Our little town has as all colonial towns have narrow little streets.The street around our Big Plaza, Plaza Don Vasco, currently is being renovated, is the normal sized streets designed for modest traffic, but whether it was designed for todays vehicles is coming to task almost on a daily basis.. Patzcuaro also has tiny streets that you would have an issue if two burros where to meet each other head on, but somehow, it usually all works out.
There have been several times where I have backed up or down a block or so when situations called for in the past and I am sure they will lead themselves to the task in the future too.
I seriously doubt that even if the plaza streets were designed for moderate traffic, they were not designed with 45 ft long tour buses in mind.
Park some cars Mexican style ( Anywhere were you think you can park and fit, maybe) and add a long tour bus and you have a problem!
A few days ago as I was sitting having my usual strong coffee at one of the fine restaurants on the plaza, this bus turned and started down the street.
I told my wife that I would bet her a hundred bucks that he will not negotiate the turn at the end of the street, especially with the construction in the plaza.
Five minutes later it is obvious that traffic is backed up.
Ten minutes later you see several individuals signaling the driver back and forth.
15 minutes later you see a middle aged woman running with a pair of car keys to move her vehicle which she decided to park on the corner, (not a normal parking space) which usually would be a two or three point turn for large vehicles created the cork in the bottle syndrome.
Just as she got there, they decided to let the passengers off the bus, so now they have to either stop the unload or
move the bus......Another 4 minutes passed.
Time is not important down here, maybe that is why the streets are still narrow and they allow tour buses to navigate down any old street they think they may be able to drive down.
Anyway, that street is usually blocked with traffic or closed since there is somekind of a political rally or parade starting or ending at it. So unless you need to get somewhere really fast....
What's the hurry?
7 comments:
You gotta love it, endless entertainment, and free too.
I watched a stand-off one day in our little village between the bus and a Hummer. They argued, stared at each other, and sat there waiting for the other to move. The Hummer lost.
I am constantly entertained and for free too! If it's not the standoffs, it's the way they drive,park,cut people off, all while interjecting courtesy sometimes.....
Now and then there is talk about banning tour buses from El Centro. So far, it´s just talk. There even has been talk of making the street around the Plaza Grande a pedestrian-only zone. But that has not happened either. I support the former, not so sure about the latter.
That would probably be a good idea, I see that they park them perpendicularly on the street by the basilica all the time, that is a much better place for grid lock. It may interrupt the flocks.....
I'm not sure about the pedestrian only thing. It would not solve the already problematic traffic situation. A big multistory parking lot would. As I see it, there are too many cars parked in places that they shouldn't be, creating a traffic problem, like double parking (which I do occasionally by necessity)
Unintentional comedy at its best. That picture you have posted there says it all.
Hows the weather in Patzcuaro, Mexico this time of year?
Well RonnieMex, Life here is often a comedy and a tragedy at the same time....depends on how you look at it! The weather today is in the mid 80 if you happen to be in the sun, and drops to the mid to low 70's in the shade. Perfect hi altitude winter weather. Last night it was only a one fireplace night.....
But a week ago or so it rained for two days straight, an unusual happenstance for this time of the year.
Tsk, tsk. You only double park "by necessity." You do it because you don´t want to find a parking spot and have to walk a little. Now ain´t that right?
Boy, when somebody double parks and hems me in, they hear about it in no uncertain terms when they get their lazy butts back in view.
Of course, that would not apply to you because you only do it "by necessity!"
Regarding the weather, it froze overnight in my side of town. Later it was up into the 70s.
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