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Driving safety out of Brasilia

Driving safety out of Brasilia

Old Oct 3, 2017, 5:03 pm
  #1  
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Driving safety out of Brasilia

I have never driven in Brazil (although I do so every few years in countries with relatively "saner" traffic like Chile and Argentina), so I am a little concerned doing this for the first time. Though I have been going to Brazil often, I still can't say I am conversant in Portuguese and I will be driving alone.

I am probably never going to drive anywhere near Rio or Sao Paulo, having heard frequent instances of travelers taking a wrong turn and ending up with a slug in their skull. But what I am planning is a 3-1/2 hour drive out of Brasilia north to Alto Paraiso de Goais and the National Park there. It was recommended by the hotel that I bring a car as I was told that most visitors do, since a car is the only real way to explore the numerous and spaced out attractions in the Park.

I will be driving only in the morning or afternoon and never after 3 PM or before 7 AM. So should I be unduly concerned?

Last edited by bosboy73; Oct 3, 2017 at 5:11 pm
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Old Oct 3, 2017, 5:44 pm
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Please stop repeating myths and hearsay and rumors. There are not "frequent instances of travelers taking a wrong turn and ending up with a slug in their skull."
Cite legitimate news sources if you wish to defend your view.

The percentage of all foreign tourists who experience any kind of incident in Brazil is very small, whereas going to a concert these days (Las Vegas, Paris, England) ....... seems pretty risky.

The drive you are talking about is straightforward, right through the city on a main highway and onto the highway north, around 120 miles total.
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Old Oct 3, 2017, 7:51 pm
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Originally Posted by VidaNaPraia
Please stop repeating myths and hearsay and rumors. There are not "frequent instances of travelers taking a wrong turn and ending up with a slug in their skull."
Cite legitimate news sources if you wish to defend your view.
Thanks for the info. I beg to differ... there have been many instances of this kind in Brazil. Yes, these happen in LA also. But... I'm not going to LA. I'm going to Brazil. So obviously I care more if these incidents happen where I'm going versus some random place I'm not going. Please follow the links below for numerous reports of such happenings over the last few years. A google search should return more instances.

https://g1.globo.com/rj/sul-do-rio-c...de-no-rj.ghtml

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel...0f52b2852a89e7

Anyways, back to the matter at hand... I'm strictly talking about the 120 miles to the Chapada, so hopefully it is as straightforward as it appears.
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Old Oct 3, 2017, 8:08 pm
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I have driven thruout the cities of Rio, Salvador, Natal, Porto Seguro, etc, as well as thruout the various highways and dirt roads of the SE and NE parts of this country.

You'll need a current and UTD GPS. My concern is that if you get lost and don't speak Portuguese you're in trouble. A lot of the road signs outside, and even inside major cities, can be inaccurately placed. Natal and the rural NE is particularily bad for that.

Don't rely on cell service either. Watch out for the trucks, and please understand that their roads ARE NOT necessarily of the quality you and I are used to. Keep the gas tank full at all times.

While safety is a concern anywhere in the world, it's easy to get the wrong impression from the internet. I did the first time I came here. I now have a permanent resident visa.

Last edited by KDS777; Oct 4, 2017 at 8:06 am
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Old Oct 4, 2017, 6:09 am
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Originally Posted by bosboy73
I beg to differ... there have been many instances of this kind in Brazil.
You'd have to beg if you wish to differ.

Usually these over-hyped reports hinge on some heedless tourist, most often in Rio where the marginalized poor live next door to the extremely wealthy, who does not take notice of the basic measures recommended to tourists to keep safe.

Hey, according to the press, you and your friends can get robbed at a gas station during a major world sporting event.

Bad news sells, but the tens of thousands of tourists who have enjoyable, safe trips in Brazil do not ever get press.

As KDS777 implies, you are more likely to be in danger from a breakdown or accident out in the boonies you would be driving through.
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Old Oct 5, 2017, 8:53 am
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Originally Posted by KDS777
You'll need a current and UTD GPS. My concern is that if you get lost and don't speak Portuguese you're in trouble. A lot of the road signs outside, and even inside major cities, can be inaccurately placed. Natal and the rural NE is particularily bad for that.
Don't rely on cell service either. Watch out for the trucks
This.
Bring/use a standalone GPS unit that doesn't depend on mobile data service. Phone apps are pretty useless as there's spotty TIM and Vivo 2G data service with gaping holes of nothing along the highway and in the town of So Jorge proper, but zero service outside of that.
I have driven extensively in both Rio and So Paulo, everywhere and at all times (the only economical way to get around as I have a large dog) and apart from the mayhem that traffic in such a metropolis can be never had any issues.
Also, carefully check the car you're assigned for road safety issues. I`ve had cars with bald tires etc. renting from the big worldwide chains in Brazil.
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Old Oct 5, 2017, 7:57 pm
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Just a wee addendum to Bhombrg's very good points. Yes, check those tires. I went through one tire, the spare, a repair to that spare that lasted 20 kms, ending up buying a new tire...and the insurance doesn't cover tires. The highways can be potholes connected by a little tarmac here and there.
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Old Oct 6, 2017, 6:24 am
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Originally Posted by zackery149
The highways can be potholes connected by a little tarmac here and there.
On that particular stretch?
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Old Oct 20, 2017, 6:26 am
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Update. Did the drive. Beautiful. Gliding on perfect roads all the way up and back. The only problems were getting out of and back into Brasilia, though even that was not horrible. I would say Brasilia with all its concrete butterfly interchanges and overpasses is like an LA without exit signs. So it makes it a bit confusing because I can't remember the last time I drove in a city where not every exit was clearly marked. And I didn't have GPS but it wouldn't have mattered much. I got lost coming back into Brasilia so I just stopped at a gas station and some random lady who spoke English made me follow her until I got on the road to the airport and once I was on it the exits were perfectly marked.
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Old Oct 20, 2017, 9:48 am
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Good to hear !!
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