Carpool anyone...bring your helmet!

Today's topic- transportation! In Uruguay, it is not uncommon to look down the street and see bicyclists, motorcyclists, and motorists all weaving in/out/around one another on the road. Though it is a common sight in many other countries, it is new to me and every day I am in complete awe on how they do it. It is a bit of magical chaos every morning while I walk Trinity to school. Here, there are no stop lights or stop signs really (I think just a few on the main strip), no lines on the street, no bicycle pathways....just one big free for all.  You are free to pass, weave through, or stop to talk to someone, whenever it suits you. There really is only one rule: If you are bigger, you have the right of way!

At first, I was blown away by the lack of rules and orderly protocol. Marc, on the other hand, felt it was liberating and embraced the lack of regulations.  I think it helps that he is "bigger and can go first!"  Surprisingly in the two months I have been here, I have only witnessed two accidents and in both situations every one was fine. Usually, it's a young man driving his motorcycle too fast, not wanting to yield to anyone...plowing into a car or a truck tends to teach these boys a lesson about size.

Now, I am accustom to the sight of mothers taking kids to/from school on their motorcycles. It's normal to see a mother and three kids all on one bike- the smallest in front, the older two behind. I often wonder how I would do it? Perhaps, I would have to make two trips!

Marc said when he was here four years ago, hardly anyone wore a helmet. Now most of the parents and their kids are wearing helmets, but certainly not all. Though, it is an improvement in safety, the helmets are sized for adults, not children, and offer limited protection for the kids.  Some of the kids look like they barely have the neck muscles to hold their helmeted heads up!  For newborns and toddlers, they still are without helmets and it is still disturbing to watch parents sandwich an infant between them while they rumble down the road. I even saw a young mother the other day, with a one month old strapped to her chest, riding her motorcycle down the road while talking on her cell phone. I prayed for them.