Driving in Buenos Aires

[Zensan]

I will be in Buenos Aires for the first time soon, and I'm wondering if I would enjoy renting a car to get around for a short stay or if that would just be a headache...
Feedback please?
Zen

 

[HenryNisental]

I would reccomendt to practice al iitle in Sierra Leone first, or at least Mexico City. Driving in the open country is one thing, but in the city is a nightmare.

 

[gunt86]

Rent a car! Experience the true wonder of Buenos Aires!

I am fairly confident that this is a facetious comment. Standard North American and northern European drivers will find driving in BsAs to be extremely challenging. Drivers with experience driving in places like Rome or Naples will find BsAs to be similar.
Nevertheless, there is little need to drive as the city has an extensive subway/bus system as well as a New York level of taxi proliferation. If you will to visit areas outside of BsAs, then renting a car is appropriate.

 

[Lucas]

 

[SaraSara]

You don't need a car to get around Buenos Aires - cabs are plentiful and cheap.

I'm a local and learned to drive here, so I can lean on the horn and play chicken with the best of them. I enjoy the challenge, but it can get exhausting. Unless you are a thrill-seeker or have a secret death wish, better stick to public transportation.

 

[HowardinBA]

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING HERE FOR 5 YEARS AND I LOVE IT.iF ANYTHING "they "DRIVE TOO SLOW!!!!Happy motoring,,,,,

 

[Hellek]

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING HERE FOR 5 YEARS AND I LOVE IT.iF ANYTHING "they "DRIVE TOO SLOW!!!!Happy motoring,,,,,

Well I don't believe you. But on the other side, with 15 million people in GBA, there must be people of all imaginable kinds

For me, eventhough I am young, it is a lot of stress. i.e. I could not imagine working as a taxi driver for 10hs every day. I have to say that, in general, I am a stress-resistant person, but the streets here are just too much.

Basically:
1.) You have to forget almost everything you ever learned and develop a sense for the rules here, which nobody can show you since they are unwritten rules. You could just try to drive slowly and carefully, but this will result in people making extremely agressive and dangerous overtaking maneuvers, so I don't know how people learn to drive here.

2.) You need to have your eyes in all places at the same time to create yourself a virtual 360° view, and train your brain to handle it.

3.) In the capital, it is mainly a lot of stress due to all the movement of cars and pedestrians, motos, etc., which of course do not adhere to any rules.

4.) In the province there generally is not that much traffic (but still a whole lot) but on the other side, you have to care about people approaching your car to rob it (+shoot you) when standing i.e. at a traffic light. Or about people going 80km/h against the one-way in a street with a 50km/h speed limit. Especially funny if it is night and they don't have headlights and the street is full of parked cars so that you don't see much.

bottom line: Drive in the capital for having an adventure: yes. but unlike guided adventure tours for turists, this one is not at all save.
Drive to get from A to B? No way. Take a taxi!
So I don't do it (unless there are special circumstances). By the way, I only drove for a friend in his car, since he could not (due to an injury), so I don't know anything about renting. I suppose it costs a lot though, since i.e. insurance will assume a very high risk factor.

I hope that gave you some insight. Of course there will be lots of opinions.

PS: Part 4 might seem very negative and exaggerated. I hope it is. Nevertheless, some of the native Argentinians I know go with a loaded gun to get their car at night. And they do watch around a lot if they stop (or when it is possible, just ignore red traffic lights at night). In the province of course, the capital is not so much like that. For me, the behaviour seems exaggerated and caused by Cronica Tv, etc., but obviously I won't pretend to know things better than the locals (whose opinions differ as well of course).

 

[Lucas]

4.) In the province there generally is not that much traffic (but still a whole lot) but on the other side, you have to care about people approaching your car to rob it (+shoot you) when standing i.e. at a traffic light. Or about people going 80km/h against the one-way in a street with a 50km/h speed limit. Especially funny if it is night and they don't have headlights and the street is full of parked cars so that you don't see much.

I hope that gave you some insight. Of course there will be lots of opinions.

PS: Part 4 might seem very negative and exaggerated. I hope it is. Nevertheless, some of the native Argentinians I know go with a loaded gun to get their car at night. And they do watch around a lot if they stop (or when it is possible, just ignore red traffic lights at night).

Zensan if you still going ahead and insist to drive here at least rent one of these and you will be pretty safe...inside.

Good luck!

 

[tangobob]

I will be in Buenos Aires for the first time soon, and I'm wondering if I would enjoy renting a car to get around for a short stay or if that would just be a headache...
Feedback please?
Zen

Estas loco!!

If you do go ahead and do this madness, be prepared to loose your insurance excess in the first hour, and have a nervous breakdown in the first day.

To really learn the city, walk take a collectivo, the subtes are cheap and convenient. If you are not that adventurous take a taxi or hire a Remis.