Driving in Buenos Aires

[tangobob]

WOW -
Is it safe to wait for a bus, walk to locations, or flag down a taxi?
Must I always take a taxi?
Can I walk alone and be safe?
Can I be on the streets at night?
What are the safety factors for women?
Zensan

I have walked from Caballito, Balvenera and El Centro back to Almagro at two or three in the morning. Wandered Mataderos at four in the morning and through San Telmo at midnight and the only time I have had trouble is with pickpockets during the day time.

Fear is the thing most likely to pick you out as a victim, I cannot speak for a womans perspective but I am only 5'6" so I do not class as an intimidating figure yet I walk around happilly.

Watch less telly, read less news, the victims of crime (although it is serious for them) are but a small percentage.

 

[Lucas]

Zensan the majority of the post are pulling your leg including mine, sorry for that but I can't resist, if you read the post of Sleuth, Tangobob and some others you will get a fairly balanced opinion of the situation, I don't know you age but the only thing I can say to you is that really you don't need a car to get around BA, also in the case you want to go ahead with it the driving culture here is very different to what you are accustomed you will need a new way of thinking and a behavioral training to cope, and it's scary to say at least, to compensate for all this you have at your disposition Taxis galore, Coletivos (buses) plentiful and cheap, a Subway grid (Subte) and best of all just plain walking, this is a city for walking, the car is a nuisance to park and to drive in the congested traffic, it's ok if you want to travel outside the city and adventure yourself in suburbia but even for that you have plenty of buses with interconnection links to everywhere.

 

[katti]

I absolutely love driving in BA, but if you are only staying for a short while, it would be better to get a taxi : you need to know where the 'problem areas' are and where the piqueteros mostly are. Otherwise you will lose ages being stuck in traffic.
Usually, when not driving, I walk.... although I never 'walk alone' at night.