Is Mexico Safe? - Page 787

kobukan · 12-11-2012, 09:03 AM

Thanks for all the replies!

I'm very familiar with Skype - kept in touch with my daughter when she was traveling in China a couple years ago using Skype - it's awesome. I travel with a netbook - I'm not concerned about the times when wifi is available. Fact is, when I'm somewhere where wifi is available I usually feel like I'm too close to civilization. Often wifi is not available so Skype isn't the solution, and a cell phone isn't going to work where there's no service - that's my problem. Many of the best places don't have wifi or cell service. It might be nice to just relax for a few days on an off the beaten path beach in Baja somewhere - no cell, no wifi. I'm not really concerned about a phone in case of crash - it would be nice, but I'd be using the SPOT in that case anyway. My concern is someone could be dead and buried back home before I even know anything happened.

tricepilot · 12-11-2012, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kobukan

My concern is someone could be dead and buried back home before I even know anything happened.

According to the Mayans, you have absolutely nothing to worry about

kobukan · 12-11-2012, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tricepilot

According to the Mayans, you have absolutely nothing to worry about

When did you talk to them?

Craneguy · 12-11-2012, 09:55 AM

There's been a big explosion at a Pemex gas plant in Reynosa. Maybe 50 dead or injured.

The explosion is 1:10 in...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=361_1355207965&p=1

tricepilot · 12-11-2012, 10:18 AM

That is terrifying surveillance video footage

If you click on it, you will be watching several of the workers mentioned meet their end

mark883 · 12-11-2012, 10:31 AM

I've been very happy with my pay as you go US AT&T cellphone.

They have a VERY reasonable roam rate (25c / min last year) on Telcel, the biggest Mexico carrier, and you keep your local US phone #. The coverage was very good. Remember, its easier for Carlos Slim to deploy wireless than Telmex wires- so you get good reception, even in places like Real de Catorce.

So I'd fill it up with $25 or so, and be good for just about anywhere in Mexico. You can recharge it with a credit card thru their website.

Once you're in Mexico, it dialed like a Mexican phone, so you need to dial the US access code.

For those of us that remember dialing the US (collect) from a pay phone with an operator, times have certainly changed. And life is much cheaper now.

With any phone down there, be ABSOLUTELY sure you understand your roaming and DATA ROAMING expenses and procedures. BMW would be proud of what the carriers charge for roaming in Mexico.

With pay as you go, there is at least a limit to one's stupidity, unless you're dumb enough to recharge the phone.

CptImagine · 12-11-2012, 10:58 AM

This'll be my third winter in Mexico on a 93 GS/PD . Last year 12 states in Mx and 43 in US 27.5K . Yes amigo Mexico is safe . Clear the border zone, ASAP, get into the mountains . Be aware of what your doing and your surroundings, just like in the USA . Gas on main highways is about every 60 miles, it gets sketchy on dirt or secondary roads . Be respectful, you're in Mexico, speak Spanish . If you think you know enough Spanish, take a course . That'll work til the fantastic dirt roads in Oaxaca/Chiapas where native indio is spoken . Go to San Cristobal, Palenque "Jungle Palace", and the swimming holes up in there . Follow Mexican Pro soccer and know something about it . Get a haircut, the barber shops are "man" central . Go to local, baseball, soccer games, the tacos are killer and the entertainment is memorable . Ride the mountains as fast as you feel comforatable, remember however, your approaching the 3rd world . Some places, there's very little room for error . Be prepared for anyhing . Like a main hiway on a mountain so steep, you're directed with painted arrows . To cross the center line, approaching a switchback, and proceed in the wrong lane til thru that switchback . Then back across til the next switchback . 4 or 5 times on one mountain in perticular . Find a place to stay in daylight, then get dressed in something other than riding gear . Eat where the locals eat and don't act like you don't belong . You'll find peoples from around the planet, because of HYPE, also fortunatly . Not a lotta USA citizens . Ohhh and drink bottled water . Buen viaje

StmbtDave · 12-11-2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SchizzMan

Road signs are a great way to pick up a little Spanish lingo. "Grava Suelta" means "loose gravel".

I just came back from my first bike trip into Mex - Puerto Panasco. I understand very little spanish so it was a real interesting. As far as learning from the road signs, I think ALTO must mean MAYBE or KEEP GOING. Riding in Mex is real adventure riding.

Dave

PirateJohn · 12-11-2012, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StmbtDave

I just came back from my first bike trip into Mex - Puerto Panasco. I understand very little spanish so it was a real interesting. As far as learning from the road signs, I think ALTO must mean MAYBE or KEEP GOING. Riding in Mex is real adventure riding.

Dave

It means Stop but that's mostly a suggestion. However, if you don't stop and you cause an accident, then you are at fault.

