Is Mexico Safe?

[SR]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

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That is cool, what program did you make that image in?

[tricepilot]

Seen at Tia Chona:

[SR]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

Seen at Tia Chona:

Awesome! Thanks, I just saved the image. Tia Chona, Vamos!!

[acejones]

Dude's got some moves !

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Originally Posted by Tommy.flynn

I am planning a trip from Atlanta to Costa Rica ..... Google Maps gives me directions .....

Also, the travel report for US tourists has a lot of "red lights" for people driving through many parts of Mexico (as in, they say not to do it). Is that overcautious mumbo-jumbo or are there really some ports/states/cities/towns/roads that I should completely avoid?

Thanks!

I say ditch the google maps method where they TELL YOU where to go . get a decent road atlas like Guia Roji and ITMB maps for Central America and just connect the roads that fulfill your requirements and look interesting . There is no reason to stick to exclusively heavily travelled federal highways or toll roads
Having just completed a wandering tour around north and central Mexico using that approach , my usual method , again provided a very interesting ride even if it did involve an interesting encounter with a "vigilancia".
As for "red light " areas, just keep your ears tuned for any news items on security related nature of the region you are in or will be in and adjust travel if you think it might be prudent. These sort of things flare up and disappear but really should not warrant a blanket full time "avoid " rating for an area.
I left Mexico by way of Miguel Aleman and found everything quite calm, with an army presence to keep it so.
At the end of my trip I got off Interstate 75 onto Fort Street in south Detroit for a snack at a KFC/TacoBell . The place would probably rate a "red light "warning considering the entire dining area was blocked off from the kitchen area by thick plexiglass and the food and money were moved through heavy plexiglass tra nsfer ports.
I have NEVER seen that kind of "danger zone" in Mexico

[jimmex]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

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I'd say Mexico gets really dangerous at the bottom center of this image.

[tricepilot]

+1

[mark883]

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

At the end of my trip I got off Interstate 75 onto Fort Street in south Detroit for a snack at a KFC/TacoBell . The place would probably rate a "red light "warning considering the entire dining area was blocked off from the kitchen area by thick plexiglass and the food and money were moved through heavy plexiglass tra nsfer ports.
I have NEVER seen that kind of "danger zone" in Mexico

Detroit? YOU'RE NUTS!

You're invited to stop by my corner of NW Ohio sometime. I'm not too far from 75.

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by jimmex

I'd say Mexico gets really dangerous at the bottom center of this image.

¿la biosfera?

[Bato]

[MikeMike]

Aha! So that IS Josefina in the picture!
Hey, it could be worse. It could be Elba Esther Gordillo! No? Ok, it could have been Lyn May or maybe La Tigressa.
That would make the thing by my boot in the other picture good looking by comparison.

[TRIZUM]

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

At the end of my trip I got off Interstate 75 onto Fort Street in south Detroit for a snack at a KFC/TacoBell . The place would probably rate a "red light "warning considering the entire dining area was blocked off from the kitchen area by thick plexiglass and the food and money were moved through heavy plexiglass tra nsfer ports.
I have NEVER seen that kind of "danger zone" in Mexico

Shoot, you weren't even in a bad part of town! What a shithole.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

As for "red light " areas, just keep your ears tuned for any news items on security related nature of the region you are in or will be in and adjust travel if you think it might be prudent. These sort of things flare up and disappear but really should not warrant a blanket full time "avoid " rating for an area.

Well worth quoting for anyone considering riding en Mexico. At this time I can't think of anywhere other than some very, very rural places miles from paved roads that are being held by any of the bad guys. You would have to be majorly unlucky to ride into an ambush or robbery during the day.

If something is going on the locals will tell you. And we are seeing more and more touring Mexican motorcyclists - ask them.



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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.304314,-98.982945

[SR]

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

I left Mexico by way of Miguel Aleman and found everything quite calm, with an army presence to keep it so.

Sjoerd, your trip is done? Any plans to go back soon?

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by Bato

No doubt he's reading the latest updates to this thread