recognise.

Edited by man of leisure - 21 April 2012 at 16:03

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cara0910
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Joined: 20 May 2011
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Posts: 608

Posted: 21 April 2012 at 17:43

Originally posted by man of leisure

I actually walk in the road with the baby stroller as it's not possible to use the uneven, undulating, pot-holed side walk that is irregularly peppered with anti-parking bollards . Even in Rio Zona Sul, with property prices high than the Upper East side of New York, you have million dollar apartments that are fronted by a sidewalk that only Fred Flintstone would recognise.

Not to mention public urination...

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Catarinense
Senior Member

Joined: 26 November 2011
Location: Brazil
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Posts: 307

Posted: 05 May 2012 at 00:12

Originally posted by 3casas

Originally posted by Capybara

Masshole

if ya got the mass plates, yer a masshole!! (i lived on the border of RI/MA for 7 years-- i love mass.)

when i go home my kid always rides shotgun and her job is to tell me when i'm driving like a maniac so i can tone it down. sometimes the aggressive driving is helpful, like when i was driving through Newark with my mother, but usually it's a bit overkill for the US.....

MASS/RI border? Anywhere near Woonsocket/Bellingham?

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Amsterdam
Senior Member

Joined: 02 March 2012
Location: Brazil
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Posts: 1074

Posted: 05 May 2012 at 00:17

Originally posted by man of leisure

In the UK, if your car crosses the pavement/sidewalk/calcada to enter your premises, the pedestrians have right of way and you have to wait for the coast to clear. Here in Brazil it seems that cars can bolt out of garage doors and that is their preferential right. The pedestrians have to stop and wait. Is this correct or is this yet another abusive license that has been appropriated by the many ignorant porcarias who spoil this lovely country?

Over to you, Sven.

Blimmey, you mean you have pavements/sidewalks in your neighbourhood, they have to sort that one out around here first here its like an obsticle course of different levelled surfaces if its not sand or folliage or building materials that is..

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donpelon415
Groupie
Groupie

Joined: 24 February 2010
Location: United States
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Posts: 90

Posted: 14 May 2012 at 23:20

Originally posted by Amsterdam

Went to Buenos Aires last week- it was actually A PLEASURE to walk on the street, wander my to my heart's content throughout the city with out motoboys jumping onto the sidewalk, motorists flying out of and into their underground private garages with no regard for human life, no eye-searing pollution coupled with earsplitting unmuffled motorcycles flying by. Holy crap, there was even a functioning subway system that took me wherever I wanted to go in the city for only R$1. Parks, trees, hell- they even actually had sidewalks built for pedestrians! Stagger the thought... Why does this exist in Buenos but not Sao Paulo?

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