Good morning all

I would love a fancy sports car, but it is impracticable for everyday driving.
Got another quad I3 running today and might get another I5 up later during the weekend.

Dave you would not believe the size of some of the cars (tanks) here. You need a step ladder to get into them. Four doors - 5 seats and a truck like rear. I have seen them driving along with at least 15 people in or on them. Given that the streets in the centre of Santa Cruz were designed for horse and cart and given the ubiquitous double parking, I am amazed that we don't end up with grid lock. Defensive driving is an absolute necessity here and I always hold the view that it is better to stop rather than barge your way through - of course sometimes it doesn't work and some 'asterisco' takes it into his head to push you off the road. I drive a modest RAV4 which is fine for my needs. A normal saloon car is far too low.

Rod So do you have any "proper" roads for the lambo owner to drive on, or does he/she just admire it parked on the drive behind the security gates? As a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, it sounds like my membership would have to take a sabbatical if I ever want to drive in Bolivia.

Stats... the very keen eyed amongst you might have noticed a mathematical error with the milestone predictorizer

Good morning all.



Dave
Where do I start? I have driven all over Europe, USA, Asia (Thailand), The Middle East (Egypt) and now South America (Chile, Bolivia, Argentina). I have yet (in 50 years of motoring) to have or cause a significant moving car accident but I have seen plenty. Egypt is by far the most chaotic and you can add slow moving horse and cart drivers (generally in the fast lane of the Cairo ring road, at night with no lights) to the equation. The roads there were fairly good but the driving standards were appalling and traffic congestion unbelievable. Here in Bolivia I would class the AVERAGE motorist as rude, unskilled and unaware. The bad ones are even worse. Here we do not drive on the Right or Left - we drive in the Middle! Roads in the cities are ancient narrow cobbled streets with anarchic parking. If you leave enough space for a car to squeeze through, all you have to do is put on your hazard warning lights (read 'Idiot Lights') , lock the car and go shopping. Major routes outside the cities are well paved but subject to local traffic calming without notice). It is not unusual to be bowling along at 50mph to discover that a local farmer has installed an unmarked speed bump (no standards) that will either remove your suspension or launch the car in the air for 10 yards. Potholes and road slips are not unknown, The dirt roads vary from a (mostly) fairly smooth shale and rock surface to a deeply rutted mud and water covered quagmire. 4x4 is essential. You throw the rule book away when you drive here, you grow eyes in the back of your head and you assume nothing! After 4 years driving here I still get surprised regularly.