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Viewing Motorcycle Diary: Riding in OaxacaMotorcycle Diary: Riding in Oaxaca
By titosarah
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Just because you've ridden a motorcycle in the US or Canada, doesn't mean you'll be safe doing to in Oaxaca. The author's personal experiences and advice make this quasi-lighthearted piece worthy of reading, complete with practical biking tips. Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B. My passion for motorcycling took a twenty-year hiatus until I took up residency in Oaxaca. I ignored the foreshadowing and warnings. While my story pales compared to Che's epic journey popularized in Motorcycle Diaries, there is a tale to be told, with observations and advice for those with such suicidal ideations. For Oaxacans, it's part economic necessity and part climactic permissiveness, with street logjams and a parking crisis factored, and dare I opine, a different attitude towards life amongst those below a certain socio-economic level... fatalistic. Striking is the paucity of helmeted riders, and prevalence of entire families (up to five members) who negotiate the streets, unsafely dressed (no gloves, leathers, jeans, etc.), on a single mechanically unfit motorbike. Helmet laws have little impact. Mandatory safety courses might help. Educators must remember to teach that helmets are to be worn on the head, not slung over an arm. I've been accused of yet another mid-life crisis, purchasing a 150 cc. Honda 'Bros' off road, for use on the streets. I sold my Suzuki 550 in the mid 1980s when my wife became pregnant. But now, in semi-retirement, family grown, life insurance policies current, I was only minimally fazed when our Canadian Consul warned that she's lost three friends to motorcycle accidents. Compadre Pancho was in three accidents within about two years. He once took me on a trip with some of his motorcycle buddies through the mountains. It was the first time in 15 years that I'd been on a bike. I forgot a cardinal rule: never brake while negotiating a turn on gravel. I recall regaining consciousness, covered in blood, with severe knee pain, in the back room of some pharmacy, to teary-eyed Pancho, shaking me with hands on my shoulders while screaming 'Compadre, compadre!' But by adhering to guidelines, some of which are admittedly difficult to follow, I'll hopefully stay out of the hospital and my daughter will never 'benefit' from my being over-insured. For those unattached and in their 30s, I'll indicate which rules I've set for myself which you'll likely want to break and how to minimize their adverse implications: 1) Don't ride at night. Alcohol-related and other driving deaths increase when road conditions are less than perfect. Lighting and highway markings are often absent. 2) If you know the weather will likely become inclement, consider another means of transportation, or at minimum dress appropriately and check your tires. 3) Try to follow the rules of the road to the extent you can discern them, and when in doubt fall back on the highway traffic laws with which you grew up. 4) Try to resist the temptation to weave. Once you're in your fifties you've likely lost much of your neck range-of-motion, so if you must weave, rely on your peripheral vision and mirrors. 5) Always use full-face helmets, appropriate footwear and leathers, gloves and jacket at minimum. It's better to be hot and uncomfortable than require jaw surgery and skin grafting. Leather provides that first layer of defense and it gives ... cotton, wool and polyester simply rip, along with your skin. 6) Never permit an un-helmeted passenger along with you. 7) When considering renting a motorcycle, unless it'll be used strictly for cross-country, or you have a great deal of experience driving in third-world-congested cities and are certain of the condition of the bike, resist the temptation. As my father often said, 'don't be an idiot.' It's not worth the risk. 8) When buying, make it a new cycle, and keep it in top condition. 9) Don't buy under 125 cc. You may need power to extricate yourself from danger. The most popular bike in Oaxaca is the Honda 125, used by many businesses. If you can afford Japanese, go for it. Many caution against, for example, Chinese models. My off-road bike was carefully selected, even though it's smaller than those I've ridden in the past. It's an Enduro, given the numerous speed bumps and general road disrepair. Motor size is 150 because it's the smallest engine that comfortably gets my wife and I up the hill to our home, is light, and has sufficient power for defensive maneuvers. It's small enough that it helps me resist the temptation to do highway touring. 10) Think before opting for a larger bike that you may use on the carreteras. There's nothing like highway, but the danger increases exponentially the higher the speed of vehicles. By contrast, while living in Toronto I always felt safer riding on the highways than in cities ... drivers more vigilant and experienced, and easier to avoid potential dangers. By contrast, in Oaxaca the highways aren't as good, many motorists drive under the influence, and vehicle mechanical condition is questionable, leading to less control by drivers. If you are set on touring, make it at least a 550, the minimum power with which I felt comfortable and safe on the open roads with a passenger. Apart from organized groups meeting for weekend off-road challenges, there's at least one traditional motorcycle club in Oaxaca - Los Caballeros Templarios. These riders are the exception to most of the foregoing. When touring, they follow virtually all of the rules I've set out. Membership is comprised of mainly shopkeepers, tradesmen and professionals, average age 40-something. Their bikes are kept in excellent condition, they dress appropriately, complete with leathers embossed with club and rider name and logo, and they host and attend national conferences as well as enjoy frequent local get-togethers and regional excursions of one to several days. The camaraderie is strong, warm and welcoming. But with my little Honda 150, I continue to resist invitations to fulfill the initiation and join ... until the purchase of a larger bike, and with that a divorce. About the Author: Alvin Starkman has a Masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sites, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed and Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com). Article Source: Adult Escapes - http://www.AdultEscapes.com More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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