Driving A Car In Costa Rica

Driving a car in Costa Rica is quite an adventure when you are used to disciplined drivers and well-regulated roadways. But in Costa Rica, the streets are not well labeled, especially in the capital, San Jose, where labeling is more necessary than in other areas of the country.
There are signs in San Jose, but because of the distraction of billboards on house walls and stores you can easily miss a sign that might be essential for finding your destination. Forget the concept of normal addresses with a street name and number.

In Costa Rica, almost every address is given in terms of reference points.For example, the address of a house at location X might be given as 100 meters north of the drugstore La Margarita, 30 meters east of the Church Santo Domingo in San Rafael de Heredia. It is the second house on the right, with a yellow wall, a green gateway, and two palm trees outside.

This would be an easy address because the reference points still exist, but some addresses use former reference points that today have another name. Should you have to orientate in San Jose, the Central Valley, or any other part of the country, my first tip is to purchase or rent a GPS system.

Great GPS software does exist that includes many reference points in Costa Rica. This is the best option if you are not very skilled in Spanish and do not want to keep stopping to ask for directions. If you do not purchase or rent a GPS system, another tip is to always drive with a relaxed co-driver, because orientation and focusing on driving at the same time are even more difficult than in a first world country.

If you get lost, take notice of buses that cross your way on other roadways. Buses almost always have a small sign on the window specifying where they came from and where they are going. Another guide is the blue sign above public phone booths. This sign almost always indicates the name of even the smallest town.

As you get closer to your final destination you will have to ask for a reference point. Always ask at least three local people where you can find this point. People prefer to tell you anything than to admit that they cannot give exact directions. By asking at least three people you get better quality information.

When you have to park the car, it is recommended that you park it in a place where someone can keep an eye on it. In San Jose, the Central Valley, and some towns in coastal areas, people wearing orange vests make their living by looking after parked vehicles. If they do not give you a small paper with a fixed hourly rate, you can give them 200 to 300 colones per hour.

If you get to a hotel or a hostel with your car, make sure that the parking lot is guarded and the gates are locked overnight. Never leave your belongings in the car, but if you must leave them for some reason, always hide them. Why do I tell you about all these security measures? Costa Rica is beautiful, but it is still a newly industrializing country, and people in some areas earn less per month than you pay to fill your car with gas.

Since December 2008 new traffic laws have gone into effect that force drivers to be more responsible. Crimes like drunken driving, running a red light, and exceeding a speed limit are now strictly punished.

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