New Mexico Driving Rules
- First and foremost, remember that the primary goal of every New Mexico driver it to get there first, by whatever means necessary.
- As a general rule, the vehicle most in need of a significant amount of bodywork (for which the driver is most likely uninsured) always has the right of way.
- It is traditional to honk your horn at drivers who do not instantly move after the light changes green.
- On the other hand, you are not required to actually stop your vehicle until the light has been red for at least 15 seconds.
- Therefore, it is always considered good practice to look both ways while running a red light.
- And the faster you drive through a red light, the less chance you have of being hit by crossing traffic.
- Never use directional signals when changing lanes. They only serve to give away your next move, causing most NM drivers to speed up and not let you in. In fact, use of directional signals within most large NM city limits is actual illegal.
- NM law states that at least 50% of all paved surfaces within the state must be under construction at any one time. In all construction zones, at least half of the available lanes must be closed, regardless of whether any actual construction is be accomplished or not. Construction signs shall be regularly repositioned in order to warn drivers about upcoming lane closures immediately after they pass the last exit before traffic backups.
- Driving through constructions zones with upcoming lane closures is a popular game in NM. It’s called the "speed up and pass as many cars as you can, then see how close to the lane closure you can squeeze back into traffic before hitting any of the orange construction barrels" game.
- Never leave a safe following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Most NM drivers will try to fill that space, putting you in an even more dangerous situation.
- Just because you are in the left lane, and cannot speed up or change lanes, doesn’t mean that the NM driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn’t think he can go faster in your spot.
- NM tradition encourages throwing litter out of your vehicle. It adds color to the landscape and gives the Adopt-A-Highway crews something to clean up.
- Real NM female drivers can put on pantyhose, apply eye makeup, talk on a cell phone, and balance their checkbook at 75 mph during a rainstorm in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
- Real NM male drivers can remove their girlfriend’s pantyhose, put on their earrings, talk on a cell phone, and balance their checkbook at 75 mph during a rainstorm in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
- High winds, heavy rain, and flash floods are not good reasons to change any of the above driving rules. These weather conditions are just nature’s way of ensuring the continued existence of body shops, junkyards, and new vehicle sales.
Copyright 1998 - 2008 Ó by Glenn Bontly