Driving in Argentina

There are 21 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 3,050 times. The latest Post (October 19, 2025 at 12:02 PM) was by Rice.

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    Driving or riding in Argentina is an experience with its own rules. There are laws of course, but few people obey them. In fact, I'm surprised that there aren't more accidents. On the other hand, traffic does flow very well generally, which is more than I could say about UK traffic.

    Roundabouts are a really tricky matter because even though the law (such as it is) dictates that you have right of way whilst on one, this is largely ignored at major junctions, even though there are Give Way signs.

    Would this work down here? I don't think so, because with everything in Argentina, we make it up as we go along.

    You are right. Mr Splinter. I am driving now in the USA and rules are fulfilled. Also they give priority if you are in a more important route than an ancillary one. The sign Stop is always present in the minor route.

    But the most great violations of the law are the bicycles, which does not obey any of the rules. We automobile drivers are punished, but they are inmune. And if you hit a bicylce

    you are automoatically blamed. The municipal organizations has not the power to punish them, and the buclyclers take advantage of this.

    Yhis is one of the things that I hate most of my country,

    But some people says that we are not the worst. Brazil, Iran, and other countries are worst. A poor consolation for us.

    Quote from GlasgowJohn

    Bicycles , yes.......

    How many Argentine bicycles have lights? - 5 or 10%, bloody crazy.

    And worst are the carton collectors at night. They have no lights at all, and they use to go in the opposite sense ot traffic in the minor streets. And populism punish you because you are richer than him. We middle class people are in clear disadvantage. I remember the motto in the US courts: "Equal justice under law".Nothing of this is ruling the country now.


    Here where I live you see cars and motor bikes regularly going through red lights. The majority of motor bike riders do not even wear helmets. Some cars and bikes are falling to bits and indicators don't seem to exist even on new cars. Mothers with one or to kids riding pillion are a common sight as is the odd small dog. I blame the police force as they just turn a blind eye. Mind you, half of the police cars wouldn't pass an MOT in the UK going by the look of them.

    Yesterday at a traffic light crossing in New Orleans, I almost stepped into the path of a fast-moving, lane filtering bicycle whose rider had decided the red light didn’t apply to him.

    Quote from Carlos

    I remember the motto in the US courts: "Equal justice under law"

    “Equal Justice under the law” primarily means that two people tried for the same crime would receive the same treatment, be they pauper or President.

    But in traffic situations, the prevailing motto is “The pedestrian has the right of way.” This would cover the cartoneros, even when they are walking against the traffic in the street.

    Just read an article about the current car/bike/pedestrian laws in the UK.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features/highway-code-changing-cyclists-get-even-priority-drivers/

    In short, the hierarchy is from smallest down to largest.

    While we may find some of the new driving rules unnecessary, unfair, or crazy, at least there is a set of rules governing the roads (and opening doors when parked). Does Argentina have similar regulations that everyone can access and abide by?

    In the UK, roundabouts are everywhere. In fact, in Swindon there's one called The Magic Roundabout which is several orbiting one lager one, if I recall. The rule is that if you are on a roundabout you have priority and those approaching the roundabout have to give way.

    In France it used to be the other way around - you had to give way to traffic coming on to it. I believe that's changed now, but it did cause confusion when the law changed because old habits die hard.

    In Argentina, nothing is as it seems and, as usual, you have to make it up as you go along. Roundabouts here are like playing Russian Roulette because even though cede el paso/give way signs are on some roundabouts, it ends up as a game of chicken.

    Many large roundabouts with a major road running through them use the street rule that if you are on the roundabout you have to give way to traffic coming onto it, but not always, so it's a guessing game and you need your wits about you.

    A few years ago when I was new in the country, my wife and I were driving to Mar del Plata, entered a large roundabout and I assumed I had right of way (as you do) when she shouted Stop! as a huge truck roared onto the roundabout in front of us. It could have been fatal, even though, technically I had right of way.

    I told her that I thought I had right of way, she agreed, then said that things don't always work the way they should in Argentina and now after 20 years, I know what she meant .

    :wt-hell:

    We have to join a roundabout through Ruta 5 every time we go to the countryside....always a death defying experience. The long distance lorry drivers on Ruta 5 are always prepared to stop to let us continue our way round it while the local lorry/car drivers see stopping as some sort of submissive behaviour and barge there way on to it. The lack of signage or road markings doesn't help right enough.

    My missus couldn't believe how hard the theory and practical driving test in the UK was compared to the one here.

    Talking about roundabouts I just read this.

    Dos menores robaron una moto y protagonizaron un siniestro
    El incidente tuvo lugar sobre la rotonda de acceso a Chivilcoy sobre la Avenida de Tomaso y Ruta 30. Un móvil del SAME trasladó a uno de los menores de 16 años…
    www-larazondechivilcoy-com-ar.translate.goog
    Quote from UK Man

    We have to join a roundabout through Ruta 5 every time we go to the countryside....always a death defying experience. The long distance lorry drivers on Ruta 5 are always prepared to stop to let us continue our way round it while the local lorry/car drivers see stopping as some sort of submissive behaviour and barge there way on to it. The lack of signage or road markings doesn't help right enough.

    My missus couldn't believe how hard the theory and practical driving test in the UK was compared to the one here.

    Talking about roundabouts I just read this.

    https://www-larazondechivilcoy-com-ar.translate.goog/locales/2025/1…&_x_tr_pto=wapp

    My motorcycle driving test was a short written test on road signs followed by me riding my bike around six traffic cones without touching the ground with my feet. Following that, I was given a full bike license for any size bike.

    I was even congratulated by the 'examiner'!

    The way roundabouts work is totally random, and road signs must not be taken into account. It is more a matter of customs... of customs of the ones driving before you. Follow their lead!

    Whenever I come back from Italy, it takes me a couple days to forget to follow road signs. It is very dangerous to not follow the rules of the road. Being a sticker - aka following the road signs - could cost you dear!

    The roundabouts in San Isidro-Martinez are completely the opposite of what common sense / road signs / driving school tell you. I am always frightened when I am the first to approach a roundabout and I didn't pay attention to what the other drivers are doing. Do I go in? Do I stop? I light a candle and hope to survive the roundabout! And to say that they were invented to prevent accident! Nothing works as it should in Argentina!

    Quote from serafina

    The way roundabouts work is totally random, and road signs must not be taken into account. It is more a matter of customs... of customs of the ones driving before you. Follow their lead!

    Whenever I come back from Italy, it takes me a couple days to forget to follow road signs.

    Road signs....what road signs? :scratchead:

    Another thing...the majority of road users here don't use their indicators or rear view mirrors.

    Quote from serafina

    The way roundabouts work is totally random, and road signs must not be taken into account. It is more a matter of customs... of customs of the ones driving before you. Follow their lead!

    Whenever I come back from Italy, it takes me a couple days to forget to follow road signs. It is very dangerous to not follow the rules of the road. Being a sticker - aka following the road signs - could cost you dear!

    The roundabouts in San Isidro-Martinez are completely the opposite of what common sense / road signs / driving school tell you. I am always frightened when I am the first to approach a roundabout and I didn't pay attention to what the other drivers are doing. Do I go in? Do I stop? I light a candle and hope to survive the roundabout! And to say that they were invented to prevent accident! Nothing works as it should in Argentina!

    The roundabout that made me post this is on Av. Marquez and Rolon, San Isidro. No road markings or signs to indicate give way, so like most things in Argentina, it's a guessing game.

    I'm quite used to it now :facepalm: