Driving from Recife to Fortaleza
Feb 19, 2014, 7:35 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Nawlins, LA
Programs: Nada!
Posts: 419
Made it safely to Fortaleza. Actually the drive was very easy. Highways were much better than I expected and well marked. Recife to Natal was a 4 lane and it was very nice. There were plenty of gas stations although some did not take credit cards. Nighttime driving would be hairy but the daytime was not bad. One way rental via Avis was $650 which I thought was pretty good.
Feb 20, 2014, 4:20 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,305
It is a relatively easy drive, and enjoyable.
My wife and I have done FOR-RECIFE-FOR once, Natal a few times, and sites in Ceará many times, either by 4WD, or Dune buggy. We left Porto Das Dunas beach, just below FOR at 06:00 to roll down to Canoa Quebrada for lunch, exploring Morro Branco along the way, and came back by the highway route you will take arriving back at 18:00.
So Cal, Vida, and flying Rabbit all provide excellent tips. By your experience, I'm sure you can handle the drive, and will pack and plan accordingly. Your idea of daylight driving only is sound, but plan on a bit of night driving just in case.
Be advised of the weather, especially with the start of the rainy season. Next week the celebrations start for Carnaval, and that includes alcohol, ( pinga, beer, and caipirinhas ), so take that into consideration, stay alert, and drive defensively.
Fortaleza: The Juiz system is required to investigate road accidents is based on that found in Germany, where a officer from the Justice department either accompany, or follow-up a police officer to roadside accidents. If something happens, it is better to wait. Also keep your speed down I town, as the equally quick German cameras will earn you a citation fine, payable at Banco Do Brasil, which I have made donations to a few times, for the most minimal infraction.
Hopefully you will only have good memories of your road trip. Write back and post your experiences if you can here for the other FT membership.
Boa Sorte !
My wife and I have done FOR-RECIFE-FOR once, Natal a few times, and sites in Ceará many times, either by 4WD, or Dune buggy. We left Porto Das Dunas beach, just below FOR at 06:00 to roll down to Canoa Quebrada for lunch, exploring Morro Branco along the way, and came back by the highway route you will take arriving back at 18:00.
So Cal, Vida, and flying Rabbit all provide excellent tips. By your experience, I'm sure you can handle the drive, and will pack and plan accordingly. Your idea of daylight driving only is sound, but plan on a bit of night driving just in case.
Be advised of the weather, especially with the start of the rainy season. Next week the celebrations start for Carnaval, and that includes alcohol, ( pinga, beer, and caipirinhas ), so take that into consideration, stay alert, and drive defensively.
Fortaleza: The Juiz system is required to investigate road accidents is based on that found in Germany, where a officer from the Justice department either accompany, or follow-up a police officer to roadside accidents. If something happens, it is better to wait. Also keep your speed down I town, as the equally quick German cameras will earn you a citation fine, payable at Banco Do Brasil, which I have made donations to a few times, for the most minimal infraction.
Hopefully you will only have good memories of your road trip. Write back and post your experiences if you can here for the other FT membership.
Boa Sorte !
Feb 21, 2014, 8:44 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,188
Fortaleza: The Juiz system is required to investigate road accidents is based on that found in Germany, where a officer from the Justice department either accompany, or follow-up a police officer to roadside accidents. If something happens, it is better to wait. Also keep your speed down I town, as the equally quick German cameras will earn you a citation fine, payable at Banco Do Brasil, which I have made donations to a few times, for the most minimal infraction.
Hopefully you will only have good memories of your road trip. Write back and post your experiences if you can here for the other FT membership.
Boa Sorte !
Hopefully you will only have good memories of your road trip. Write back and post your experiences if you can here for the other FT membership.
Boa Sorte !
Note that's the system in Fortaleza itself, not outside. Even DETRAN (state authority) disagrees, and says you should push your car aside, to avoid blocking traffic, in the case of minor accidents, but the city traffic authority feels their system is what applies. I'd leave your car in place IF the accident takes place in the city of Fortaleza.
