For tourists who only have a few days to see Merida, the easiest way may be from the seat of one of the downtown tour buses. Or you can walk the city to get a closer look at what makes Merida special, especially centro historico and Paseo de Montejo. But the more time I spend in Merida, the stronger is my feeling that the best way to explore the city is on the seat of a bike.
I have always been afraid to ride a bike here in Merida... But as I observed the streets, traffic, and the mix of cars, motorbikes and bicycles, it became clear that Merida is a “bikeable” city. While it initially appears chaotic and tight, once you leave the centro there is plenty of room for riding on relatively smooth, free flowing streets, and there’s quite a lot to see.
When purchased my house on Calle 78 I quickly acquired a mountain bike from Bicimotos near me. Since then I’ve been on the streets nearly every day that I’ve been here. I ride to the gym in the wee hours of the morning and I have observed a fascinating variety of neighborhoods, people, shops, parks, markets and food – an eye-opening perspective of Merida impossible to gain on foot in the same amount of time.
It seems to me that bike awareness in Merida and the surrounding community occurs because quite a few people (nearly all men) use bicycles for basic transportation. Drivers take notice and don’t intentionally crowd cyclists. (I’ve been told that penalties for hitting someone on a bike are severe, but I don’t know that to be a fact.)
Even the profusion of motorbikes contributes to an awareness of other forms of transportation, which include large tricycles for transporting people and goods, and occasionally, horse-drawn carts [one passes my house daily]. These more picturesque forms of transportation add to drivers’ awareness of the need to share the road, not only in the city but in the smaller pueblos as well. There, it’s not uncommon to encounter a three-wheeled cycle or cart transporting people, crops, handmade tables and various other goods for long distances.
In Merida, the easiest ride is La Bici Ruta on Sunday, when one side of Paseo de Montejo is shut down in the morning. I did this this morning at 8:00 AM. This regular event offers an easy opportunity to cruise on one of the prettiest streets in the city. Bici Ruta, which means ‘bicycle route’, brings out families on bikes of all sizes, roller bladder’s and skate boarders, runners and even dog walkers. Today I saw a man walking his Siberian Husky…………too hot for Merida.
On this day only, used bikes can be inexpensively rented at the Monumento a la Patria and at the Burger King on Prolongacion Montejo. The bici ruta goes all the way up to the Burger King so that you can get a glimpse of Merida norte. And you can ride all the way south to the Plaza Grande and on to L’Ermita to get a feel for centro. Its fun, easy and a good preparation for riding at other times when there is more traffic. You do have to watch out for runners, and kids who may stop in front of you at any time. But Montejo is a wide street and it’s never too crowded.
During the week I try to get out early and ride every day. For me the best time is at 5:00 am to go to the gym until 8:00 am because there are fewer cars and buses. The air is cleaner and cooler. After about 9:00 am, the roads get busy and pollution-filled.
Pollution is a concern, especially if you get stuck behind a large bus or a motorbike with limited pollution controls. There is a lot of soot coming from those buses and it’s not good for you. That’s why the earlier you ride the better, since the morning air is much cleaner and initially there are fewer buses. There does not appear to be permanent smog over Merida on most days, because the air circulation over the city is very good. At least there’s that.
With a few exceptions, most of the city has smooth, paved streets, without many potholes. The major streets are very smooth, although you must be vigilant for the topes (small speed bumps, or metal bumps set into the road). On some streets there are fewer traffic lights because of the use of topes to slow traffic. Also, you must watch out for the yellow pedestrian crossing lanes. You must stop in front of those if someone is crossing, or risk a healthy fine.
Traffic can be fast on some streets (30 mph+) and you must at all times observe the lights and easily-learned traffic etiquette, especially at the glorietas (roundabouts). Merida is no place for jumping lights or blowing through stop signs as some cyclists do in the States. Those sorts of things will get you hurt here. I make a point of stopping and waiting at all lights even if it is clear. I think it’s key to show drivers (and la policia!) that you respect the legal and social traffic rules.
Going through a stop sign is one of the biggest causes of accidents that I’ve observed. Most drivers don’t slow if they have the right of way. They assume that you will stop at the sign, so you’d better do it. Signaling your intentions at turns or busy corners is also a good practice, especially if there is traffic behind you. Drivers are watching to see what you are going to do.
Without doubt the best two-wheeler for Merida is a mountain bike or a city bike with wider tires. With occasional potholes, topes, rail tracks, cobblestones or grates in the road, thin-tire road bikes could be dangerous. Here are some of the great streets for cruising and touring:
The local and state governments are re-paving many streets and quite a few offer long stretches of steady rolling. One big problem for tourists is a source of bike rentals. As I write this, it’s not easy if you are here for a short time. One good source of rentals is Ecotourism Yucatan, an established local tour company. They have well-maintained Mongoose mountain bikes and good rental prices at $150 pesos a day. They will also deliver for a fee.
A helmet is a must. The pavements are hard and the curbs are often high, with no cut-in ramp access as in the U.S. Again, helmets are a U.S. purchase, if you can manage it. The selection and price in the states is unbeatable; In Merida, they aren’t as easy to find and the selection isn’t good, as helmets, although required, are not really big here among adults. You can pick up a more-than-adequate helmet in the $30-40 range at a bike store or discount store like Target in the States. While you are there, you might also invest in a set of padded gloves which you will find useful. An hour or so on the bike, even with padded grips, will make you glad to have those gloves! I must admit that I have neither, but will bring them back with me when I return in November.
Caminos Felices… or, as we know the phrase, Happy Trails!
No comments:
Post a Comment