It's an Expat Thing: Unsolved Mysteries

[mendozanow]

Somebody answer.. what is the deal with the walking???..I thought it was just me... But, people will not move or give you room when you walk down the street... normally if you see someone walking towards you ... you sort of move to the left or right... People here will just walk into you or just walk and almost knock you over or stop in front of you and will not move a little so you can walk by... .. it is very strange.. a small thing... but strange...... sort of zombie like..... I thought it was just me.. but a friend who was visiting after a week asked me...."what is the deal with the walking" so it isnt just me!!!

Arrogance, especially the women. In other Latin American zones, they arte not so aggressive.

 

[mendozanow]

I noticed that thing about walking too ... thought perhaps in South America one doesn't walk as a pedestrian, to the right, but to the left? Am I not yielding in the right direction?

Noticed this mode of walking in Australia, where they drive on the left and one walks to the left, but why in Argentina where they drive on the right?

They did not change to the left side of the road until the 50´s, when Peron decided he wanted to de-Britianize Argentina. You can see some old left-hand side cars around sometimes. In the movie ¨Señales¨ you can see them driving on the left side.

 

[missveronica]

What is even stranger is when you are walking and someone is in front of you, when you get closer to pass on one side they seem to start to drift in your direction.

It's the Tango running in our veins, just ask "Wanna dance?"

 

[BKK to BA]

What is even stranger is when you are walking and someone is in front of you, when you get closer to pass on one side they seem to start to drift in your direction.

That happens everywhere,not just here...drives me insane!

 

[victoria]

Ok, here's two more questions:

Why do some taxi drivers drive at night with their dims on or no lights at all?

Where do the Palermo Park carriage drivers take their horses at the end of the day? They clip clop down Thames every night at dusk.

 

[Futboljunkie]

Ok, here's two more questions:

Why do some taxi drivers drive at night with their dims on or no lights at all? Because it saves battery

Where do the Palermo Park carriage drivers take their horses at the end of the day? They clip clop down Thames every night at dusk.
Probally a place about 20 km/15 miles outside of Capital, most likely zona oeste

Hopefully it was helpfull

 

[steveinbsas]

Is futboljunkie actually blahblah, granadaiscool, etc with a new address ?

Only the moderator knows for sure...

(The lack of correct punctuation is a "dead" giveaway....)

 

[NYKate]

Why is Peter Capusotto so damn funny when I don't even understand a word?



Anyone else have some similar mysteries?

ROCKNROLL!! NEH NEH NEH!!!

 

[malbec]

It is true though and elhombresinombre brought up a really good point - are there different "signals"? Do locals have the same problem?

Well, the first time I read about this on this forum I was truely surprised, because I have the impression than walking in BA is easy and people give way for other. At least when I compare it to some countries in Europe (Germany, England, Poland, Danemark, France).
Of course there are sometimes groups of people walking who are so concentrated on what they are discussing that they notice you too late.

I think it happens the same as with the traffic: in Europe there are traffic rules and everyone knows what to do. Who has to wait, who can go, etc. In Argentina there are no rules (they are seldom observed, I mean): you need to see what the others are doing, it doesn't matter if they are coming from the left, from the right. The same happens when walking.

 

[Futboljunkie]

The sidewalks are just very small and florida really crowded