Lots of speeding and red light cameras around, but there's a law saying there must be a sign announcing their presence, so drivers quickly learn to slow down around the cameras (sometimes it seems they slow down an extra amount, as though they gain points to be used when speeding elsewhere), or make sure they stop for red lights if cameras are present.
No cameras? No problem (some feel)! But be careful to see if anyone might decide to run the light. That incudes city buses (heck, they're big, and it's not the driver's personal vehicle). Note the cameras also detect you if you're stopped too far onto the crosswalk markings.
Most important part of the car is its emergency blinkers, routinely used when someone wants to park in a traffic lane for a while, perhaps to conduct business in a store where parking is lacking. Also be careful regarding motorbike and motorcycle drivers, who often zoom in and out of traffic. It's usually they who end up dying in an accident, but if you're involved, you could have big legal and financial problems.
Feb 21, 2014, 10:53 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Nawlins, LA
Programs: Nada!
Posts: 419
There were lots of cameras. I slowed down for most but I am sure I got nailed once or twice. I was in an Avis car. Any chance they will track me down? I know I got nailed at least once in a village in the middle of nowhere.
Feb 21, 2014, 1:09 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,305
Hi Sr. Tipitinas -
Having been camera-ticketed twice in Fortaleza, it works in this manner:
1. One receives an initial notice in the mail that you are going to receive a citation.
2. One then receives a week later the actual citation, with the date, time, speed, and multiple view of the driver and vehicle, including the license plate. This is usually a front and back view of the vehicle. My neighbor suggested I frame and hang mine as " it is such a good likeness ! "
3. One then proceeds to stand in line with the other speed bandits, Cangaceiros, and hot-footed drivers at Banco do Brasil ( or other locations ) and pay the fine. Mine was R$ 35. for being 2 Km over on the first citation, and R$37. for being 1.78 km over on the second violation. The bank staff is very friendly and professional, and the fines were more than reasonable.
4. In some cases you are located by the address associated with your driver's license ( if you have a local DETRAN issued license ), but in most cases just the address associated with your vehicle registration is used to contact you.
Regarding your AVIS question, Yes, in most cases the citation follows the registration address back to AVIS. The company then notifies you that a citation has been received and attaches a processing fee, IN ADDITION to the citation fee to your credit card.
Note that the longer the charge is not paid, the total amount starts increasing. I know a Danish diplomat who paid 3x more by the time he decided to pay his camera citation, which happened while he was on vacation in CE.
Which brings up the issue of fairness. In Europe when you receive such a speeding citation, you are FIRST asked what your profession is. If you admit you are a physician, engineer, or God forbid, a Swiss banker, you are then penalized at the highest rate possible.
If you state that you are unemployed, or say a volunteer street cleaner, your photo and background data is reviewed. Many have tried this, but few have passed said test.
If you were camera-cited in your Testarossa, or perhaps your new Audi R8 Spyder blowing through the local Dorf at 180 km over the 50 km posted limit, and try the excuse mentioned above, you receive the added bonus of being invited to stay and be a guest of the government facilities, meals included, until your hearing. That hearing includes additional charges of providing false information with an attempt to conceal.
For an executive, such a fine could be in the hundreds of thousands of Euros or CHF, and it has happened, appearing in the press many times. You can see the perspective in comparison to the minor citation fines assessed in Brasil.
If AVIS does not add the fine to your rental charges, I would pay it when it arrives, ASAP. Get it over quickly, as AVIS is international.
I detail this to be helpful to you, and others that will be attending the World Cup and coming Olympic Games, and perhaps driving in Brasil.
Having been camera-ticketed twice in Fortaleza, it works in this manner:
1. One receives an initial notice in the mail that you are going to receive a citation.
2. One then receives a week later the actual citation, with the date, time, speed, and multiple view of the driver and vehicle, including the license plate. This is usually a front and back view of the vehicle. My neighbor suggested I frame and hang mine as " it is such a good likeness ! "
3. One then proceeds to stand in line with the other speed bandits, Cangaceiros, and hot-footed drivers at Banco do Brasil ( or other locations ) and pay the fine. Mine was R$ 35. for being 2 Km over on the first citation, and R$37. for being 1.78 km over on the second violation. The bank staff is very friendly and professional, and the fines were more than reasonable.
