Avoiding Danger in Peru
A taxi driver in Lima recently robbed one of my good friends at gunpoint. Although you need to be cautious, I wouldn’t consider the level of danger in Peru much higher than other Latin American countries. In fact, my post on scary men is an example of the goodness that can always be found and this week’s follow-up guest post by Dr. Vincent Tufano on making the best of a bad situation recounts how lucky breaks factor in as well.
Potholes in Peru are everywhere and are a major danger to anyone living there, including Lima, the so-called City of Kings.
During my last visit to Peru, I was returning from a Christmas show in downtown Lima that ended very late at night, so there were hardly any taxis available to take me and my family back home. After searching fruitlessly for 45 minutes, we finally waved down a cab whose driver, after the usual haggling over price, agreed to take us home. Our alarm bells quickly began to sound when the driver began using an unfamiliar route. When we questioned him about that, he simply sped up. We were sure that we were going to be assaulted and robbed by some criminal who simply used his cab to attract victims.
Wishing to avoid that, I finally screamed at the driver to stop. He responded by taking his attention away from the road and giving me a venomous stare. But at that moment, his cab plunged into a huge pothole, ripping open his oil pan. That gave us the opportunity to rush out, run for our lives and escape.
When was the last time you were helped by adversity?
Tags: danger in peru, peru, potholes, safety, safety in peru
Marie
How freakin’ scary!
Samantha Bangayan
Yeah! My dad and I had a similar close-call experience too. I guess it’s always good to trust your gut. =)
Abe Palmer
While in Lima taxi’s were our main source of transportation. Yes I agree, some were quite scary and I like most Americans was fasinated with the experiance the first couple rides but quickly came to my senses when traveling between the airport and Comis. The taxi driver was in a security cage and I was not comfortable at all being where we were evan during the day. I really like Lima though. It is like all large cities. It has it’s Good, Bad and right down Scary.
Samantha Bangayan
Wow, really?! I used to take taxis all the time in Lima, but these days, I try to take micros as much as I can. When I need to take taxis, I usually opt for the more expensive route with certain companies. =P I really like Lima too, though! Every time I go, I learn more and more about it, and love it more and more too. =)
Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A.
Here, I was thinking you were talking about potholes in the road, and not potholes in one’s life!
Samantha Bangayan
There’s real symbolism here for sure! =)
Hajra
I am so sorry about what happened to your friend. It is a scary world at times. One of my aunts was robbed at point blank back home. And the funny thing is that they hit her anyways – she didn’t resist one bit but in case she calls the police or whatever.
Sometimes, it is best to go with your instinct and “jump out of the cab”… like my mom says, always have a pepper spray close by!
Samantha Bangayan
Omigoodness. I’m sorry to hear about your aunt! People can be so cruel when single-minded. Pepper spray is a good idea!
Carolyn
Wow, Samantha, that is very scary. You really are at the mercy of cab drivers when you get into their cabs. We were very spoiled when we lived in London because cab drivers there are very professional and take pride in their work.
My worst cab experience was in Moscow where our cab driver drove us in a circle for an hour then charged us a ridiculous amount to go a short distance. When we protested he claimed to know no English.
Samantha Bangayan
Exactly so! Although I loved the cab drivers in New York. I imagine they were like the ones you met in London. =)
Gah! That is so frustrating about that taxi driver in Moscow. I’ve heard that happens here too. They say it’s a “shortcut.” =P
MuMuGB
What a scary story! Your friend was lucky. I hadn’t realised that you could be saved by a pothole!
Samantha Bangayan
Hehe! Funny way to think about it, eh? =)
Janine
Woah lucky!
Samantha Bangayan
For sure!
Paula
That’s scary! But I am glad that they had a happy ending and got away!
Samantha Bangayan
Me too! =)
Joy
Wow that was scary! In Manila, ‘robbers’ can get a bit more savvy. Cab drivers do rob you but with ‘finesse’. They will insist that the meter is not working and will charge you an exorbitant amount and refuse to negotiate nor let you get off until you pay. Oh wait….that’s kidnapping! *sigh*
Samantha Bangayan
Eeps! That would definitely be way scarier. Another friend in Lima was “kidnapped” in that sense. The taxi driver drove her to various ATM machines and made her take all her money out of her bank account. =( This actually happened to her a second time and this time, she opened the door and jumped out while the taxi was moving!
Chris
Wow thats a crazy story. I’ve heard stories but I’ve personally never encountered this. Knock on wood.
Shadiest story I’ve heard involved gunpoint and missing door handles. :O
Ever considered hiring a cab driver to be a personal driver? When I go back to Lima I have a driver in particular that I always call. He’s not a chauffer or anything. Just a trusty cab driver that i’ve had his number since who knows how long..
Samantha Bangayan
Great to meet you, Chris!
Yikes! I’m glad I haven’t had to deal with anything related to guns. *Knock on wood too!*
Yeah! There have been a couple of cab drivers that I’ve been able to make contact with, but they’re not always available. I guess I need a bigger contact list. =)
Penelope J.
Hi Sam,
It seems like you had a lucky escape from that cab driver. I wonder if Peru is the same as in Mexico City where “taxi kidnaps” are very common. So much so that I know a bunch of people who’ve been driven off and forced to empty their bank accounts or their family pay a small ($2000-5000 dollars) ransom for their return.
Potholes in third world countries seem to the norm rather than the exception. In Mexico, they keep filling them and then they just open up again in the rainy season. It’s an ongoing project where bribes are usually involved. Probably similar in Peru.
Samantha Bangayan
Definitely so! I too personally know at least 2 people who have been forced to empty their accounts. I’ve never heard of a ransom situation, but I can see that happening as well!
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pothole filled. Mexico may be more “advanced” in that aspect. =P