Buses

[camberiu]

It seems like Peru and Colombia are both following in Chile's footsteps with more rational economic policies. T

Indeed. But there is more to Chile than simply economic policies.
Unlike the rest of South America, Chileans tent to be law abiding, considerate to their neighbors and community, hard working, organized and ethical. Culturally they are very unique in South America. Chileans tend to take more pride on their work, tend to arrive on time on scheduled appointments, be civil to those around them and tend to be a great deal more honest then your average South American citizen.

 

[fifs2]

I just have one question: in the first picture of the original post, what is the stick figure on the far right doing? My take is that the emergency was someone spilled a coke, and called someone over to clean it up.

You know, in 2008 when I first decided I was going to go live in South America for a while, I narrowed down my final decision to either Buenos Aires or Valparaiso, Chile. The deal breaker really was that I found out that a friend's mom had been living down here for years, and could rent me a room. I had never been to South America so I was making the decision blind. Would be fun to visit Valparaiso one day.

It's a child playing on the floor with a car and the sign urging people to prioritise children, old people in an emergency...Now in Germany liquid spilling on public transport probably would be an emergency.. B)

 

[Santiago F]

Well, I know there's many aspects where Argentina and Chile are a world of difference, but the OP picked one that isn't really. I've always heard good comments in general about the bus service (either urban and long-distance) in Argentina from foreigners. I've been to Chile twice and I'll go there soon.

I'm not saying our bus system is perfect, not even very good, but it's acceptable.

 

[camberiu]

I'm not saying our bus system is perfect, not even very good, but it's acceptable.

I think that between acceptable (Argentina) and outstanding (Chile), there is a world of difference.

 

[scotttswan]

Well, I know there's many aspects where Argentina and Chile are a world of difference, but the OP picked one that isn't really. I've always heard good comments in general about the bus service (either urban and long-distance) in Argentina from foreigners. I've been to Chile twice and I'll go there soon.

I'm not saying our bus system is perfect, not even very good, but it's acceptable.

Considering there are railway lines going all the way to Rio Negro in the south and Salta in the north from Buenos Aires it is a tragedy they have been left to rot and you have to rely on buses to get across the country.

 

[steveinbsas]

Indeed. But there is more to Chile than simply economic policies.
Unlike the rest of South America, Chileans tent to be law abiding, considerate to their neighbors and community, hard working, organized and ethical. Culturally they are very unique in South America. Chileans tend to take more pride on their work, tend to arrive on time on scheduled appointments, be civil to those around them and tend to be a great deal more honest then your average South American citizen.

I find this to be true where I live now...in the South of Provincia Buenos Aires (on the outskirts of Punta Alta).

 

[camberiu]

I find this to be true where I live now...in the South of Provincia Buenos Aires (on the outskirts of Punta Alta).

never been there, so I'll take your word for it. But of all the places I've been in Latin America, I nowhere I ever saw attitudes like those I saw in Chile.

 

[lamarque]

never been there, so I'll take your word for it. But of all the places I've been in Latin America, I nowhere I ever saw attitudes like those I saw in Chile.

Well that is because you have to travel more my friend don't stay with the impression of the capital only, almost all the people of the interior in Argentina is like that the problem here are the Porteños in my experience (not all of them anyway).
The Chileans are the way they are, i personally don't like it for personal relations but is true that they take more serious their work, but that happen the same in lot of places in the interior of the country in Argentina and I’m sure that the same apply for other country’s.
There's many aspects where Argentina and Chile are a world of difference the same apply between Buenos Aires and the rest of the country, chile drive their economy better than any country in the region but still they are not wonderland, they have a lot of problem, even when they export almost the same than Argentina but with the difference that they export more than nothing raw mineral materials, that alone explain the grow on their economy and the total lack of industry let them open their economy to free market without fear of loosing industry, (same recipe that were used in the Beginning of Argentina with the cattle and farms but they do it with mines, that have the risk that when prices stop going up or you exhaust the mines then you are done).
Chile is a country with very few infrastructure outside Santiago region, they don't have gas in almost all the country they keep using wood or gas tanks for calefaction beside the capital, they connect their southern province using Argentina roads, chile is a country where is so expensive to study and so limited to only rich’s that the average chilean have to come to study to Argentina, is a country without public health where the inhabitant cross the border to get attended in the hospital of the nearly argentine city, a country with very boring cultural life, well i could follow but i make my point off course they have lot of good things to, specially if you like order and they do have a very stable economy that i admire this is not a critic to Chile i think chile have take lot of good decisions in the last 20 years where Argentina Hasn’t but they still have big things to solve, go and live there and you will realize that not everything that shine is gold, same go for Buenos Aires is not the same as a turist as when you go to live there.

To resume yes there is a world of difference between Chile and Argentina but that go in both ways for good and for bad


Sorry for the mistakes in the write i just arrive home and i may have drink 1 or 2 more bottles than i should, and i don't feel like reading what i write and correct it

Oh man i just realize that i answer to the wrong person lol

 

[camberiu]

Well that is because you have to travel more my friend don't stay with the impression of the capital only, almost all the people of the interior in Argentina is like that the problem here are the Porteños in my experience (not all of them anyway).

Maybe, but that is not the impression I had when going to Cordoba or Patagonia. People were definitely "nicer" outside BA, as they lacked the annoying Porteno attitude. However, I did not see a stronger work ethic or personal honesty and drive to abide by the rules as I saw in Chile. So yes, maybe that does exist in parts of Argentina, but it is not widespread.

I guess we could say that strong work ethics and sense of duty is widespread in Chile and exist punctually in some communities in Latin America. I can accept that.

Chile is a country with very few infrastructure outside Santiago region,

Sorry, but I drove up and down the Chilean cost for 3 weeks and this is not what I saw at all. What I saw was a country that had very good infrastructure (for Latin America standards) pretty much everywhere we went. Roads, electricity, bus network, phone coverage, police presence, everything was much better than what I saw when visiting the countryside of Argentina.
Yes, Chile is not perfect. No place is. But overall all, knowing what I know now, I'd much rather live there than here. And apparently, I am not the only one who thinks that.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2013/01/where-to-be-born-map3.jpg

 

[cbonanni]

It is amazing what a not nearly as bad dictator (Pinochet) can do for a country , vs. the one's that were in Argentina.

I believe some standard or ethic or civil responsibility was instilled in that generation that carried Chile to what it is today.

Been there many times and have family there as well.

And please , I do not approve of what Pinochet did , just post Pinchet seems to have worked better for Chile than post Militars in Argentina.