Many of the roads in Costa Rica are narrow and winding, and they can be quite dangerous. Buses in particular are notorious for passing on blind curves, and guardrails are few and far between. Honking on a mountain road may indicate that someone is coming at you, in your lane around the next curve. Fog and heavy rain frequently reduce visibility. If you see a branch or pile of sticks in the road, slow down! This is the Tico version of a road flare and indicates danger ahead. Sometimes this danger can be as serious as a missing bridge over a 200-foot drop.
On gravel roads, speed is the essence. Shock absorber commercials show the magic of rhythm. The car and its passengers gliding smoothly down the road while the wheels pound up and down like a whack-a-mole on amphetamines. Driving fast to stay on top of the ridges only works on a perfectly spaced washboard at exactly the right speed, but it does work.
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Important to Know 
