Talk:Transport in Guatemala

seriously, is not every chicken bus in guetemala overcrowded? This article would be better if it were written by humans, not robots... notenderwiggin —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.249.200.3 (talk) 21:06, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

How To Drive Guatemalan Streets, Roads, and Highways
Moved to talk because WP is not a HOW TO manual and concerns of OR. RJFJR (talk) 20:51, 15 May 2009 (UTC)

Driving in Guatemala can be intense if you are not accustomed to it. Everyone has a "get there first" mentality and you should often yield to avoid an accident. Drivers are very aggressive, especially semi trucks, city and urban buses. Avoid buses whenever possible because they will pull out in front of you regardless of your speed. Most vehicle lights are not enforced and there are many vehicles on the roads without proper headlights, stop lights, and turn signals, so keep your distance.

Streets Unlike streets and roads in the US, Guatemala streets tend to be one-ways to ease congestion and move traffic. Most left-turns are done by doing three-right turns past the street you intend to make a left on. Follow the directions on posted street signs as you will see the three-right turns direction sign. There are numerous roundabouts which you will encounter on major boulevards. Use these roundabouts to make your U-turn, especially if you missed your turn. Traffic will rarely yield to you, so you must aggressively pull into your lane or be forced to turn into an unwanted direction as the road changes. Signs are posted but most streets lack lane divisions, and sometimes its "one big road" you share without lanes.

Roads and Highways There are no safe high speed highways to drive at high velocities. This is a mountainous country with many roads turning and following mountain terrains throughout Guatemala. There is one newly constructed road leading from Guatemala City to Esquintla. Taking "Boulevard Raul Aguilar Batres" from the Capital, you will come to a toll both to enter this new highway CA9. Speeds are limited to 60kph and 80kph per lane. You can be fined by speed cameras if you are caught going faster.

CA4 is the main road running parallel to the Pacific coast to city of Retalhuleo. This is one of the most dangerous roads in Guatemala. Although it is paved, numerous potholes exist capable of puncturing a tire if not careful. The best way to drive on this road or any other road, is to use a copilot or navigator to watch the road ahead for signs, detours, traffic or obstacles. The driver should focus on the 30–50 feet in front of the vehicle and avoid potholes and debris. There are no reflectors on this road on the sides or center line, making it extremely dangerous at night. Dust from winds or vehicles kicks up and obstructs your view. You will not be able to see your right-edge, so you must stick to the left. Watch oncoming vehicles and estimate where they will pass to your left and use that imaginary space as your guide. One of the best tricks for driving on this road, is to tail another vehicle such as an SUV or truck. Trucks are more dependable because they move freight frequently and know the road. Tail them and keep up! They will lead you during the night if you are having trouble driving.

CA9 is the main road to Puerto Barrios on the Atlantic. This road is paved, and uses relectors making it safer to drive. However traffic is heavier on this road as it is the only one leading to the Atlantic. What makes this road dangerous is the numerous blind curves and traffic using oncoming lanes to pass on the left. There are several three-lane stretches allowing two lanes to climb and one to descent to ease traffic by slower vehicles, but most of the time you will be passing on the left. Watch for urban buses "camionetas" as they make frequent stops. Most popular destinations are Puerto Barrios and Esquipulas.

CA5 is the road from CA9 to Coban. Coban has the most ecological national parks and many natural wonders. This road is safe to drive, paved, safety reflectors, and has less traffic than CA4 and CA9. It is also a very scenic road to drive as you get deeper into the forest. The hazards on this road are frequent mud slides which causes roads to wash away underneath, usually occuring during the fall before the rainy season ends. You may encounter single lane areas where you must take turns with oncoming traffic. Since traffic is pretty low, consider yielding for the moment.

CA5 From Coban to Semuc Chapey.