By Brigham Golden
Photo: Lander Rodríguez
I don’t know if it is “The Best City in The World”, but I know for certain that San Miguel’s city streets are among the most unique in the world. Not for their famous colors and cobblestoned charm, but for the rules and ethics that govern them.
When I think about the human qualities that make our pueblo special –its intimacy, friendliness, diversity and civic spirit, I am certain our unique city streets play an essential role in fostering them.
Our unique city streets
Sanmiguelenses might take it for granted, but it’s truly remarkable: We live in a dense urban area of more than 100,000 people, whose city center has not a single stop sign nor stoplight, where no road has right of way, where horns are prohibited, and people generally don’t bother to use directional signals. Most streets are one-way, but many are too narrow for passing or parking, so are frequently and easily blocked. A few of these single-lane streets are even open to two-way traffic (figure that one out!) –and a handful are so narrow that wide vehicles can get stuck, something a few visitors in Hummers have discovered only too late.
Then there are the pedestrians, which are everywhere and only growing in number. Ranging from wandering tourists and locals hustling to work, to families with children and expat seniors –not to mention the processions of giant festooned “mojiganga’ efigies, religious devotees, funerals and wedding parties– these myriads squeeze onto tiny sidewalks, often spilling onto the streets between slow-moving vehicles. Add to this bustling chaos the steep hills and wildly uneven cobblestones that are the federally mandated paving, and it seems almost absurd that San Miguel is renowned as a walking town, since it is so challenging for pedestrians. (The Tourism Association would never admit it, but a long-standing moniker for San Miguel amongst expat locals is “The City of Fallen Women”).
And yet, despite all these obstacles, the streets of San Miguel de Allende are nothing less than a stage for a sublime civic order; a world-class dance of urban cooperation.
Our street rules and ethics
For drivers in San Miguel, the formal rules are clear. Signs around the city announce the speed limit: 15 km/hour. The remaining rules are presented in eight iconographs plastered on the back of every public bus. Three are especially notable:
Drivers take turns at EVERY intersection: “one-by-one”.
Pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way.
Honking is PROHIBITED.
These formal rules, which might be unique to San Miguel, are the foundation of an unwritten ethical culture which governs our streets through Patience, Communication, and Courtesy. Because every intersection is a challenge, it requires cooperation to negotiate tight spaces together in turns. Communication between drivers is essential, always through eye contact and hand signals, never the harsh remonstrance of a honking horn.
