[No joke]: A bus and a pedestrian, moving parallel to each other, in the same direction, both approach an intersection with a green light. The pedestrian looks back at the bus, steps off the curb and onto the yellow stripes of a cross walk. The bus suddenly, without even signaling, turns the corner and blasts his horn at the pedestrian. ¡Only in Merida!
I’ve traveled the globe, and only had this happen here. Repeatedly. Clearly, the driver “knew” I was wrong. ¿How dare you slow me down? he intones with his horn. (Bus drivers are not the only offenders ; beware of any driver, as turn signals are rarely used here.)
Yes, I’m a small, weak peatón – a pedestrian. But, we are all pedestrians. Some of us also drive. If we don’t respect our universal condition, there is grave danger to all. Yet asserting a right can leave us dead right. Apparently there is no respect for pedestrians here. Only size matters. Aside from those walking on elevated crossings, where there are stiff fines for drivers — yellow stripes and green lights mean nothing in Merida. Driver education, and enforcement, are seriously lacking. Yucatecos are mostly lovely, courteous people, until they get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Until this enlightenment arrives, that pedestrians walking in the direction of the green light have the right of way on the yellow stripes, maybe the city should save money by removing all traffic lights and posting signs at each intersection saying CROSS AT YOUR OWN RISK. This is such a friendly, peaceful city. Walking here should be more fun, and safer. We could call it civilization.