What do you think of the traffic and drivers in Brazil?

Welllll, I have traveled quite a bit, over 25 countries and to most of those, many times. I would call Brazilian drivers more passive-aggressive than aggressive and I would say their driving is overall much better than say, Los Angeles, and no comparison to Mexico, China, Russia, Ukraine, where you take your life in your hands even before turning the key. For the most part, the drivers in Brazil are skilled, just not patient or tolerant. Yes, I own a car in Brazil, in Sao Paulo.

Vivi, a fun read (in Portuguese) is "Fé em Deus e Pé na Tábua," (Faith in God and Pedal to the Metal) by Roberto DaMatta, 2010.

Brazilians are aggressive drivers. Some places they are more reckless than others. Still, I also find that once you get into their mindset and learn what to expect it isn't quite so difficult. I'm from Wisconsin where [at least some years ago] people mostly follow the rules of the road BUT also drive somewhat inattentively. Here it seems rules are to be broken yet everybody seems to expect that and are more focused on potential dangers.

I was once an avid motorcyclist in the states but won't ride here because of the high risk involved.

Take it slow and careful and you should do fine. But if you can afford to pay somebody else to drive, how cool is that??

Matt

mberigan wrote:

Vivi, a fun read (in Portuguese) is "Fé em Deus e Pé na Tábua," (Faith in God and Pedal to the Metal) by Roberto DaMatta, 2010.

Brazilians are aggressive drivers. Some places they are more reckless than others. Still, I also find that once you get into their mindset and learn what to expect it isn't quite so difficult. I'm from Wisconsin where [at least some years ago] people mostly follow the rules of the road BUT also drive somewhat inattentively. Here it seems rules are to be broken yet everybody seems to expect that and are more focused on potential dangers.

I was once an avid motorcyclist in the states but won't ride here because of the high risk involved.

Take it slow and careful and you should do fine. But if you can afford to pay somebody else to drive, how cool is that??

Matt

_____

I have ridden motorcycles in the USA for over 50 -years and keep 6 of them still in Oregon.  Anytime I tell my wife or friends that I want one in Brazil, they all threaten to kill me.

They are aggressive! In Houston I would open a door slightly and watch the dang scooters hit their brakes!!!!
Houston, I thought was crazy, most respected others but you always had bad apples. Here the majority are rotten apples.
When I went for a driver's license and they said I had to take that physc exam, I said come on 80% should not be driving.
My wife had 2 side mirrors knocked off by MC going in between cars!!!!!!!

08/23/21

I lived in Boston for twelve years, and I haven't seen anything worse here in Manaus than I saw there -- and on ice yet, for almost half the year! 

That said, although I have a Brazilian license, we don't have a car.  Uber gets us everywhere we want to go for less money a month than keeping a car, so might as well leave the driving to someone who enjoys it.  We're planning on moving to Brasília and expect to need a car there.  That will be soon enough.

Texanbrazil wrote:

They are aggressive! In Houston I would open a door slightly and watch the dang scooters hit their brakes!!!!
Houston, I thought was crazy, most respected others but you always had bad apples. Here the majority are rotten apples.
When I went for a driver's license and they said I had to take that physc exam, I said come on 80% should not be driving.
My wife had 2 side mirrors knocked off by MC going in between cars!!!!!!!

HAHAHAHA hilarious comment "most are rotten apples" I couldn't agree more!!

Honestly I would be afraid to drive motorcycles and share the bicycle lane with drivers.
Here in Colorado, we give maximum space from people on bicycles, we almost go to the other side of the road to avoid them. But in Brazil there's NO respect for cyclists. I will def get a bicycle but I want to ride on the sidewalk and with a helmet (which is something that Brazilians think is goofy looking    (I don't care anymore)

Traffic “rules” here are - for all practical purposes - mere suggestions.

I've driven small cars and motos here; I have yet to get behind the wheel of a caminhão, but may one day try my hand at it.

I've found that you have to look out for your own interest while driving - you can't be too concerned with what the guy next to you/coming at you is doing unless it's going to affect you negatively.  The driving culture is just different to what you're accustomed.

The absurd amount of horn-honking, though?  It's more a courtesy than anything; folks generally honk when they're overtaking someone or want to catch a pedestrian's attention at a crosswalk, for example.

—————

Think of it like a guy in line in front of you at the market.  He hops out of line to go grab something and comes back - in the US this will at the very least cause a confrontation; here, you let the guy back into line because he'd do the same for you, and everyone gets their business handled faster.

