Driving Costa Rica the Essentials

Driving Costa Rica is probably the BEST way to see Costa Rica in our opinion. Probably the best reason to rent a car is because everything can be done on your own schedule in your own time. BUT, if you're going to rent a car, their are some things you really need to know. These 3 videos pretty much cover all the information you'll need in order to 'drive Costa Rica'. The first video is one of the first videos we ever made and it scared many people out of renting a car. WHOOPS! That was not our intent as we were merely trying to show the possibilities. The second was a response to the first because we got so much grief about the first one. The third video, we just made and it's only about 'road signs' you need to know. So, if you're planning on renting a car (we also have videos on who, how and the problems with renting a car in Costa Rica, so don't miss those), you're going to want to CHECK OUT these videos. ENjoY!







TONS of Costa Rica Tavel Info and VIDEOS on our websitc: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Vamos 4X4 Responds to Pitfalls of Renting a Car in Costa Rica

Renting a car in Costa Rica can be HAZARDOUS to your wallet for a variety of reasons.

And when I say, 'hazardous', I mean it as more the RULE than the EXCEPTION. It's true, many car rental agencies in Costa Rica have become so deceptive, we decided to make a video about, 'Avoiding the Pitfalls of Renting a Car in Costa Rica' because for us, we can't imagine anything worse than debarking the plane, excited about your upcoming adventures in Costa Rica, only to find out when you pick up your rental car that there's literally hundreds of dollars in hidden costs. Talk about a budget BUZZKILL.

Anyway, I think the video came out well, it's informative and if you're planning on experiencing Costa Rica by rental car, you'd be remiss if you didn't watch it. And as LUCK would have it, it's embedded BELOW.

But really, that's not the point of this post. The point is, we actually got a video response to our video by one of the car rental agencies here, Vamos 4X4. *Now, it should be noted, we use Vamos and have even done a video about them before, but we didn't tell them about this video nor did we ask them to respond. They just did and we thought that was pretty COOL. Seriously, how many car rental agencies would take the time to respond, via video no less... obviously just ONE.

Check it out. The first video is ours, 'Avoiding the Pitfalls of Renting a Car in Costa Rica' and then the Vamos response. Seriously, don't miss this if you plan on renting a car while in Costa Rica.



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Renting a Car in Costa YOU NEED to KNOW THIS

Renting a car in Costa Rica? Then you don't want to MISS these very INFORMATIVE videos. All car rental agencies in Costa Rica are NOT created equal regardless of how recognizable their names may be in the States. So by the time you sign on the dotted line it could literally be hundreds more than you expected and can put a serious crimp on your travel plans, especially if you budget is tight. Don't miss this INFO and double especially the first video. It's a little long but loaded with relevant information that you need to KNOW.

*The only bit of INFO I probably would have mentioned in the first video is to really check-over your car, make sure everything works and note ALL scratches, dents, broken parts etc so there's no problems when you return the car. This has been known to be a problem with dishonest agents.



This next video is about a SCAM that's been run on unexpecting tourists for a LONG time but is totally avoidable for those in the know.



We like Vamos 4x4. But we're definitely not saying they're the only game in town. We stick with what we like. Check out the video to see why we like them.



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

A Promo Video for Vamos 4x4

Travel Costa Rica NOW does a promo video for Vamos 4x4 Car Rental Agency.
Vamos 4x4 is a Car Rental Agency based in San Jose Costa Rica. If Alamo, Hertz, Thrifty, Budget and other BIGger, nationally known agencies are McDonalds, Vamos is the hamburger joint on the corner, providing quality beef with an emphasis on service. Our relationship with Vamos started when a few years back we begun to receive frequent emails asking us if Vamos 4x4 was legit, something to do with their prices being so low. So we decided to check them out for ourselves and that's when we met the owner, George, who like us, is dedicated to providing a quality service for a fair price. We liked him immediately, so yeah, we do promote them to our audience.

Since, George decided he would like to have some videos about Costa Rica on his site, for no other reason than to provide INFO for his clients, so he decided to sponsor us as we travel around different locations in Costa Rica and make videos...

This is the FIRST in a series of videos we will be doing for Vamos:



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Renting a CAR for Costa Rica? Who we USE

Vamos 4x4 in Costa Rica- too good to be TRUE?
Vamos 4X4 is a car rental agency here in Costa Rica and boy, have we got a lot of emails over the last few years asking about them. This is a PERFECT example:

"Hey GUYS! Love your videos. Quick question. Do you know anything about Vamos 4X4 car rental agency? Their prices seem to be really, REALLY good... but almost too good, too good to be true in fact. Have you ever used them? Do you recommend that we do? Keep up the good work."

We decided to CHECK-OUT Vamos 4X4 for ourselves. This is what we think about Vamos:



Not Siskel and Ebert, but if we were... and rating Vamos....
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Driving Costa Rica Accidents and Landslides

Driving in Costa Rica is an adventure in itself.
Driving in Costa Rica is as much an adventure as any white water rafting tour or waterfall rappel through the rainforest and if you've ever driven here, you already know that. And not just for the obvious reasons such as road and weather conditions but also for the fact Tico's are some of the worst drivers on the PLANET... yeah, I said it.

Anyway, we made a video called, 'Driving Costa Rica' a couple years back when really, we were newbies to the video making genre. That video is the second one down on this page.

We received a LOT of negative comments on that video, from 'threats' to just out and out name calling..."FAGGETS go HOME and Butt F*** each other if you don't like Costa Rica." I would often respond by politely pointing out that the comment would have hurt a little more if they had actually spelled 'faggot' correctly.

Anyway, we did come to understand why they were a little peeved... it was our delivery. We came across a little flippant... and we did.

Finally, we made part 2 of that video (which is directly below) to set the record straight, but not only set the record straight but to emphasize a couple points the first video did not.

There you have it. Planning on seeing Costa Rica by car, you need to CHECK OUT both videos. ENjoY! and as always, hope it helps.

This is the NEW video-'Driving Costa Rica- Accidents and Landslides'



This one is the old one, but still VERY relevant:



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

I Prefer My Police CORRUPT

"The police in Costa Rica are corrupt." "All the policemen in Costa Rica accept bribes and are on the 'take'." What?

They say if you repeat things often enough over time they become true whether they are or NOT. Unfortunately, the ones doing the 'repeating' are usually doing just that, repeating, and don't normally have the first clue as to the validity of what they're repeating.

Corruption has many levels, and the reasons of 'why' can be somewhat complex to say the least. The sole purpose of this post is to offer some perspective to the 'would be' traveler about the so-called 'corruption' they'd be most likely to encounter during their visit to Costa Rica, that is, if you call giving a cop $100 bucks vs. paying a $400 ticket- corruption. I'd call that a discount, but that's me.

I truly believe their is a difference between a police officer accepting $50 bucks or so for letting a 'speeder' go and looking the other way as a truckload of cocaine rolls into the neighborhood.


Police in Costa Rica don't get paid SHIT, which is the MAJOR reason they let the speeder go, after the discount that is. It's easy money, and really, a win-win situation for all involved. If you were putting your life on the line for minimum wage or close to it, I think this would be much easier to understand. These people have families and mouths to feed, which isn't an excuse since obviously they chose the profession, but come on, pickin' up a few extra bucks from gringo tourists who ARE speeding- call me 'crooked' but I get it. Sometimes being the kid in the candy store is just a little too hard to resist. *If you don't understand this, you're either a Republican or your dad owned a candy store, or even more likely, BOTH.

Costa Rica in general is perceived as a corrupt country because of the entire 'bribe the traffic cop' thing and obviously there is truth to that. But what isn't true is the cops in Costa Rica will shake you down and take your money. Don't get me wrong, that has happened and on occasion probably still does, but with the onset of technology, better training, a little more money and an effort by the police to curb the problem, this type of strong-arm intimidation/extortion, is slowly becoming the exception rather than the rule of old. They try that shit now and there's recourse just like you would have in the States. Here's an example of Costa Rica cops demanding money at a checkpoint outside Jaco. Costa Rica isn't Mexico, or at least the Mexico you often hear about. And really, let's not throw too many stones here, the U.S. definitely has its share of 'bad cop' syndrome.

Me, I've had numerous interactions with police here and have never been asked for money or given it. They've always been professional with me... because believe you me, if they hadn't, you'd have heard about it. BUT, if I was speeding and was stopped, I'd be ecstatic to be offered a a more timely and cost effective alternative, because right now, FINES are high and I WAS speeding for Christ sake. I'd much rather provide for a police officer and his or her family than the bureaucrats and theirs.

Really, this is my point-

When you get pulled over by the highway patrol going 100mph from LA to Vegas, I got a million bucks says you wish you'd been pulled over in Costa Rica...haha

Here's my VIDEO about Police Corruption in Costa Rica:



A couple things to keep in mind-

*If you get stopped, be careful about offering a 'gift'- it is against the law and it's a hefty fine. You may want to wait until the officer offers a solution to your problem FIRST.

*They can chase you in Costa Rica but normally you'll run into a check-point or they already 'caught you' and you'll be motioned to pull over. This is rarely done by one cop, where there's one, there's 5.

*Most of the new driving laws are enforced in and around San Jose, not so much in the little towns. It's normal to see 3 people on a motorcycle w/out helmets or a baby without a car seat in villages and towns scattered around the country.

*It is true they're more apt to target gringos.

*Don't try to skip out on paying a ticket, Costa Rica and rental car companies aren't stupid, you will bet BURNED.

TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Someone can't drive 55 in Costa Rica

Is it possible to outrun the police in Costa Rica?
On our way from Manuel Antonio to La Fortuna the driver passed the Costa Rica police check point at approximately 85 mph, well, he did slow down a little, but apparently only as a ruse.

There's no WAY the driver missed the police motioning him to pull over, hell, the policeman was standing in the road for god sake, if the driver hadn't seen him, he'd have run him over- pork chops anyone?

The driver had passed approximately 8 cars on a double yellow and the police were sitting in a prime location to see the act in progress- hand TOTALLY caught in the cookie jar.

Enter cop- pointing to the driver and motioning him to pull over.

The driver acted as if he just might pull over but upon reaching the police check point the driver gunned it and the police quickly turned into a 'Laurel and Hardy' skit, complete with dramatic hand motions and speechless mouth gestures. At least that was the scene from the rear-view mirror.

This driver must have been CR-a-ZY! Hadn't he heard of walkie-talkies, helicopters... radar guns with the capability of reading license plates.... apparently NOT! Dumbass, he's going DOwn, you just don't run from the police.

I know for a FACT this is the second time this driver 'kept going', the other time being in San Jose when he was passing cars on the right and the lane abruptly ENDed and the check point began... f'in police, always RIGHT there when you don't need them.

I'm pretty sure I know what was going through the drivers brain- Immigration status, question after question, high fees, bribery, deportation, Costa Rican jail with a guy name Jose that thinks you have a nice ass....... the mind plays tricks, even I know that.

So, at some point the driver obviously says, "fuck it", let's see what happens- and punches it- Thelma and Louise style...bitches.

WOW, this could be interesting and I got a front row seat but as turns out, it's NOT.

And here lies the moral of the story as it pertains to Costa Rica- NOTHING happens, nada, zip, zippity-do-da, no chase, no helicopters, no fees, no jail time, no NOTHING... so I'm thinkin this driver deserves some props for having the gonads....

So, for your amusement and mine, and because I'm celebrating the fact someone has a bigGER than BIG BALL sac:



TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!

Driving Costa Rica- Pulled OVER during Semana Santa

Driving in Costa Rica has the potential to become a quite costly affair if you’re a TYPE A personality when behind the wheel- especially NOW- Original Post: New Laws for Driving in Costa Rica.

Here’s what was reported in the news during Semana Santa (Easter):

'According to Tránsito 5,600 tickets were issued during Semana Santa for all types of violations of the Ley de Tránsito. Tránsito subdirector, Huanelge Gutiérrez, explained that 975 of the tickets were for speeding, while the rest ranged from driving without a license, faulty lights and not wearing a seatbelt.'

Also indicated in the article was that Police arrested 88 persons for drunk driving- they must have missed my original post, now these 88 could face jail time (funny, I thought it was mandatory, but the article clearly stated, “could face jail time”…ummm. I’ll have to check into that one.
Well, we had spent a week in San José doing what we do (Do’in Costa Rica), videotaping, hotel and bar reviews etc, and when we got invited to Samara (Southern Guanacaste/Nicoya Peninsula area on the Pacific coast), we jumped at the CHANCE. We had been trying to visit there for quite some time.

Our friend was passing a few cars that in our opinion were going way to SLOW, and actually, I saw the policeman about a quarter of a mile up ahead in the middle of the road speaking with the driver of a stopped car, but didn’t think anything of it, even as we ZOOMED past the 4 cars. What I didn’t see was the radar gun, but we still thought we were cool and we weren’t traveling ‘that fast’,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the policeman felt otherwise.

Come to think of it, the cars we passed did appear as if they were standing still.
Our friend sorta, kinda tried to plead his case, but the cop wasn’t having any of it. He wasn’t mean, just matter-of-fact and kept showing my friend the speed indicated on the radar gun.

This would be a good time to mention ‘bribes’. If you really believe all Costa Rica authority types accept bribes- you’d be sadly mistaken. And that mistake could cost you about 400 bucks. We wouldn’t have even thought to bribe this guy, and he was working ALONE. You could tell this cop took his job seriously and I'll bet when he lays his head on the pillow at night, he knows who he is.

Technically this ticket was in the range of ‘reckless driving’, and our friends was a tad nervous to say the least.

But like they frequently do in the States, this cop gave our friend a break. Cost of the ticket- $9.00.

It’s nice to see discretion used appropriately- this could have been SO much worse.

We were part of the Semana Santa statistics, but I can’t help thinking we may have gotten off a lot easier than most… Pura Vida to 'us' as this could have been a MAJOR Semana Santa BUZZ KILL…. it wasn’t.

Samara was GREAT! Upcoming VIDEOS and INFO and post about our visit to Samara.

Here's just a snippet of video of the cop that pulled us over. I give this guy serious PROPS and Costa Rica should be PROUD he represents them in his everyday interactions with the gringos and the public in general. He displayed good judgment and discretion and was professional at all times.

I DARE you to try and BRIBE him... double dare you.
I found out some cops don't like to be video taped...hehe

We have ALL your Costa Rica Travel Information at Travel Costa Rica NOW. and don't forget our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos posted on YouTube. Hope it HELPS!

Costa Rica Travel Tips pt 3

When traveling to Costa Rica it's ALL about knowing the 'little' things, the stuff you wouldn't know unless you did your homework (highly recommended when traveling Costa Rica) and the more you KNOW, the better your Costa Rica travel experience will BE. And we like to think we provide at least some of the 'KNOW.'

Hey Everyone! WE love providing Costa Rica Travel Info and Travel Tip VIDEOS about 'ANYTHING' Costa Rica, to YOU- the potential Costa Rica Traveler, to ensure the BEST possible vacation EVER! There's a lot of Costa Rica Info out there to choose from, so we work hard giving you the most updated, pertinent Costa Rica Information through written words, and of course VIDEOS- reading is fundamental, but sometimes, it's just easier to WATCH than to read. (All the links in this post will take you to even MORE info on the subject.)

In part 3 of Costa Rica 'Quick' Travel Tips will be discussing what you can expect upon 'Departure'' of Costa Rica at the San Jose International Airport along with some Driving Tips you must KNOW if you plan on Renting a Car and discovering Costa Rica yourself. Oh, at what happens when you Argue with a Tico about not having Hot water in your Hotel room? This and more in part 3 of Costa Rica 'Quick' Travel Tips. ENjoY!



We have all your GAY Travel Costa Rica Information as well, in the GAY Section of our Guide: Travel Costa Rica NOW.

New Laws for Driving in Costa Rica

"Bribe? I didn't say bribe... this is a 'regalo'".
In Costa Rica, the days of driving down to Manuel Antonio while throwing back a six pack of Imperial (Costa Rica’s MOST popular beer) are OVER if you’re the driver, unless of course you don’t mind playing Russian Roulette in a Midnight Express sort of way.

They ARE, and will be continuing over the next year to implement new laws in regards to driving in Costa Rica. It pretty much started when Costa Rican officials got tired of all the alcohol related deaths and accidents. Yeah, I’m not big on death either - so it sounds reasonable they'd be tired - even the locals we’re on board with this one. But what about the gringo traveler to Costa Rica?

If you plan on renting a car to see this beautiful country, there are a few things you need to know. For instance, here, it ISN'T against the law to drink and drive, it IS however illegal to drive DRUNK- and it is no longer a SLAP on the wrist as in the past. Basically, all the infractions (below) would be illegal in the States as well; it’s the penalties that are a bit on the harsh side. Don’t miss my perspective on this entire debacle below, especially YOU, the traveler to Costa Rica.

It should be noted NOT all these laws are in EFFECT- but the drunk driving law IS.

NOW, you GO to JAIL if your blood alcohol exceeds 0.75% or you’re driving over 100 mph (150 kph), which is considered reckless driving. So far, not bad- but wait there’s more.

For the following, you won’t go to jail, but it will cost you BIG TIME approximately $410.00 as of the March 17th 2009 exchange rate. These are considered Category A offenses.

• Reckless driving, in this case speed exceeding 80 MPH (120 kph)
• Driving without a valid drivers license.
• Driving under a suspended license.
• Driving a child without proper safety seats. This also includes driving a motorcycle or any other motorized vehicle with a minor and that minor has no helmet.
• BRIBING A POLICE OFFICER… shit, there’s a law for that, I guess now we can’t do it.

Category B offenses- Still costly at about $305.00 a pop.

• Driving 14 mph over the speed limit, exceeding 16 mph when passing school entrances or exit, hospital or clinics. Be careful, these are often not marked.
• Talking on you cell phone.
• Running a Stop sign or making an illegal u-turn.
• Driving or carrying passengers and not using seat belts. (Check your passengers, it’s your responsibility as the driver in Costa Rica).
• Driving a motorcycle or quad or similar vehicle without a helmet.

Tickets that will cost you a little over $200.00

• Driving too slow in the passing lane.
• Driving too slow and impeding traffic or failure to yield to faster vehicles.
• Driving on the beach.
• Improper passing.
• Littering.
• Stopping in the middle of the intersection and blocking traffic.
• Driving in the wrong lane.

Here are a few examples of other driving infractions that will cost you in fines ranging from $40.00 to $180.00:

Parking in a handicap zone, driving on a foreign drivers license while in violation of your visa (90 days for you gringos), failure to maintain assured clear distance, jaywalking, failure to have your drivers license with you while driving, blah, blah, blah- all the usual suspects.

I would say the gringo traveler to Costa Rica really only needs to worry about- drunk driving, excessive speeding, wearing seatbelts, using a cell phone while driving and maybe improper passing, other than that you should be OK.

Now for those of you who actually in Costa Rica, there’s a point system tied to all the fines, and you receive BOTH fines and loss of points for infractions. You begin with 50 pts and when you reach 0- your driving privileges are revoked. How long- it’s unclear. Here’s the basic point break down.

Drunk Driving and Driving 100 mph- you lose ALL 50 points and of course JAIL time.

Category A offenses- Reckless driving and carrying a child without a proper safety seat is also a loss of ALL 50 pts.

Category B offenses are almost all a loss of 20 points and fines that are approximately a $200 fine are usually a loss of 15 points.

It appears that it’s almost a 3-strike RULE- 2 seatbelt tickets and one for talking on a cell phone while driving- You’re OUT- a bit Draconian in my book.

Ok, cool I guess, new laws for the betterment of ALL. JAIL for drunk driving- great. But what’s this all really mean?

Well, I call total Bullshit. You want the REAL Costa Rica without the make-up- well she can be fairly unattractive when the light hits her just right.

First, Costa Rica is notorious for making laws it has NO WAY to enforce (for a variety of reasons). Not only is its bark worse than its bite- Costa Rica would have to put its dentures back in if they were even INCLINED to leave a MARK. Costa Rica cares about one thing- PERCEPTION, read that as how they are VIEWED by the ‘outside’ world. Marketing is obviously a strong point because Costa Rica is the SHIT on paper. They believe it doesn’t matter what you actually DO, it matters what you’re perceived as DOING.

The laws are there…

… there’s laws to stop shark finning, and long line fishing, but 100’s of thousands of sharks are killed for their fins off the shores of Costa Rica each year. Umm, China and Costa Rica have become quite chummy lately. Check out this video with Pretoma, the people attempting to make Costa Rica enforce its LAWS on shark finning and see what they have to say. Video: a Talk with Pretoma

Eco-friendly- laws are in place...umm, about 90% of sewage finds its way into the rivers, streams and oceans of Costa Rica. Nothing says eco-friendly like human excrement. Hell, Manuel Antonio National Park just got sited for sewage flowing directly into the ocean from the RANGER STATION- WTF! And don’t get me started on Jacó and Tamarindo. See Manuel Antonio National Park: Full of Shit

Huge mega resorts break just about every law in order to build ‘closer to the beach’. Even where we live, La Fortuna, there are strict laws prohibiting building in close proximity to the Arenal Volcano, PLEASE- money rules the day, so without naming names, here, a few hotels could light their cigarettes using the sparks from Arenal.

Even drug use is often tolerated as well as is underage drinking (I’ve seen underage teenagers drinking in the park right next to police officers, hell, talking to them to boot). See Legal Age to do Stuff in Costa Rica

BUT,
many of these new fines are more than the transit police make in a month, what would you do if you had a family of 5 or so to look after and some gringo wasn’t wearing his seatbelt?

I would venture to say most drunk driving infractions will be ticketed at road blocks and random check points; I seriously doubt you’ll be pulled over from behind with the possible exception of in and around the San José area. As a matter of fact, these new laws probably won’t mean shit outside San José as it will be business as usual in most places, with the police turning a blind eye to the more victimless of these traffic infractions. I guarantee cars will be racing right outside our apartment tonight like they do every night, and of course I’ll see a guy riding his motorcycle with his wife on the back and 2-year old sitting on the gas tank with the driver being the only one wearing a helmet. Costa Rica is mostly rural outside of San José and the police in these small towns are anyone’s next door neighbor, so they’re not going to give the teenage son of a friend a $400. fine and send him to jail, it’s just not going to happen. They’d be run out of town.

But gringo BEWARE, I got this funny feeling they don’t give a FUCK about you.

The irony will be that the laws will appear to be working, because with payoffs and bribes, the tickets won’t exist. My advice, carry some cash just in case and I’m thinking a $20 bill just won’t CUT IT anymore, so hopefully you’ll be pulled over close to an ATM machine, you’ll need it. OH! Don’t call it a bribe, it’s a regalo (gift), a bribe sounds so illegal and it could cost you, be careful in your word choice. Don’t know Spanish, just remember ‘regalo’.

The laws will be on the books soon enough and of course they’ll make the travel guides as to how Costa Rica is really clamping down, and I’ll get a ton of emails asking if they’ll go to jail for talking on their cell phone while driving. Perception is EVERYTHING.

Check OUT our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos and for tons of Costa Rica Travel Information visit: Travel Costa Rica NOW

Driving Costa Rica- Death AROUND every CORNER!

Our new Travel Tip Video (below) about 'Driving in Costa Rica' has caused quite the STIR with both potential tourists and resident Tico's alike. Who woulda thought?

We made the video for ONE reason- to INFORM people of the possible driving conditions they may encounter if they decide to rent a car to travel Costa Rica. We think it's important to KNOW what you're getting yourself into. That said, it was NOT meant to SCARE anyone away from driving. Personally, we think driving is the BEST option of getting around Costa Rica. But it's not for the faint of heart and the decision to drive or not should not be taken lightly. Here are some other options.

I can't tell you how many emails we've gotten from people planning a trip to Costa Rica saying they would no longer consider driving after watching the video. I suppose the video does seem to imply that DANGER lurks around every corner, and in a WAY, that's TRUE, at least the potential for danger.....but COME ON! Really, it's the potential for DANGER that makes driving here so exhilarating and adventurous (along with the spectacular scenery of course). I guess you have to be a TYPE A personality to understand this.

It's much easier to understand why resident Tico's were ready to STRING ME UP for this particular video. First, they think the video is too negative and shows their country in a bad light; exposing a skeleton of sorts. Tico's love to maintain their illusions (yeah, they don't cut down trees anymore either). In their minds, the video is enough to STOP people from visiting......AS IF. Second, in the video I call Ticos some of the worst drivers on the PLANET. Right now they're outside my apartment searching for a suitable tree. But, I stand by that comment, because it also happens to be TRUE; they really are a scary LOT when they get behind the wheel. You can go here to read my TAKE on Tico drivers.

Here's the video in question. All the video really says is be AWARE and be CAREFUL.

But if you see me hanging from a tree, you'll understand.



Tons of Videos on Costa Rica at the Costa Rica Travel Channel and if you're planning on Living or Traveling to Costa Rica, then check out Travel Costa Rica NOW for all your INFORMATION. And see ALL our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos on YouTube. ENjOY!

Drivers License Renewal Sets RECORD in Costa Rica

Someone needs to alert the folks at Guinness (World Records, not Beer) because I’m certain we broke some sort of record today. Possibly in the category of: ‘Gringo Completing ‘ANYTHING’ in a timely manner while living in Costa Rica.’ Well, whatever, if it's not a category, it should be.

Why Record Breaking? Because on this date:

3 Gringos (that’s right, 3) got their Drivers Licenses renewed in LESS than 25 minutes…in Costa Rica. This is unheard of. Like I said, someone dial-up Guinness.

Basically we started the day like any other when you have to complete paperwork in Costa Rica. Read that as 'EARLY!'

We planned on leaving early so we could be waiting in line when the place opened up- and like many ‘processes’ in Costa Rica, a lengthy drive is ALSO a prerequisite- this case was no exception.

Like before any Costa Rican process is undertaken, we turned off the electricity in our apartment, put covers over the furniture to protect from dust and then asked the neighbors to watch the place because we weren’t sure when we’d be back. We also loaded up on snacks and packed lunches anticipating the inevitable Tico-time mentality one is forced to deal with here during any governmental process, or any process for that matter; but ESPECIALLY as the process pertains to Gringos. Last time I prepared to ‘WAIT’ like this, it had something to do with ‘Guns and Roses’ and ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ meant something TOTALLY different…..oh, and standing in line was SO much more enlightening and reflective back then *wink wink*

I got nothing more to say. We arrived (not even on time mind you) and were IN ‘n OUT in a record 23 minutes and 53 seconds. There was a slight scare with my passport, it being a new model and all, it seemed to have caused a bit of confusion- just long enough for me to grab a PB&J out of the bag, anticipate the worst…and start thinking, ‘….just a little PATIENCE, YYEEAAAAHHHH, just a little PATIENCE, YYEEAAAAHHH’

He was back before the first bite and I couldn’t help but smile when he took my picture. Talk about GAY.

So is Costa Rica turning the page? Is Tico-time a thing of the past? Will my pessimism be replaced?

Let’s put it this way- Axl, Slash, Izzy, Duff and Matt have a better chance of re-uniting.............. and that ain’t happening either.

FOR THE RECORD- to RENEW a Costa Rica Drivers License

• YOUR BLOOD TYPE CERTIFIED BY a DOCTOR (this is a new requirement) - We’ve heard some people can just tell the doctor their blood type, but on this one we didn’t take the risk. It cost $20.00 each. We later found out we had been GRINGO PRICED.

• PHYSICAL also CERTIFIED AND STAMPED by a DOCTOR. This is totally a BULLSHIT physical. Blood Pressure and a bunch of questions about how much you drink or if you can move all your extremities, or if you’ve ever been a mental patient etc. Doctors take your word for this, or maybe he just didn’t see the bottle of Cacique in my pocket….hehe. This takes maybe 10 minutes and there are plenty of places in close proximity to the License place, if you haven’t taken care of this prior. This cost $20.00

• PASSPORT and CURRENT COSTA RICA DRIVERS LICENSE and it’s good to take copies, you never know.

• The RECEIPT from the bank, such as Banco Nacional. It is AT THE BANK you actually pay the fee for your Drivers License. This is done BEFORE hand. The Receipt is obviously the proof you have paid. Also $20.00.
Your renewal is GOOD for 5 years as opposed to only 2 years when you get your FIRST Costa Rican Drivers License.

Hundreds of Videos about Costa Rica at the Costa Rica Travel Channel and TONS of INFO about Traveling and Living in Costa Rica at Travel Costa Rica NOW And as Always, HOPE IT HELPS!

Tico Driving- EXPOSED!

Take whatever you’ve heard about the driving skills of Ticos, multiply by 100- and THEN you’ll be in the ballpark of how bad of drivers they actually are.

Websites pertaining to Costa Rica are often subjective, unreliable, misleading etc. But every site out there seems to agree on one thing- Costa Rican drivers are among the worst on the planet. Even the Chinese come in a distant second. On second thought, they may be a PUSH.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to drive in a demolition derb.…..I mean Costa Rica, I’d say definitely put it on your ‘Bucket List’- before the new set of dentures and after jumping out of a plane at 15,000 ft. Actually, when I think about, driving here is a peculiar combination of the two. Anyways, when in Costa Rica, expect one, or better yet, a combination of the following to occur (at any given time): an 18-wheeler using a two-lane road as if it’s a one-way street. Passing on a curve - Stopping on a curve. Sudden U-turns, really, they’ll do this on the highway- it’s truly a sight to behold. Many WILL stop their cars when talking on a cell phone, but that doesn’t mean they’ll actually pull over- they just STOP. Folks, I can’t make this up. Also, Ticos will rarely miss an opportunity to ‘chat it up’ with friends- frequently pulling alongside a friend’s car, or perhaps their relatives they spotted walking to the store- oblivious to the line of cars stacking up behind them.

Remember, driving in Costa Rica is already difficult; rain, sun, darkness, fog, clouds, potholes, pedestrians, animals, mudslides, etc. can turn the shortest of trips into a white-knuckle affair in an instant. Here's OUR video about the driving conditions in Costa Rica:



Now, add a Tico driver to the mix and you have the recipe for disaster. I know you think I’m being overly dramatic- but I assure you, I’ve driven in numerous countries around the world, and this is the worst. Even in Rome, as a group, they drive in organized disorganization that somehow seems to work- they GET IT.

Ticos are NOT aggressive drivers per se, so what makes them think they can stop their car, on a curve no doubt, and get out and pee, regardless of traffic and/or driving conditions?

I know the answer. Hopefully I can explain it.

We’re talking about a culture with no standing Army, patience to spare (tico time), a Pura Vida attitude... and loathes confrontation of any kind. They extend constant driving courtesy BECAUSE they expect it in return. It’s nothing they actually think about, it’s more unconscious than that, but courtesy nonetheless. They get behind the wheel and do whatever they want, whenever they want. They expect their driving indiscretions to be accepted as such, because they know and understand they would wait for the guy to finishing peeing without the slightest agitation.

So, to the untrained eye, Tico driving appears as a severe case of complacency, or at least, a total lack of regard for others. But to them, when they decide to make a U-turn during rush hour, well, it’s ALL understood, because that guy peeing- he’s behind the guy making the U-turn.

And so it goes…

I would like to note that although I understand…this is NOT Rome, and in my opinion, no matter how you rationalize it- it’s just plain DANGEROUS. Because, let’s be honest, some of us pee at the gas station.

If you need Costa Rica Travel Information then CHECK OUT our travel guide at: Travel Costa Rica NOW and see all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos on YouTube.