I got hit by a bus in early 2009... I luckily only broke my leg... I've got 13 scars (from pins and operations), a slightly misshapen right leg, and a little limp that serve as a friendly reminder. I've also seen a women get hit by a car and dragged under the car for probably 20 feet before the driver sped off with out stopping (at santa fe and coronel diaz). There was blood streamed across the road. I didn't stick around to see what happened. It was so awful. I went back hours later and it still hadn't been cleaned up. I also saw the aftermath of an car-pedestrian accident just today. Are Argentine's good drivers? No. Notably awful. Making a right turn out of the left lane is horrifically normal here. Cars are often poorly maintained. Many don't have lights or don't use them. No one respects other drivers. I rarely see a car use signals (appropriately) or stop for a pedestrian. So many drivers are angry. Everyone cuts everyone. Etc. But the pedestrians don't do much to improve the situation. They don't seem to have much of a sense of self- preservation. Just yesterday I saw a woman walk in front of car as she was on her cell phone. She didn't even look up. Luckily the driver stopped. That being said, I realize driving is such a big, traffic-ridden city is difficult and frustrating. I think lack of enforcement is the real problem. Of course angry, frustrated people are going to do the most they can get away with. Its just here... they can get away with anything. The drivers are still at fault but the lack of limits is what causes the utter chaos.
