San Juan, Puerto Rico Driving Rules: A Summary for Visitors
Rule 1: No Getting Mad Rule
First and foremost, no matter what anyone else does while driving, you can’t get mad. This is THE most important rule when driving in and around San Juan. Without this critical rule, the graveyards and prisons would be overflowing and the roads and freeways would look like professional wrestling events. Experienced drivers have learned, rather than getting upset at the crazy antics of other drivers around them, to admire and appreciate the caliber of the insanity of some drivers. The longer you drive in San Juan the more likely you will find yourself thinking things like “wow, I really didn’t think he would make it across all those lanes of traffic all at once”, or “ there is not way she will squeeze between those two trucks…wait…wait…wow, she actually made it!!!!”. I actually watch one driver cross into the oncoming traffic for 100 feet before turning onto a street that could not be accessed from the normal flow of traffic. Had I not been in my car, I would have giving that driver a standing ovation for conducting a feat I never would have even thought of.
Rule 2: The Bumper Rule
You think the traffic is too heavy and no one will let you in? Why does everyone intentionally not let you merge in traffic? You obviously need to learn the bumper rule! But first, do not use your turn signals! This is a dead give-away that you want to get in-front of another driver (and also is considered a sign of weakness in San Juan). As you will see in this rule, changing lanes is considered a game. At slow speeds, when only one car or a few cars are trying to change lanes or merge onto the highway, the bumper rule is implemented. This is one of the greatest games played by drivers in San Juan while stuck in traffic. The game goes something like this: If the driver of another vehicle can nose the front bumper of their car in front of the bumper of your car, they get to move the rest of their car into your lane, in front of you, and you have to graciously let them (also don’t forget Rule 1 at this point). Your job is to keep the front bumper of your vehicle just in-front of their bumper at all times to prevent this. Just to keep the game from getting personal, neither driver is allowed to look at the other. This game becomes most fun when one lane of traffic is an exit only and vehicles in the exit only lane are trying to merge into your lane to keep from being forced off the freeway. If another driver is forced to surrender and use their turn signal, it is purely up to you whether or not you show any mercy and let them in, and by the way, no mercy will be expected.
Rule 3: Faster Traffic Goes Around
You can never be sure what the speed limit is in San Juan, and you can never gauge the speed by the traffic around you. In the continental United States it is customary, even law in some areas, for slower traffic to move to the far right lane. In San Juan, the speed in any given lane of traffic is determined by the slowest driver in that lane. If you want to go faster, you must go around. This becomes especially interesting on one lane roads. Slow drivers are not expected to move over or pull over, after all, they have the same right to use the road that you do and they were, by definition, there before (ahead of) you. You will need to find a way (generally requires some risk of death) to go around the slower driver. While looking for a place to pass the slower driver, please review rule #1 above.
Rule 4: Zippering
This rule only applies when there is a steady stream of cars merging onto the freeway. Remember, there is safety in numbers. In heavy traffic situations, merging lanes of traffic must “zipper”. Zippering is when two lanes of traffic seamlessly merge into one lane. Cars merge into a single lane, one after the other from each of the lanes, like the teeth on a zipper. Zippering is based purely on the principle of safety in numbers, as long as the cars ahead of you are zippering and there are plenty of cars behind you, just take your assigned position in the zipper. Do not use your turn signal, do not look at the other drivers, and take your spot whether there is space for you or not. This rule works, in part, because of rule 1 above. However, zippering only applies if you have safety in numbers; otherwise see Rules 2 and 5 below.
