Is Mexico Safe?

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by MikeMike

The grenade incident outside the Aquarium in the summer and the shoot out on a Sunday afternoon that preceeded it in downtown Boca Del Rio, all deserved mention because that could easily affect a traveler.

This reminds me of when someone lobbed two grenades at the police station outside Reynosa's Boys Town. They didn't do any damage - I was there a week later and you couldn't see any damage to the building.

We aren't talking the Middle East here with a hundred people killed by bombings. So far the grenade stuff is pretty much an annoyance.

And 99% of the violence is aimed at cartel participants.

What many people fail to understand is that in many of these place you have three factions: The established cartel, the upstart cartel, and the Mexican Guv'mint.

Around here it's the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas.

And the established cartels and the guv'mint/military basically don't want to cause trouble for the tourists and residents, pretty much in that order.

So "situational awareness" goes a long way. But by and large you are pretty safe if you stay the hell away from drugs and guns.

[PirateJohn]

Borderland Beat has some interesting stuff this morning.

First of all, basically all the violence in Veracruz is cartel-on-cartel violence. The Feds are claiming that it's not them doing the killings, but that an off shoot from one of the other gangs is attacking the Zeta lookouts. A lot of kids (including some young ladies) are winding up with their heads in bags because they took $20 to snitch, and that's very sad but it doesn't apply to motorcycle tourists, unless they are REALLY stupid motorcycle tourists.

Speaking of stupid tourists ...

In Sinaloa state, federal police said they detained two U.S. citizens for allegedly carrying two metric tons of marijuana in their motor home. Officers found the marijuana when they were called to a road rollover Wednesday, a statement said.

A man and woman from San Diego, California, were detained and are in the custody of federal prosecutors, the statement said. It said neither was seriously injured.

[BMW Kurt]

I am planning a trip all the way to Panama and plan on spending a lot of time in Mexico. From everything I 'v read Mexico and CA are a hell of a lot safer that Philadelphia or LA.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by BMW Kurt

I am planning a trip all the way to Panama and plan on spending a lot of time in Mexico. From everything I 'v read Mexico and CA are a hell of a lot safer that Philadelphia or LA.

I lived in Raleigh and Wilmington and worked in Durham.

I can tell you for a fact that 99% of Mexico is safer than 50% of Durham on a Saturday night.

[BMW Kurt]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

I lived in Raleigh and Wilmington and worked in Durham.

I can tell you for a fact that 99% of Mexico is safer than 50% of Durham on a Saturday night.

Yeah, my dad lives in Donna, TX and he and his wife get all their dental work done in Reynosa. Get a lot of their prescriptions there too. There are reports of violence there (just like there is anywhere else).

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by BMW Kurt

Yeah, my dad lives in Donna, TX and he and his wife get all their dental work done in Reynosa. Get a lot of their prescriptions there too. There are reports of violence there (just like there is anywhere else).

If they are going to Reynosa then they are one of the few gringos going there, which is a pity because Reynosa once had a prosperous tourist scene.

On the other hand, if they live in Donna then they are actually closer to Progreso, and that's tourist central. Progreso has been incredibly peaceful and supportive of the tourists.

[mark883]

Is Amish Country Safe thread NOW!

[TRAVELGUY]

+1

"Frankly, I have always worried more about what kind of diseases I could get from using a Pemex toilet than about getting into a violent situation".

I've only spent about 6 weeks riding in Mexico but 2 years plus total time in Central America. To me it's safer than Washingtom DC by far and most other places I've traveled in the USA. People ( and the police and military ) in Mexico and other Central American countries have always treated me with respect and courtiously. Only problems I've ever had in Central America were other gringos. Once in Monterrey I was lost for over a hour . Wanted to find a hotel.. Was my first solo trip and my Spanish was minimal and bad. Saw two young boys, riding a small moto, at a stop light and asked them for a hotel that would be good for a gringo. I could not understand their directions. They motioned for me to follow them. Two miles later thru the city they lead me into the parking lot of a large Best Western Hotel. I pulled into the parking lot and saw the guard would not let them in. I told him they were with me and I would not check in if he didn't let them into the lot, he let them in. I walked over to thank them and give them $5 each for there kindness. They would not accept the money.

