I found this link about motorcyclists in Caracas a couple months ago and have been thinking about it lately. Well, I'll admit it- I've been thinking about them because I've been on the road a lot in the last few weeks and they have been a source of my stress. This video intrigued me because it fairly accurately portrays the traffic situation here, and how dangerous the motorcycles really are. Much of the video is shot in Chacao, the only place in Caracas you will see a substantial number of police enforcing traffic laws, one of the safest (and my favorite) areas.
I had my first experience with the motorcycle "gangs" (I put it in quotations because I think most of the time the bikers don't know each other well, but group together to get through a red light or protect each other) on the way to Caracas from the airport for the first time. I remember being dumbstruck as I watched as cars moved to let an ambulance pass by and the ambulance had a motorcycle tail. That is, it looked as if the group of tightly packed motorcyclists were somehow attached to the bumper, as they stayed close behind it in lines. Besides the fact that I hadn't slept the night before and was having trouble processing all of the new stimuli, this motorcycle tail just didn't make sense to me. I asked the people I was with, and they explained it simply enough- the motorizados are taking advantage of the fact that traffic is moving aside to let the ambulance through, and if they stay close behind, they too can pass before the traffic fills in the gaps once again.
I won't deny it- I have almost been hit by these motorcycle drivers and have heard many stories about car drivers clipping them because of the erratic driving habits they have. My roommate has had to take a moto taxi so as not to arrive late to work. I asked her if she was scared and she said that, yes, it made her nervous, but that she had no choice- it was the fastest way to get to work. Ironically, this unsafe way of transportation is actually more expensive than a regular taxi. Weaving through the cars, I have seen many drivers suffer road rage- the car drivers because the motorizados get too close to the cars and get very close to causing accidents and the motorizados because the car drivers didn't pull over far enough for them to zip through the line of cars.
One of the scariest things that can happen to a driver is to hit a motorizado. Regardless of the outcome or if there is substantial damage to the motorizado or his moto, he will find himself literally surrounded by every motorizado that happened to be passing through. The motorizados stick together and protect themselves, no matter if they are in the right or not. It can be frustrating and at times traumatizing for someone used to somewhat strict traffic laws (I mean in the US) and some degree of law and order. A friend of mine clipped a motorcycle not too long ago and was pressured to pay for the parts that he had supposedly broken when he hit the moto. He had been told that, if he was ever in that situation, to remain calm and not lose his cool, even if other motorizados showed up and started threatening.
Once, while coming home from a beach trip, we saw a motorcycle weave through traffic, miscalculate and fall over. Nothing happened to the moto nor the guy, but immediately traffic stopped and I saw the other motorizados arrive. There were 6 of us in the car and the only one who is also a motorizado wanted to jump out of the car and help the guy. The rest of us were in the process of making sure our doors were locked! It was the strangest feeling in the world- in that moment I felt like that friend and I were complete strangers because our reactions were so different.
My point is, if you ever come to Caracas, please please please be careful around the motorizados and don't expect them to stay off the sidewalks just because you're on them! Don't worry mom, I always watch out!
