Panama Driving: A Whole New School

Steel Nerves for Panama Driving
Driving in Panama is not for the fainthearted. You need nerves of steel. My nerves are a little bit frayed at the edges.

A member went overseas 3 weeks ago and asked me to ‘car sit’. Oh sure! It took me 2 days to begin to get accustomed to driving on the wrong side of the road and on the wrong side of the car. By that, I mean, In Jamaica most of our vehicles are right hand drive, and we drive on the left hand side of the road. In Panama, it is mostly left hand vehicles and they drive on the right side of the road.

Ok then! This is just like the US and I did it once in the US surely I can do it again. It will just take some getting used to. And of course, I needed a Panama Drivers License.

Permit to Drive in Panama
Driving in Panama requires a Panama Driving Permitsame as a Tourist Driver’s License. You need this once you have been in the country for over 3 months; but If less than 3 months then you can drive with your Drivers License from your home country.

To apply for this permit you need to take your passport (with visa), your carnet (that’s a Panama ID that verifies your status in the country), Driver’s license from your country, proof of your blood type (if not in your passport you have to do a blood test to get same), and blood test results for your Glucose level. [Do not ask me the reason for the Glucose test]. However, I suspect that they need to know if your Blood Sugar is too high. That does affect your sight.

You take both the originals and a copy of all these documents to nearest Autoridad Del Transito y Transporte Terrestre (Transport Authority for short). The cost of the permit is US$20. You wait for the documents to be approved. They take your picture and hand you your brand spanking new permit. You are now ready to go.

Well almost, you now need some kind of nerve booster. Make it strong.

You need this to contend with some of the most ridiculous (and dangerous) driving you have ever seen. Look out for the man turning right in front of you no brake lights, no indicator. Look out too for the guy or gal who just cuts across the road to exit a line of traffic they are coming from your right to get to the exit on your left. You get no warning.

By the way, it seems indicators are out-dated or something. I get some very strange looks when I put mine on. It is something that most drivers just do not bother to use. So make sure you also know how to read minds ok.

Jamaicans who have visited since I’ve been here all wonder the same thing. What is it that makes bus and taxi drivers behave the same in these parts of the world. Oh yes and in New York too. That I have experienced myself. Well let me tell you, these taxi and bus drivers beat any Jamaican or Cuban taxis you have ever taken or encountered.

Road Rage Kinda Challenges
Every single day there has been some kind of ‘drama’ on the road.

Day 1, I sat in traffic for nearly 1 hour! What a nice baptism.

Day 2, the police was diverting traffic and need I tell you I didn’t have a clue about where I was going. I followed a bus because the bus terminal is near to our church. I got to church eventually….

Day 3, there was a function one building away from church. Police blocked the street again. I had to turn around and find an alternate route. Think King Street or Duke Street, Kingston Jamaica and you’ll get a lovely picture of parking on both sides of the street, two lanes in between and typical narrow Spanish streets. Oh Joy!

Day 4, I dropped a member at work in torrential rain, got lost on the port where she worked, then came upon a broken down vehicle in the road near to church and had to drive around the block 3 times just to get past the vehicle. Each time I came around someone was stuck trying to squeeze through and traffic began backing up. Finally, it was my turn to squeeze through. I finally got back to work vexed and hungry as only Bob Marley could explain it.

Well if nothing else, the Panama driving experience sure ranks highly on my list of new adventures

Vrooom! Vrooom!
Marvia