4. In some cases you are located by the address associated with your driver's license ( if you have a local DETRAN issued license ), but in most cases just the address associated with your vehicle registration is used to contact you.
Regarding your AVIS question, Yes, in most cases the citation follows the registration address back to AVIS. The company then notifies you that a citation has been received and attaches a processing fee, IN ADDITION to the citation fee to your credit card.
Note that the longer the charge is not paid, the total amount starts increasing. I know a Danish diplomat who paid 3x more by the time he decided to pay his camera citation, which happened while he was on vacation in CE.
Which brings up the issue of fairness. In Europe when you receive such a speeding citation, you are FIRST asked what your profession is. If you admit you are a physician, engineer, or God forbid, a Swiss banker, you are then penalized at the highest rate possible.
If you state that you are unemployed, or say a volunteer street cleaner, your photo and background data is reviewed. Many have tried this, but few have passed said test.
If you were camera-cited in your Testarossa, or perhaps your new Audi R8 Spyder blowing through the local Dorf at 180 km over the 50 km posted limit, and try the excuse mentioned above, you receive the added bonus of being invited to stay and be a guest of the government facilities, meals included, until your hearing. That hearing includes additional charges of providing false information with an attempt to conceal.
For an executive, such a fine could be in the hundreds of thousands of Euros or CHF, and it has happened, appearing in the press many times. You can see the perspective in comparison to the minor citation fines assessed in Brasil.
If AVIS does not add the fine to your rental charges, I would pay it when it arrives, ASAP. Get it over quickly, as AVIS is international.
I detail this to be helpful to you, and others that will be attending the World Cup and coming Olympic Games, and perhaps driving in Brasil.
Last edited by Swissaire; Feb 21, 2014 at 1:15 pm
Feb 23, 2014, 1:03 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 87
On the subject of red lights, when I was last in Brazil (around 5 years or so ago) I was told that if driving late at night I should never stop for a red light due to risk of car jacking (or some such thing). I discovered this in truth when travelling with a brazilian friend who thundered through the lights like there was no tomorrow causing me to squeal like a child. not my finest moment but better points than a gun to the face was the reasoning!
Feb 23, 2014, 8:15 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Nawlins, LA
Programs: Nada!
Posts: 419
On the subject of red lights, when I was last in Brazil (around 5 years or so ago) I was told that if driving late at night I should never stop for a red light due to risk of car jacking (or some such thing). I discovered this in truth when travelling with a brazilian friend who thundered through the lights like there was no tomorrow causing me to squeal like a child. not my finest moment but better points than a gun to the face was the reasoning!
Feb 24, 2014, 6:32 am
#26
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,188
On the subject of red lights, when I was last in Brazil (around 5 years or so ago) I was told that if driving late at night I should never stop for a red light due to risk of car jacking (or some such thing). I discovered this in truth when travelling with a brazilian friend who thundered through the lights like there was no tomorrow causing me to squeal like a child. not my finest moment but better points than a gun to the face was the reasoning!
I believe a rental car company could charge a fine to your cc bill even weeks afterwards. This can occur in the U.S., too. In Fortaleza, it can take weeks to get notice of an infraction caught by camera.
Last edited by SoCal; Feb 24, 2014 at 6:38 am
Feb 25, 2014, 10:27 pm
#27
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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Depends where you are. Some people in fact don't stop for red lights anywhere late at night, though sometimes it's just because they can get away with it. Well, get away with it unless a car comes from the other direction, and a collision results (and you sitting with your immobilized car in the middle of an intersection in the middle of the night can make you more vulnerable than stopping for a red light). There are a lot more drunk drivers out late at night, increasing the odds that you can't bank on other drivers stopping for you as you blow through a red light. If there's a red light camera, you can still get nailed, regardless of hour.
I believe a rental car company could charge a fine to your cc bill even weeks afterwards. This can occur in the U.S., too. In Fortaleza, it can take weeks to get notice of an infraction caught by camera.
I believe a rental car company could charge a fine to your cc bill even weeks afterwards. This can occur in the U.S., too. In Fortaleza, it can take weeks to get notice of an infraction caught by camera.