Driving in Mexico is like every freak-you-out, what-are-they-thinking, this-will-never-happen-in-real-life simulation you had to sit through in Driver's Ed. Remember sitting in your little faux car with steering wheel, pedals, turn signals, and side-view mirrors driving along with the movie on the screen while crazy pedestrians stepped out in front of you without looking, people opened car doors at random, children chased balls into the street and 50% of drivers ran stop signs? The machine always spat out a score at the end. I always did miserably. Thank God I'm better at it in real life.

When I first started driving here I thought I might stroke out behind the wheel from the stress. I got honked at incessantly for driving to slow or not going forward when there was clearly a 88 millimeter gap in front of me. Lanes on the road are a mere suggestion. Sometimes traffic will make two lanes out of a one lane road and sometimes one lane out of a three lane road. And signs? We don't need any stinking signs!

Finally, I realized a few things. First, it doesn't hurt me one bit if people honk. They apparently like doing it, so I'm brightening their day by bringing some amusement. Second, traffic makes lanes that make sense. I might not get it at the time, but I had best just follow along because I will see the reason soon enough. Third, there are signs, just not in the conventional places I'm used to. If I open up my eyes and look, they are everywhere. Street names and one way road markers are on little plaques on the sides of buildings, right about first story roof level. Of course, don't trust the one way arrows. Instead creep out in the intersection a little and check which way all the parked cars are facing. Sometimes drivers know better than sign makers. Street signs are also painted on curbs, buildings, the road, and dangling from first floor awnings. You just have to look.

The biggest thing I realized is that yes, in fact, Mexican drivers are crazy. In a good way. They are ALERT. Not alert, but ALERT. They are not talking on cell phones, eating a big mac, trying to control kids, or changing the radio station. They are driving. They see everything around them and have wicked peripheral vision. If I try and merge into that 88 millimeter gap, its okay, because the car I'm cutting off sees me, expects it, and slows down. There are not a lot of stop lights in Mazatlan, and there are a lot of blind corners, so pulling halfway out is common. If a driver pulls partway out blocking your lane, you just move over intro the next lane. The car in the next lane hugs the curb, and everyone goes on. It's okay. If there is a merge, or a traffic jam, or someone wants to change lanes, whoever's front bumper is further in front has the right of way. That's it. Everyone else gives and goes on.

I've even started to deal with the random opening car doors. Except for yesterday when I was on a narrow road and One door opened on each side of the street in tandem. That sped my heart up a little, but it was the baby carriage in the road right after that got it really going. It turns out that I had just enough room to get through without wiping out anyone or anything.

I kind of like the Mexican way of driving. Someone may cut me off here, but they do it and get a move on. No one pulls in front of you and slams on the brakes or cuts you off slowly. I am starting to drive like a local. I have learned EXACTLY where the ends of the truck are. I can cut a screaming u-turn in the Explorer like a pro. God help me when I get back to Fort Worth.