I not tried to drive in Brazil first because I can't read street signs. Second there are very few Street Signs to read for directions. When there is a constant buzzing of Mosquitoes that come from all directions ( I mean Motorcycle). When there no lines on the roads to separate traffic. Anytime you see a pothole you drive around it only to be in oncoming traffic. This happened without any notice. Every time you finally pickup speed there appears out of no where a speed bump you have to crawl over. When most roads are only one lane highway with large Trucks everywhere. It's like playing Wylie Coyote hopping around the truck just to find another a kilometer or two up the road. In the cities drives cut you off all the time to move over into your lane without notice. Watch out for the Bus pulling away they don't care if they hit your car. This not to mention the road conditions all potholes dirt roads that have some many hole you loose count. This is my experience of Driving in Brazil.

Ive driven over a million miles in the states, driven every kind of vehicle.  Ive driven in Mexico, Belize, Canada and even in Great Britain, on the other side of the road.  In Brazil, so far, Ive driven about 20,000 miles long distance and I own a motor scooter for getting around town here.
I kind of like driving here.  It suits my personality, I guess.
As 13Clubs says, the rules here are mere suggestions.
In the USA by contrast, everybody is very strictly rule-based in thier behavior, most people drive by toe book, and inn fact moreso today than ever before.
Brazillians re simply focussed upon getting to where they are going as efficiently as possible.
But I would propose another difference ...in the USA the drivers are all very quick to judge each other and find fault, this is why road rage is such a big thing.  Even many times when you do something that is oerfectly safe, like driving more slowly than the law allows, it pisses people off.  Furthermore, the majority of drivers in the USA today are not paying full attention, some are drunk or high and most of the rest are engaged with their cell phones.  Nobody is ever prepared for the unexpected, nobody knows how to deal with it, and so a simple skirmish on the highway is likely to become a major battle.
In contrast in Brazil, most Brazilians will bend over backwards to be helpful.  Virtually all the drivers are very alert and aware of everyone around them.  I particularly love the way that slow truckers will alert the driver behind them of when it is safe to pass, or when it is NOT safe to pass.

It is a very different style and it takes awhile to adapt to it.....but it suits me just fine .....

Never seen Anything like driving in Brasil in my life ..51 years 🚗and this is a disaster..

I currently am waiting a car in a "Consortium " ( never join one, NEVER) and if I ever get the fricking  thing..I Sell immediately..as a matter of Fact I quit Paying into the Facil Consortium..things one learn living in Brasil

Back on Topic...The Worse, I mean Worse Drivers  in the World...Hands Down, up,sideways any direction, just flipping BAD...KKK.
MAO,RUIM...EVERY BRASILIAN DRIVERS LICENSE-☆☆☆ REVOKED"..Para, Permabucho, Bahia, Maranhão....yea I said it...and I mean it...

So you pahked the cah in the havid yawwd. 

small world ain't it ?

Formerly New Bedford. 

Plied my trade in Boston, btw. 

There were no inner city that I was afraid off.

@Viviexpat HI, i am from Brazil. Born Here, lived here all my life. Brazilians are aggressive people mainly on traffic. I struggle to adapt  myself which i find really difficult. I have had road rage many times, now i use to pray a lot to not react to these free aggressiveness that Brazilians perform all the time.  i would recommend you NOT to come here if you can choose to be in US. Although they may seen friendly sometimes this is only a facade. Overall Brazilian have disregard for ones which are not their families and friends. This is far more true in traffic, really aggressive people. Be safe, stay in you north America. 

@rraypo In sao Paulo they are more respectful, try Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, is a Hell.

@Texanbrazil as a Brazilian i agree. Brazillians are very aggressive behind the wheels

@mberigan as a Brazilian i have to say. IS always a hassle driving here. they cut you off with no singling, they push you off out of your lane, you can't ride a bike,  they tailgate almost all the time even if you are on the right lane, it is craziness.

@Texanbrazil cheers! and believe me! people from the state where you live are usually more polite. The further you go north, the worse it gets! I just follow what outsiders say about us because sometimes i think i am the only crazy Brazilian that sees that our culture is rotten to the bones !

@Viviexpat I noticed this too. Drivers in São Paulo, São Paulo drive like they are always in a rush. Same with Recife.

It seems to me that anywhere you have a massive population density, rules are ignored and common courtesy is a forgotten thing. Same thing here in the USA. Until recently l was commuting about 60

miles per day, and l saw everything from massive pileups to fist fights at traffic lights.