Since last year, I’ve been commuting from my hotel in one of Mexico City’s ‘better neighborhoods’ to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez using public transportation. This is due to the utter chaos at the circuit (Gate 7) at the end of the day, where it’s virtually impossible to hail or find a taxi or Uber. Given my quick loss of patience, I thought: Why not try the metro?
Right next to the main entrance of the circuit is Ciudad Deportivo metro station. Despite the organization’s strong advice to foreign journalists to avoid the metro due to daily robberies, my impatience won out last year on Friday over the potential danger. And, touch wood, so far, this choice has proven to be very sensible. Within half an hour, I arrive at my destination for just €0.90 (much to my employer’s delight). For someone who tends to rush through life, it’s a blessing.
During the day, at least until now, there’s little to worry about. I’ve never felt unsafe in the dated, rather dirty metro trains and stations. Nor in the long, red metro buses, as they’re called in Mexico City. Last year, after the race on Sunday, my train car was one big party. I couldn’t believe what I was experiencing. That was also due to the high alcohol levels in the fans’ blood. But it never turned aggressive.
On Thursday, the journey to the circuit took much longer than usual. The metro bus took nearly half an hour to reach my transfer point to the metro, the third stop. Due to an accident, traffic was completely jammed, even in the bus lane. A police car trying to reach the accident scene couldn’t make any progress despite blaring sirens. Simply because there wasn’t a millimeter of space on the two-lane road to form an emergency lane.
In the bus, which was absolutely packed, there was a serene calm despite – or perhaps thanks to – the slow pace. Even Mexicans seem to be used to something in the morning rush hour of the metropolis. Although the bus was packed, people still got on at the first and second stops. Unlike in many other countries, there’s no signal in the bus or metro when the doors open or close; they just close without warning. And so it happened that a fight broke out because a man who wanted to get off the bus in front of me could hardly get out. He roughly pushed a (sturdy) man aside, but the latter didn’t appreciate it. Then it was (briefly) a fight.
I was shocked, as I find fighting very vulgar. But thanks to the scuffle, I was able to slip out of the bus quickly and smoothly. Hopefully, tomorrow’s ride will be a peaceful one.