Rule 5: The Slide Maneuver
While the bumper rule is used during slow traffic, the slide rule is similar but used at higher rates of speed. If the distance between two cars is equal to or greater than the length of the car that wants to squeeze into that space, that car can attempt to slide into that space. Once a car has begun the slide maneuver, the rear car must slow down and allow the car to slide in in-front of them. There are a few rules associated with this maneuver. First, all cars must be moving (obviously), and generally at a rate of speed greater than 30 mph. Second, the slide maneuver must be performed by first passing the rear car and then rapidly, and with no advanced warning, begin to merge into the ridiculously small space between the two cars in the lane you are trying to move into. Third, turn signals are never used. Fourth, never look at the other drivers. And fifth, and most important, none of the drivers involved are allowed to touch their brakes. While this may sound easy, a seasoned driver can predict when another driver is attempting to use the slide maneuver. A seasoned driver will try to shorten the distance between themselves and the car in-front of them to less than 2 meters whenever they are being passed by another car. Because of this rule, novice drivers may sometimes find it difficult to get off the freeway, or even change lanes, in heavy traffic that is moving quickly. As always, review Rule #1.
Rule 6. Reserving the Right
This is a common strategic tactic to holding your place in two lanes of traffic simultaneously (as in reserving the right to change lanes or not). This is a good maneuver when indecisive about which lane of traffic you should actually be in. The driver initiates the drift (Rule 5 above) but only merges about 1/3 of the way into the lane. Note: the turn signal is strictly not used during this maneuver as it would cause the driver behind you to accelerate into your space the moment your tire touches the lane line, whereby excluding you from re-entering your previous lane. By excluding turn signal usage, the driver following does not know if you are using the slide maneuver to change lanes or drifting out of your lane while messing with the radio or talking on the cell phone. Out of self preservation, the driver following you will wait until they can tell if you are done dialing the phone or changing the radio station before passing. The ‘Reserving the Right’ maneuver should be avoided during periods of slow and heavy traffic as fellow drivers may misinterpret this maneuver as creating an additional driving lane (Rule 9 discussed below)
Rule 7. I’m Bigger than You Rule
Very large and/or heavy vehicles receive special lane change rule exemptions. This is mainly based on the rational that if you do not move out of their way you will most likely die. This, in conjunction with the general driving policy of never looking at the other driver, pretty much means if a concrete truck, trash truck, semi, etc starts to cross into your lane, you need to get out of the way, regardless of whether or not they actually meant to move into your lane or not. Note that this rule does not have an actual policy of what vehicles constitute “large”, so be mindful of vans and SUVs if you are in a small commuter car. Also note that Puerto Ricans do not subscribe to the “my car is old and dented so I have nothing to loose concept”. Only lose of life, not lose of vehicle, has meaning.
Rule 8. I’m With Him Rule
During periods of heavy traffic on the surface streets, it can be nearly impossible to make a left turn across oncoming traffic. It may sometimes be necessary to implement a modified bumper rule and creep out in-front of oncoming traffic (provided traffic is moving slowly). If you are not that brave (or crazy) and you find the driver of the car in front of you is that crazy, it is only prudent to tag along with that car when they make their turn. This is done by following the lead car as close as possible, with less than 1 meter distance between the cars. At this close proximity, oncoming traffic cannot tell if you are being towed by the car in front of you and will slow down long enough for you to make the turn as well.
Beware of the ‘I’m with him’ train. This is when multiple cars go for the ‘I’m with him’ maneuver and stop the flow of oncoming traffic altogether. If this happens to you, you may need to implement the bumper rule to stop the ‘I’m with him’ train and resume traffic flow.
Rule 9. Shield rule
This is a modification of the ‘I’m With Him’ maneuver. If you were not close enough to the car in front of you to perform a proper ‘I’m With Him’ maneuver or you are not sure oncoming traffic will actually stop for you, and you are going to go for it anyway, you can perform the shield maneuver. When making your turn, rather than following the car in front of you, you turn a little sharper and parallel the lead car through the turn. Keep the lead car between you and the oncoming traffic so the lead car acts as a shield to protect you. Once you have completed your turn fall back in behind the lead car again.
