Infuriating Tourist Drivers

      I live in a small town in Northern New Mexico.  I think the"official"  population in the tourist literature is approximately 6,000 full time residents. I think they are overstating this on the high side.  We are an "end destination" resort town which means once you get here, you are HERE. The tourist swell is somewhere around 10- 30,000 folks at a time. Those would be the "official" registered hotel and motel guests. We have many other drifters who are floating through to expand their awareness or disappear into the national forest for a wilderness experience.

      On any given day, there are idiots behind the wheel on the streets of my town. Locals have their own peculiarities but the most distressing drivers are the tourists. Having been a tourist in most major cities in the US, I know how confusing it can be to navigate.  However, here it has become almost a science experience, dodging the Brownian movement particles that have come for the culture.

       Imagine 4 lanes of traffic, divided by a "suicide" lane, for turning. Now, picture the hardy lookie loos, searching for a street sign, looking only to the right or left while navigating the "suicide" lane. Heads up! Nope, let's instead use this for a passing lane. Or how about a third lane, so we can bypass the traffic and go ahead through the light.  Not fast enough for you?  Then let's drive 60 miles an hour down this lane. What could go wrong? And let's not forget about wiping out the bike lane folks when you are turning your 40 ft. RV through the intersection. And yes, even in NM, pedestrians still have the right of way.

     I totally get that we depend on tourist dollars as a mainstay of the local economy.  But really, do you have to run down and/or crash the locals to get where you think you may be going? Slow down, we live at a different pace here.  The churches and the galleries and the Pueblos will still be there even if it takes you an extra 5 minutes to get to them.

     And to the woman in the mini van that tried to take off the front of my car dodging out of a hotel driveway, the profanity was not appreciated when you were in the wrong.  But I will say that the Hawaiian peace sign I bestowed upon you in return certainly felt good.