I have already grown to hate topes, the Mexican equivalent of the British speedbump. In the parts of Mexico I have seen so far, they have them on roads in build up areas to slow down traffic, but also on rural backroads and even on motorways.
My issue with topes is the frequency with which theyappear, it is sometimes possible to look out the front of the bus down a straight road and see three or four sets in a distance of just a few hundred metres. I presume their purpose is to reduce speeding-related accidents and not just increase my bus journey durations, but either way they are already the bain of my Mexican travels. Even at an almost stationary speed that bus drivers slow down to drive over them, the jolt of going over a tope always seems to be just enough to wake a weary traveller trying to catch up on sleep lost because of noisy cockerels, noisier strip-clubs and nightmares about scorpions in his shoe.
Tope Footnote:
Today I witnessed/caused my first tope-related traffic accident. I was standing at the side of the road waiting for some cars to pass so I could take the above photograph of some topes when I heard a bang. I looked up to see a woman in a van had driven into the back of a taxi diving slowly over some topes. I know it was me that caused the accident as seconds earlier, I had seen the woman staring at me out her window with her mouth hanging open. Fortunately no damage was done as both vehicles were travelling so slowly, but it did leave one question in my mind. Did I cause the accident because the woman was distracted by me taking photographs of topes, or was the woman distracted by my matching pink t-shirt and shorts. I hope I am not the mistaken victim of a homophobia-related drive-by shooting today.