Rule 10. I’m in a hurry rule
When there is a long line of cars (e.g., exiting the freeway, at a stop light, etc.) and someone is in a hurry, and this is based on the honor system, you can drive right around the line of cars to the front of the line and attempt the bumper rule. On the freeway this is generally performed by passing the line on cars by using the left lane. On surface streets it is generally the right lane. However, as is the policy with the bumper rule, preventing the ‘I’m in a hurry’ car from performing the bumper rule and forcing them to miss their turn or drive off the road into the grass is quite rewarding. Review Rule 1 above and remember avoiding direct eye contact by all parties is mandatory.
Rule 11. Create your own lane of traffic rule
During periods of heavy traffic, you may see other drivers create additional traffic lanes by driving down the emergency lanes or even just driving down the middle of the white line between two existing lanes of traffic. This is totally permissible during traffic jams. This is general only done my smaller cars and is forbidden by large vehicles since large vehicles already have the ‘I’m bigger than you rule’ advantage. It is also noted that if you implement the ‘Create your own lane of traffic’ rule, all other drivers are obligated to do their best to keep you from re-entering a legitimate traffic lane. The slide maneuver Rule or Bumper rule are generally required to re-enter a legitimate traffic lane. As always, refer to Rule 1.
Other Considerations:
- The $7.00 and 22 Minute Mistake
If you flew into San Juan Airport and are going to get a rental car to drive around in, take note. As you drive away from the airport, you are not on the freeway (although it looks like it) you are on the “$7.00 and 22 Minute Mistake” road. You will come to the freeway in less than a minute, at which time you will want to take the right lane and curve onto the freeway. DO NOT GO OVER THE BRIDGE! If you miss the turn to the freeway you have damned yourself to the “$7.00 Dollar and 22 Minute Mistake” road. There are no exits from this road. You will get a scenic tour of the bridge of flags and the lagoon. Next, you will get to experience one of the many toll booths on the island. You will also get to take in the sights of some of the local housing projects as you drive for miles down the highway looking for an overpass so you can turn around. Then, you will get to experience the toll both coming from the other direction, followed by another nice view of the bridge of flags and the lagoon. Generally if you were unlucky enough to make this mistake, you will be too paranoid to make the turn onto the freeway when you finally come back to it (which is approximately 22 minutes later if you caught the first overpass that let you turn around) and you will find yourself back at the airport.
2) Use of the horn.
The horn is only used for three things when driving in and around San Juan:
1) As a form of musical entertainment when in the San Juan tunnel. Note NEVER be the one to start this!
2) To provide self esteem to pretty women walking along side the road. Two (and only two) rapid beeps of the horn is used to let women know that the effort they put into getting into those tight outfits is appreciated by a male drive. It is completely acknowledge that this is sexist and unfortunately there is no equivalent practice for women drivers and male pedestrians. Also note that Puerto Rican women go to great effort to look beautiful and would be greatly disappointed if they did not get any honks. Why do you think they parked so far away and are walking?
3) To test the reflexes of the driver in front of you at a stoplight. A car is expected to start accelerating at a stoplight the moment the light turns green. If the car does not begin accelerating within 1/10 of a second after the traffic light turns green, all the other drivers behind that car should blast there horns until the cars goes or jumper cables are waved like a white flag.
It is noted that the car horn should not be used as it would be in the States, review rule 1.
4) Where’d my lane go?
Lanes randomly merge around San Juan. One minute you’re driving along in your lane and the next you’re straddling the white line about to hit a parked car or a guard rail. Surprise! Your lane randomly ended without warning and you didn’t even notice everyone else merged into the other lane because you were so happy they got out of your way. At this point you must select between the bumper rule, the slide maneuver (as you are clearly but unknowingly already performing the ‘Create your own lane of traffic’ rule), or sit in shame with your blinker on until another tourists feels sorry for you and lets you back on to the road. Note you completely blew Zippering already, so do not expect that to work at this point.
5) Don’t drive when you get home!
Warning, after you have mastered driving in San Juan, DO NOT DRIVE when you get home for at least 24 hours as you will still be driving like a Puerto Rican and we in the States DO NOT have a Rule #1!