Another time in Quat a farmer hauled me and my bike 26 miles out of his way to the Belize border ( I did not enjoy Belize because of rude locals )because my overloaded bike with street tires could not handle the 6" deep mud on the road. Hey jungles need water to grow.

This is typical of my experiences in Central America.

TravelGuy

Originally Posted by MikeMike

Pepper spray is a gray area. The "authorities" here deal with it on a case by case basis and if it has been used aggressively. The problem for foreigners is in the turn around of events that can happen when you defend yourself and then the attacker, with a crooked "abogangster" lawyer, smells a payout for everyone by claiming you used excessive force to defend yourself. Go figure. I have seen it happen here. There is a guy who posts on here who is a Mexican criminal lawyer, he will know exactly what I mean. The entire affair will rest upon just how corrupt the local Ministerio Publico is, and here in Veracruz they are so corrupt that if they ever change the locals will think of it on the same scale as waking up and finding 3 suns in the sky. I would recommend that if you want to carry it, get the kind that is a pump bottle and strip the label off and then if questioned tell them it is an insecticide. They will not want to touch it then. If you are carrying a can of something with a flash label it will draw attention.
The real problem is how you are going to spray it in someone's eyes while driving 100+mph running for the border!
Or how you are going to spray it in someone's eyes, then collect all your travel gear, get on your bike, and book on out of the situation. You better be pretty good with it because if you have misread the situation and used it aggressively someone is going to be real PO'd now. Frankly, I have always worried more about what kind of diseases I could get from using a Pemex toilet than about getting into a violent situation.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by TRAVELGUY

+1 Once in Monterrey I was lost for over a hour . Wanted to find a hotel.. Was my first solo trip and my Spanish was minimal and bad. Saw two young boys, riding a small moto, at a stop light and asked them for a hotel that would be good for a gringo. I could not understand their directions. They motioned for me to follow them. Two miles later thru the city they lead me into the parking lot of a large Best Western Hotel. I pulled into the parking lot and saw the guard would not let them in. I told him they were with me and I would not check in if he didn't let them into the lot, he let them in. I walked over to thank them and give them $5 each for there kindness. They would not accept the money. [/B]

I've told the story before and I guess it's worth repeating ...

There was (still is?) three Best Westerns in the Monterrey Hotel district.

Anyway, I couldn't find my place and I stopped two Transitos on motorcycles. We pulled over on the pedestrian "don't park here" area (wish that I could find that photo) and they called their dispatcher.

Next thing I know I am getting an escort, lights, sirens and all, down to the Best Western that I had a reservation at.

Everyone talks about what dicks the Transitos are and I have seen some evidence as to why that is true, but I will have to say that the motorcycle Transitos in several cities have always been very good to me.

[acejones]

We got the same kind of service in Zacatecas on one of our trips. We were in gridlocked traffic and a transito asked where we were trying to go. When we told him, he turned on his lights and motioned for us to follow. Worked great.

[ontheborder]

Shit man I didn't know. I'm not going to Amish country until they clean up their act..

Originally Posted by mark883

Is Amish Country Safe thread NOW!

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by ontheborder

Shit man I didn't know. I'm not going to Amish country until they clean up their act..

Dunno about the Amish, but Mexico has a fair Mennonite community. I have run into them a few times; a meeting with a really tall Mennonite dude in a pool hall in Alamos sticks in my mind.

Incidentally, do you guys know what it takes to satisfy a nympho Amish chick?

Three Mennonite, of course ...

[SchizzMan]

Came across this today and for some reason thought it might fit here:

"Remembering that you're going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose, you're already naked, there is no reason not to follow your heart." -Steve Jobs*

[SchizzMan]

Had a great time in Acuna this weekend. These two inmates made it a lot of fun.

[Blind Warrior]

I've been reading John Eisenhower's book about the US war with Mexico. He titled it after Porfirio Diaz's lament:

"Poor Mexico! So far from God and so close to the United States".

A good read.