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For safety and a good trip...Always treat Mexicans with the friendliness and respect they deserve. You are guests in their country. If you don't know any Spanish, learn a few key phrases of polite behavior--like "good morning," "thank you," and so on. Even in an unfortunate situation--like a shakedown by a policeman--politeness will make a big difference. Don't be the arrogant Gringo!
She pumps gas at a gas station in La Paz
The word “topes” means speed bumps. They are supposed to be marked with a sign of a tipped car or a bump symbol, but many are not. Topes are usually built of asphalt, but there are also the metal hemispheres. Topes come in all sizes, from fake ones painted on the highway, to grande.”
Every town, except for the smallest, has at least one tope. And in some towns, you may pass over five or ten. If small, they are inconsequential--but the larger ones should be taken seriously.
You may ask, “How slow should I go for a tope?” A high speed encounter with a tope grande is not recommended. For many topes, you only want to be going a few miles per hour. If you don’t see the tope until the last minute, lock your brakes and do your best.
The best way to decide a prudent speed for a tope, and to distinguish fake from real topes, is to watch the car in front of you. If the vehicle goes up and down, it’s a real tope. Another way is to look for marks on the tope--if it has many severe gouges from other vehicles undercarriages, you want to take it seriously.
One sad fact about topes is that, if you hit one going to fast, you can get a traffic ticket in addition to a rearrangement of your vehicle’s contents and shock absorbers. Some experienced Mexicans in old pickup trucks take topes at a relatively high speed. But if the truck in front of you is carrying large bottles of drinking water, then you want to pass the truck before it gets to the next tope.
Warning bumps
Dangerous curves, topes, and towns ahead have a series of small warning bumps caved in the asphalt, spaced closer together as you approach the hazard. These bumps are designed to awaken drivers from the stupor of a long drive. But usually, the hazard does not require more than modest braking.
Flagmen
You will frequently encounter construction on the highway. They employ about as many flagmen as other workers. They frequently control when you can go on the one open lane. Take these flagmen seriously--for if you pass one who is telling you to stop, you may find a truck barreling down your lane at 30 mph. Sometimes a detour called a “diviacion” is required.
Military checkpoints
On the Baja “transpeninsular” highway when traveling north, you will encounter about 10 military checkpoints. When traveling south, they will wave you on, without stopping you. These soldiers are invariably polite and will simply ask to see your passport and car “papers,” which means your insurance and title, which you should keep handy in an envelope. They will ask you where you are coming from and where you are going to. At a few stops further north, they may check your vehicle or RV in a perfunctory manner. The key to getting through without problems is to be polite, try to speak Spanish (if only “buenas dias”), and not to carry your empty beer cans for recycling on the passenger seat next to the driver.
Some checkpoints are manned by civilian police. These might present a bigger problem--in my case with the beer cans. So in case of problems, you might keep a 20 or 50 peso note handy to help speed passage--to be used mainly if they take your driver’s license. Again, politeness helps.
Highway condition
The quality of the highway varies greatly. Between Todos Santos and La Paz, it’s a 4 lane, limited access superhighway. But in most other places, it’s narrow and sometimes bumpy. The biggest hazards are the lack of a shoulder (with a drop of 1-2 feet), and cattle on the road at night. Next comes sharp curves, although these always have warning bumps. Because of the lack of shoulder, it’s essential to keep your eye on the road, and refrain from driving with your knees, looking at the scenery, or taking photos through the windshield. I set a voluntary speed limit of 50 mph for all but the best stretches, and only drive during the day.
Trucks
The Trans peninsular Highway has heavy truck traffic, even at night. However, Mexican truckers are highly professional and capable. They will not hassle you while camped at night, or engage in unsafe behavior (other than being on the road). But if you are driving a RV, there are only inches to spare when you pass one going the other way. If there are sharp turns, the trucks may be required to come into your lane while turning, so in these situations, you may want to slow to ten mph if you see one coming.
Speed limits
Mexican speed limits are in KPH. So for cars with a MPH speedometer, that would translate to a bit more than half the posted KPH speed. But except the largest cities, speed limits are ignored and not enforced. In Baja, Darwin enforces the speed limit.
Same appearance as the USA sign, except it says “Alto.” Frequently they are 4-way, and say so. Stop signs can occur on major highways. Mexicans studiously ignore all stop signs, not even pretending to stop. However, in La Paz, I saw a roundup by police at one intersection, where everyone was getting a ticket.
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