22 Apr Driving Tips in Panama: How to Live to Tell the Tale
By Natalie Warner
Driving in Panama, especially if you are new here, can seem daunting and terrifying. During rush hour in Panama City, two lanes can turn into three, not including the lanes that motorcyclists create for themselves. Blinkers are levers meant to make fun clicking sounds, when deemed appropriate. Defensive driving here is key; and although it can be intimidating, here are a few tips that Coronado Concierge Panama and our social media users found useful.
GPS is your friend. Panama does not have addresses. It is one of those places where you have to kind of just know where you are going. I remember very distinctly asking somebody where the immigration building was, thinking I would get an address with numbers and a street. Wrong! The actual response? “The immigration building is the 2 or 3 story beige building by the university.” Downloading Waze on your phone will save you a lot of time and frustration, since its users regularly update it. Classic car GPS devices just don’t cut it down here.
Photo link
Speed limits are not always clear. Out of all of the things about driving in Panama, this was the most awkward for me. How do you know what the speed limit is when signs seem to be spread out so far? As a general rule of thumb, the speed limits for driving through towns like Coronado, Rio Hato, and Chame are 60 kph. As you drive between towns, the speed limit may increase to 80 kph. School zones are 40 kph. Rural areas can be up to 120 kph.
Embrace the honk. Welcome to the land where your honking serves as different meanings. Cab drivers and bus drivers, especially in Panama City, use their horns a lot, sometimes in lieu of a blinker.
Drive here long enough and you too may find yourself honking. Sometimes you may just want to say hello to a pedestrian or another car. There is the honk that says “gracias”. Other times you may want to inform somebody that you are in his or her blind spot. Don’t forget the classic profanity honk!
Be defensive and aggressive. This cannot be emphasized enough. Stop signs can be a simple suggestion where drivers slow down and then speed up—also known as a California stop. If there is a gap between you and the car in front of you, rest assured that the car behind you (or the car behind that car) will realize this and seize the opportunity to take that gap. Always expect every car around you to do the most ridiculous thing possible. This typically applies during times of heavy traffic or areas where you may be stopped such as at a returno. One way to alleviate some of the mayhem is to avoid eye contact. A social media follower tip states that making eye contact acknowledges that you see other drivers and they are more likely to cut in front of you.
Get out of Panama City by 3PM Going into Panama City is inevitable at some point or another. Just be sure to get out by 3PM during the weekdays. This is when all of the tips above may come to use and the City becomes a gridlock. If you find yourself in heavy traffic, remember that patience is a virtue and that taking deep breaths can reduce stress and anxiety.
Avoid driving during holidays if you can help it. A typical 10-minute drive can take over an hour during the holidays. Stores during the holidays make Black Friday shopping lines in the United States look like a joke. Do your shopping ahead of time, and take this opportunity to binge watch that show you’ve been meaning to watch.
When in doubt, contact Panama Concierge Panama. If you are unsure of your driving plans, contact us. We can help provide transportation for your trip, helping it be a fun, safe, and memorable trip.
Thank you to everyone that provided input for the blog. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus!