Deucy
2/9/2014 08:55 EST
This thread is soliciting experienced drivers' experience in Ecuador and their tips or knowing drivers and their experiences and tips. I have done a search engine search and results have been sparse. Not so about why NOT to drive which is not what this thread is for. Because of the rarity of the subject, I will reboot this thread some times to catch a fresh set of eyes. I have 6 to 8 weeks to do so. I would much appreciate something.
For those who live in country, I would appreciate you soliciting tips from drivers you know and conveying them here.
Also if you have found through search engines on this board or elsewhere any info that has been published that be relevant, it would be welcome with link or as appropriate.
Additional subjects for fair game, is where to get excellent maps....large scale in size for detailed navigating through towns.
Also, GPS service. Satellites are overhead. I know that. Has the demand been sufficient enough to develop the software on earth for mapping ?
I would also welcome the occasional good tip about the renting process, even though some good posts exist I have read already on this board in recent years. It is the most complex of the overall subject of renting, and any rebroadcast is welcome.
Again, anything found published at this board or others or on the net would be welcome.
Ecuador:
Two years ago in March, I rented an SUV in Loja one morning, and in one day drove north to and around Cuenca and very north to further than Quito. TIP 1: Have a Spanish friend negotiate the deal. I continued to hard ball to get a decent deal, but he carried out the orders successfully when I never could have. TIP 2: I had no decent road map; only a crude one for the country without detail. Try never to do that. TIP 3; Surprise...there are no road signs out of small towns and cities to the highway. Speak the language or have someone who can better than me. TIP 4: Be prepared to get directions out of town three times; once when arriving, once when half way out you figure, and once when nearly out you think. Everyone wants to help if they do not know specifics. Prepare to average your way out. Tip 4: Carry everything out of the car when over-nighting and leave your own blinking flashing light inside appearing to be associated with theft deterrence. Or...sleep in the SUV,but have air matresses.
Optional reading .... for amusement ? :
A little insight on past experience driving in Spain. Spain is tangentially relevant but is what gives rise to the questions I posed above. My wife and I put ourselves in the worst of all situations. We drove in a car we rented 4 years ago in spring eastward along the northern coast of Spain in excellent weather through coastal cities. We were told language would not be so difficult as many talked some English. That turned out not the case for who we met the few times we stopped for directions. Few times, because it was almost useless. I studied Spanish 40 years earlier in college when I didn't want to, and it came back to bite me. Out of desperation I remembered right and left. I learned later for right I was saying in Spanish straight, and it was just as bad when I heard directions that turned out "not to be right" because of my misunderstanding. We had a destination address, but only a thumbnail map of the city in a small paged travel guide not meant to navigate with and under poor light. Usually at dusk and commuter hour is when we got off the highway and into the city. We managed to not have any accidents while fighting to change lanes in round-about intersections. Again, near darkness with poor to no street lamp light, medium heavy traffic, and only a few street signs not probably readable even if there were full light and no traffic. I have an excellent sense of direction; many do. Doesn't matter when (1) the streets are not laid out checker board and one finds them self driving in navigational loops with little to no sun for reference and (2) coming to the unexpected, one way streets preventing the necessary directional turn you want. Finally, the Spanish names on the few street corners with signs are on building corners that were oxidized bronze, and hardly readable and didn't give an opportunity to make an educated guess what that name was even when we caught a few letters. We counted 6 challenges that did not include end of day fatigue and hunger. We always found our destination, including more than once with a local close enough to his curb side car, jumped in and led us. We understood why they did when they took us through what was the most difficult streets we had encountered, in spite of us having gotten close before being led the last few blocks. Surprise ! After 4 or 5 experiences like that, we didn't get divorced.
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BeachWriter
2/9/2014 10:36 EST
You can get a Garmin in the big cities and download the Ecuador maps for $50 onto it.
Addresses are seldom used, so you can't input the address of a destination -- you just have to look at the map.
Signage is not good and you will need to know landmarks and major intersections or you will get lost a lot.
Driver's here swerve around on the road a lot and don't stay in their lanes well. That means you don't want to rush it and you want to drive defensively.
Almost all cars have standard transmissions.
When you come to a stop light, don't block the left lane because the left lane turns green before the regular green light an you will get honked at for blocking people who want to turn left.
Keep a can of compressed air and a roll of toilet paper in your car for emergencies!
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Deucy
2/9/2014 16:19 EST
Thanks B W .... excellent start with helpful advice. Did you get locally licensed ? .... or know anyone that did which can spread some light on that experience ?
I would like comments from those who have had the experience of being locally licensed...preparing for and/or living the written and practical (driving portion) exam. I understand a license from home can buy you out of the practical, but it would be informative anyway.
As I recall, a license from overseas allows you 6 months behind the wheel (?) But knowing some LOCAL rules of the road before first getting on the road could be big as you pointed out BW, That in addition to non-license related challenges that could be more than my experience.
Where is best place to buy the compressed air?
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Deucy
2/9/2014 16:43 EST
If pulled over, what can one expect ? I was prepared in Spain when I got stopped on the highway. You pay the ticket then and there and one must be ready with cash. Also, I read there are ploys by locals disguised as cops: identifying tourists, and taking their money with the pretense of being the authority and threat of hauling you in.
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OceanHideaway
2/9/2014 20:39 EST
Horns are used often and non aggressively. Get over your fear of the horn
Leave your anger issues in the USA
Stop Signs are pretty much yield signs
At night late late when the stop lights are blinking, most do roll through -- especially in neighborhoods that may be especially dark -- yes use your horn and watch out.
Turn on your lights at 6pm turn them off at 7:00am
If you hit someone -- be quiet -- be humble -- call the Consulate and then call someone who speaks SPANISH to call the consulate -- the Emergency phone is answered by a Spanish Speaker -- get over it.
Yes they may take you in until you can produce enough funds to take care of the medical injury of the person you hit. You are the gringo -- you have insurance -- it may run a few thousand -- get over it too -- Don;t get into an accident
Wear your seat belt -- both of you in the front seat. Don't talk or text while driving. PERIOD
If you are driving, have your license and passport with you in case you are stopped by t.he transit police. Unless you are a really belligerent hard blow who cannot act appropriately calm under the right situations -- you will be given a warning and a be careful on most things.
as always... your mileage may vary -- objects in the mirror are closer than they appear...
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BeachWriter
2/10/2014 09:25 EST
Very good points OcieanHideaway. Also, $20 dollars can solve a lot of minor problems if they occur.
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Themiddleoftheworld
2/10/2014 14:25 EST
I wrote a blog post on this topic. It might help.
http://www.themiddleoftheworldecuador.blogspot.com/2013/06/quito-traffic-que-bestia.html
Mike
www.themiddleoftheworld.com
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withoutego
2/10/2014 14:39 EST
Deucy
Ah Spain, I learned to drive when I was 18 in Southern Spain. I was in the USN at Rota, across the bay from Cadiz. Got a 1956 VW as my first car...great introduction. But I never took it too far, unlike a lot of new 18 year old drivers.
Whoever told you that English speakers were common in the north of Spain wasn't speaking from experience.
I might, if I am feeling suicidal, get a moto here in Cuenca. Otherwise I don't need a car or wheels. Walking is not a burden, its needed exercise. Still, I do miss the freedom of the road I know when back home in Maine. Its in the gringo blood. Our practical definition of freedom.
something else that is different here.
sin coche o moto
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Deucy
2/10/2014 23:50 EST
hank you O_H with the point by point. I hope it was a copy and paste from your deep archives. A lot of effort. Much appreciated. I am sure it will be found by others, too.. Lots of wisdom for those who choose to be wise. Your list will be printed with other post's comments and put in front of expats in country for being expanded upon. Thanks for addressing my point by point questions.
Thank you B_W for that list. Sobering. Garmin.......got it. Thanks.
Thank you posters for your contributions that are added to my list to be added on to.
Thank you Mike....... It appears I should have kept my first car I had when I was 18.... a Studebaker Lark VI built like a tank. Driving in Quito ! a beast.
My driving will be in the smaller inland towns and along the coast again.
withoutego....... Ah, Spain ! I think I saw your VW in Rota. It is where we landed and departed from. Not that you wish to, but if you do a little current events search, you will find new breath being blown into the life of Rota. It was there a Spaniard working at the rec center told us no sweat with finding English speakers. In retrospect, he otherwise was a fine guy. Loaned us books. You are right...he was never on the north coast. Roger that on the freedom aspect, particularly while in the exploring stage here. Plus cruising the coast for surf. Don't let me have to start worrying about you in Cuenca with new wheels.
I was a navigator in the Reserves and will feel helpless without map in hand. I will just continue to dead reckon thru the smaller towns and cities.
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cfs
2/11/2014 09:49 EST
My wife and I came to Ecuador from the U.S. 2 years ago. We obtained Ecuadorean drivers licenses. To navigate the process, we hired a "facilitator", a local, to help us complete the process. One thing you should always keep in mind is that the rules here are very dynamic.
As O.H. said, you may rent and drive on your foreign D.L. with your passport but, don't have an accident! Follow her advice for roadblocks and stops by the transit and highway patrol officers. BE RESPECTFUL & POLITE.
The govt. requires successful completion of driving school for all applicants UNLESS the applicant possess a D.L. in good standing from Spain or any of the United States, in which case the license can be examined in Quito and a letter of authorization for you to bypass driving school will be issued for the local driver's license bureau to advance you to the written test and ultimately, license issuance.
DRIVE DEFENSIVELY! We find that it is very unwise to "sightsee" while behind the wheel. It is possible to encounter missing manhole covers and missing storm drain grates as well as spontaneous repairs to the driving surface or buried utilities. You must be completely aware of what all drivers around you are doing, especially the very slow ones way up in front of you and the very fast ones approaching you from the rear who may pass you at twice your speed.
If ticketed, you have to settle up at a bank designated by the government. Officers are not allowed to handle monies. You must wait at least 10 days for the citation to be entered into the system before you may pay it.
The highway system is greatly improved over the past 5 years so driving will be more pleasant. Don't expect signage to direct you.
I read a post from someone who bought the Garmin update and they said it wasn't worth the $50 or the trouble. I have not purchased one for my GPS.
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mildoc
2/11/2014 10:29 EST
The Garmim card I have for my GPS is useful to get to the general area, to enter in a location I have visited and is very helpful to get you between cities.
It is not up to date and many new roads and changes are not in it……..BUT it is a great help in getting around for me at least.
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SWIRLZ
2/11/2014 15:03 EST
I have my EC license. Two years ago I took the class in Spanish ($200) and then the test in Spanish ($30 -40) . I hear SOME places let you skip the school by using a US license and I even hear SOME places MAY let you take the test in English (wouldn't count on it though) The tests are published on-line so studying and learning the exam is fairly easy.
The road system is greatly improved. If you are going major city to major city they are great. Signage is very poor but you can't get too lost if you stay on concrete. (seriously) Police can't take money....this isn't Mexico and if you run into an issue....take out your cellphone or camera and start taking pictures....EC is very anti graft.
Be careful in and around Cuenca because of speed traps.....10 miles over the speed limit CAN get you put in jail for 3 day plus cost you a couple hundred bucks.
Ecuadorians are VERY VERY bad drivers. I joke driving here is like going to the circus every day. BE DEFENSIVE....VERY DEFENSIVE.
While the scenery is awesome, beware as inland it is difficult to find a 1KM stretch that is either flat or straight. It takes a great deal of attention and patience. In the mountains especially, fog can be VERY dense and come and go quickly.
I have a garmin with bootleg EC software. ($30) It works mas o menos 80%. It's helpful but certainly not anywhere near foolproof. Maps are not any better and are pretty much major "concrete" roads omitting thousands of dirt side roads. A compass may be more valuable!!! To really SEE Ec you need to get off the highway from time to time but beware.....you probably will need 4WD.
Daily/weekly car rental fees are very high here. (but gas is cheap) Quito has driving rationed downtown based on the number of your license plate (odd/even days) Guayaquil is just nuts and to be avoided at all cost in my opinion. Just some idle inputs!
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SWIRLZ
2/11/2014 15:10 EST
Forgot to add one important thing......big speed bumps. They are everywhere and will tear up your car.....pay attention and be careful as they aren't always marked.
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Themiddleoftheworld
2/11/2014 15:15 EST
In the means of being helpful I must correct SWIRLZ on one thing.
The driving "rationing" as you call it in Quito is not based on odd or even numbers but rather based by day of the week.
Numbers on your license plate determine the day of the week in which you can not drive during the local rush hour from 7:00 am to 9:30 am and again from 4:00 pm till 7:30.
My day is Thursday.
The Multa (fee) for violating this if caught starts at $106 bucks and they take your car for a day.
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SWIRLZ
2/11/2014 18:17 EST
No problem....not 100% sure how it works, just know traffic volume is a huge problem in Quito and that they do some sort of allocation rationing. Good correction!i
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Deucy
2/11/2014 21:26 EST
For the smaller posters, thanks for the nuggets. It is what I look for. SWIRL Z and cfs, thanks much for the broad list effort !
Readers will get here a big head's up orientation from visiting this post,. I know I am, and am grateful to you..
I'll be monitoring for additional posts on a number of things related to driving. For instance:
What's the scoop for auto insurance ? Is there mandatory liability insurance required of all ?
How expensive is insurance ? Many insurers to choose from ?
USA carriers don't insure there ?
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SWIRLZ
2/12/2014 06:45 EST
Yes.....there is mandatory liability insurance called SOAT. But...the more rural you get the less it is enforced. There is also full coverage companies. The price varies on the age/cost etc of the car. No US companies.....this isn't Kansas!
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icemeister
2/12/2014 15:14 EST
SOAT only covers personal injury, disability or death of those involved in a traffic accident, up to specific limits. It doesn't cover any property damage.
The cost varies with the type of vehicle, engine size and age. For my car it's about $50 per year. You can get it at many banks and even at Supermaxi.
http://www.soatecuador.info/coberturas.html
I bought additional private coverage for property damage, fire, theft and collision at a cost of about $350 per year. There's an online site for comparing companies.
http://www.seguros.com.ec/
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jaymo
2/16/2014 15:43 EST
There's an app for smart phones called citymaps2go by Ulmon Gmbh, which covers Ecuador pretty well, and is designed for offline use, so you aren't limited to when you have a signal. I have it installed, and it looks pretty good, but not having been to EC yet, I can't tell you how accurate it is. It is cheap, though, and only takes up 20mb on an android phone or iPhone.
www.maps.com has printed maps of EC that are pretty detailed, at least some of them. I'd avoid the laminated one; it just doesn't have the kind of detail you're looking for. They have EC alone, EC+Peru & EC+Columbia. They also have the standard travel guides, which are way below the detail you're looking for.
link=http://www.maps.com/map.aspx?cid=4,60,112&pid=10897
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Deucy
2/16/2014 16:41 EST
jaymo...Jackpot ! Thank you for addressing a very important subject to me, as I will continue driving and exploring. Having an asset like this can be invaluable.
Thank you for the link. I looked it over; it appears to have nice information on it, too, including the Quito inset where we will be staying the first few weeks before heading out for extensive exploration of the coast, more deeply than our drive down it two years ago. I like the topical/geophysical features that allows one to get max benefit for anyone traveling to enjoy the diversity of the country (also my academic background of decades ago and of continued interest today).
I met with folks in my Puget Sound area of Washington state a year and a half ago who live deep inland near the Amazon. They had a very nice map of excellent quality and built for more endurance than a regular road map you would have in a glove compartment. German made. Rather pricey. It is on my list to find, and when I do, I will try to remember to post here.
Referring to your app, I won't have a smart phone with me, but thanks for sharing that info for the benefit of all. Like all posts, some readers potentially will find it helpful.
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jaymo
2/17/2014 14:11 EST
Deucy, another nice feature of the Maps2Go app is that the local features (where are the restaurants, hostals, etc, and what are they like) is fed by community/user information. The more people that use the app, the better it gets.
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Physician
2/19/2014 17:00 EST
Someone posted the Voting Requirements the other day. I do not know how to start another thread so I am posting the reply I got from my lawyer:
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 12:57:18 -0700
From: docstjohn@esedona.net
To: pidrovo@hotmail.com
Subject: VOTING
Dear Priscila~ Now that we have our Cedulas,
We have a few questions...
Are we supposed to vote in the upcoming elections?
I am over 65yrs old. Am I still supposed to vote?
Is there a fine to pay if we do not vote?
Where is the voting place and how do we register to vote?
We are asking you because there are so many opinions among the ExPat community.
Please let Nelson and Grace know we asked how they are.
Gracias, Doc&Rene
On 2014-02-19 14:29, Priscila Idrovo wrote:
Dear Doc. St. John,
I talked with the lawyer of the Consejo Nacional Electoral, and he told me that the vote is not required of foreigners even if they already have the cedula or the residence.
Best Regards,
Priscila.
________________________________________
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OceanHideaway
2/19/2014 18:56 EST
Physisican --
You do not need to vote -- it is optional since you are over 65 --
But voting is NOT optional if you are a Foreigner with a cedula for 5 years or more AND are between the ages of 18 and 65
Your attorney is incorrect.
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