AN "INTERESTING EXPERIENCE" ON VALLARTA BUSES

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I come from London, a city where buses have a 30 to 40 minute frequency and often, even that depends on luck.
It costs 40 pesos to get from one stop to another, regardless if that stop is just 10 minutes down the road. Therefore, when I came to Puerto Vallarta, I was astonished at how comparatively cheap the buses were and even more so, to find that tourists rarely used them. At a cost of 5.50 Pesos to any destination and a 5 to 10 minute wait at the stop, these buses seem to be the answer to a Londoner's problems and we should not forget the ease with which these buses can be used: with an option of either 'Tunel' or 'Centro,' it is difficult to get lost in small Puerto Vallarta.

However, I began to realize why tourists were so reluctant to use the buses after exploring their reputation and making use of the system myself.

Guidebooks constantly rant about how terribly dangerous they are and internet sites - if they mention them at all - describe them as an 'interesting experience'; enough to put any newcomer off this rollercoaster of a ride in a far-away land. And why should they not put people off? In Vallarta, price and frequency are not important parts of the equation. The primary issue is safety.

On my first bus experience, the driver simply sped off as I was still paying him. And within the first few seconds of the journey, he had counted my money, given me my change and handed me my ticket - all of that, while he was still driving! Then there was the issue of getting to a free seat without landing on someone's lap - either that, or falling outside backwards because the driver had been too lazy to close the door, which is most of the time. My journeys since have followed a similar pattern, although now I am more prepared to expect the unexpected.

Taking into mind the cobblestone streets of Puerto Vallarta, a bumpy ride is inevitable, yet a bumpy ride over the speed limit just seems inexplicable.<p<
Primarily, I was tempted to blame the drivers for their impatience and reckless driving. Was there a reason for their aggression? They work long, tiresome hours in all weather conditions, traveling from one place to another and back to the same place again. The only stimulation for their monotony is a family to feed upon their return home. Sometimes I wonder how their standard of driving ever allows them to return home at all. However, despite having such a wearisome occupation, these drivers cannot be excused for making the bus experience unsafe, one not only for passengers on the bus, but for pedestrians outside of the bus and passers-by who often fall victim to these rapid vehicles which unnecessarily do not stop for them. The frequency, at which the buses run, then seems incomparable to the frequency at which they kill. Bus accidents are one of the most frequent occurances in Puerto Vallarta.

When taking a look at the bigger picture, I can see that there are more people responsible for the appalling state of Vallarta's buses: Why do the police allow the speeding? Or do they simply pass off warnings? Has it become so naturalized that these road-raging drivers have just become engrained into Puerto Vallarta's culture? Surely not. Why are there not more random drug tests? Why do people inside the bus allow themselves to be put under the threat? After articles that have been published time and time again, of the next innocent victim of a bus driver's carelessness, why is nothing being done to improve the standards of our ridiculous system? All these are questions that remain unanswered and it worries me to see this beautiful destination becoming tainted with the blood of the next person who expects to return home at the end of the day, but forgets that here in Vallarta, a pedestrian seems to have no right.

I shall take home with me, the fond memories of my musical rides on the buses. the Mexican men playing their instruments with exotic sounds that penetrate through the windows and depict the paths of Vallarta. Their voices drown the safari into a faithful cultural experience and make me feel like I am truly on holiday. Yet I shall not forget the ease with which that experience can be ruined, as do other tourists who may see the sorry situation and do not wish to encourage it.