29 Driving in Brazil
↑Driving in Brazil by Rick Bein
I think any driving culture has little to do with the ordinary etiquette of its society. When new technology is introduced, it seems to evolve its own cultural definition despite that of the traditional culture. Examples are radios, telephones, television, and the recent cell phone technology. The automobile has presented such challenges resulting in many new laws and regulations. When a motoring tradition begins it is difficult to change. Once behind the wheel of an automobile, the local driver shifts into the driving mode that has become established at that place.
My experience is that the Brazilian’s personality changes dramatically when he gets behind the wheel of the automobile. The Brazilians are the most charming, loving, and gregarious of all peoples, but that is not true when they drive. Each driver becomes a highly competitive individual determined to be “first.” All other vehicles on the road are the enemy, any one of which will cut him off and cross into his lane if they so much as become a fender ahead. Needless to say, driving is not a polite activity in Brazil.
Brazilians joke that obtaining a driver’s license only requires a good horn on the car and knowledge of the many gestures. Most of these gestures are not friendly ones. The “OK” sign used in the States as a positive indicator, has a totally different meaning in Brazil. The circle formed between the index finger and the thumb is a crude representation of the anus.
Brazilian automobile traffic is particularly crazy in the larger cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. There, driving is not for the timid. Only the most macho take to the streets where a timid driver never ventures. Waiting at the traffic light a driver will keep gunning his engine, flashing vulgar had signals at the next driver who is doing the same thing. When the traffic light changes, it is like the checkered flag has dropped and they are off to win the next 500 feet to the next traffic light! Avenida Sete de Setembro should be called Corrida Sete Setembro!
Example of a crashed car. Photo by Rick Bein 2016
The right-of-way in Brazilian traffic goes to the largest vehicle. If your cars are equal in size, then the less beat-up car yields to the more dilapidated. The more dilapidated has less to lose in a collision. The last in the pecking order in traffic is the pedestrian, who is not even safe on the sidewalk!
The “walk” sign for pedestrians at intersections shows a picture of a little man running to beat hell!
When crossing the street in Rio as a pedestrian, I recommend that the crossing never be done at the intersection of crosswalks. I find that much too dangerous as I must look in four different directions before taking my life into my own hands. It is safer to move half a block down one of the intersecting streets and then cross over (called jaywalking in the States), where I only have to look two directions. Most of the locals cross the streets in th