That, and if the friendly local Transito sees you run a stop sign and realizes that you have US plates there is a fair chance that they will question you to see if you understand the subtleties of Napoleonic Law.

ben2go · 12-11-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craneguy

There's been a big explosion at a Pemex gas plant in Reynosa. Maybe 50 dead or injured.

The explosion is 1:10 in...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=361_1355207965&p=1

Ghad damn!That was fast and violent.Never seen an explosion like that.The one worker at the end was on the ground crawling for his life.That's some scary ass shit.

deepcdiver · 12-11-2012, 01:29 PM

I think he was past crawling for his life, I think he was dying of his burns. That fire totally engulfed him, and he breathed super heated gases as well as receiving burns. I believe that is why the video stopped at that point, I think got more gruesome not that he would have died quickly, but I doubt he survived. Play it back and you will understand I think. My 2 cents as an FF, I'm just sayin...one moment hum-dee-dum life at it's most mundane, next a horrible painful tragedy. Shitty way to go.

Süsser Tod · 12-11-2012, 03:00 PM

Another video of the explosion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOW6ntyccaQ

MikeMike · 12-12-2012, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CptImagine

...Mexico on a 93 GS/PD .

If you want to store it here in Mexico and make sure it is ridden regularly and well maintained, I would be more than happy to help you out.

Craneguy · 12-12-2012, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeMike

If you want to store it here in Mexico and make sure it is ridden regularly and well maintained, I would be more than happy to help you out.

Get in there my son! Who knows, maybe he'll leave waterproofs in the luggage too!

CptImagine · 12-12-2012, 06:13 AM

My favorite Mexican road sign . En inglese "Winding Road" . Down there, It means it .

12-11-2012, 09:03 AM	#11791
kobukan almost gnarly Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Saco ME Oddometer: 1,484	Thanks for all the replies! I'm very familiar with Skype - kept in touch with my daughter when she was traveling in China a couple years ago using Skype - it's awesome. I travel with a netbook - I'm not concerned about the times when wifi is available. Fact is, when I'm somewhere where wifi is available I usually feel like I'm too close to civilization. Often wifi is not available so Skype isn't the solution, and a cell phone isn't going to work where there's no service - that's my problem. Many of the best places don't have wifi or cell service. It might be nice to just relax for a few days on an off the beaten path beach in Baja somewhere - no cell, no wifi. I'm not really concerned about a phone in case of crash - it would be nice, but I'd be using the SPOT in that case anyway. My concern is someone could be dead and buried back home before I even know anything happened. __________________ '97 R1100GS, '99 DR350, '02 DR650, '03 DR650, '04 R1150RT A Few Days Solo to Copper Canyon A Maine Rider’s Arizona Day Trips A Few Days Solo in Baja

12-11-2012, 09:55 AM	#11794
Craneguy British Hooligan Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Muscat, Oman Oddometer: 907	There's been a big explosion at a Pemex gas plant in Reynosa. Maybe 50 dead or injured. The explosion is 1:10 in... http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=361_1355207965&p=1 __________________ *“The problem with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and putting things in it.”*

12-11-2012, 10:18 AM	#11795
tricepilot El Gran Payaso Joined: Apr 2006 Location: San Antonio Oddometer: 6,077	That is terrifying surveillance video footage If you click on it, you will be watching several of the workers mentioned meet their end __________________ Oaxaca The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Into the Blue at Quintana Roo Vaquero On Mexican Time Copper Canyon and Batopilas

12-11-2012, 10:58 AM	#11797
CptImagine NCC-1701-B Joined: Oct 2010 Location: Pa. thru Mexico Oddometer: 24	Leaving Pa in a couple weeks This'll be my third winter in Mexico on a 93 GS/PD . Last year 12 states in Mx and 43 in US 27.5K . Yes amigo Mexico is safe . Clear the border zone, ASAP, get into the mountains . Be aware of what your doing and your surroundings, just like in the USA . Gas on main highways is about every 60 miles, it gets sketchy on dirt or secondary roads . Be respectful, you're in Mexico, speak Spanish . If you think you know enough Spanish, take a course . That'll work til the fantastic dirt roads in Oaxaca/Chiapas where native indio is spoken . Go to San Cristobal, Palenque "Jungle Palace", and the swimming holes up in there . Follow Mexican Pro soccer and know something about it . Get a haircut, the barber shops are "man" central . Go to local, baseball, soccer games, the tacos are killer and the entertainment is memorable . Ride the mountains as fast as you feel comforatable, remember however, your approaching the 3rd world . Some places, there's very little room for error . Be prepared for anyhing . Like a main hiway on a mountain so steep, you're directed with painted arrows . To cross the center line, approaching a switchback, and proceed in the wrong lane til thru that switchback . Then back across til the next switchback . 4 or 5 times on one mountain in perticular . Find a place to stay in daylight, then get dressed in something other than riding gear . Eat where the locals eat and don't act like you don't belong . You'll find peoples from around the planet, because of HYPE, also fortunatly . Not a lotta USA citizens . Ohhh and drink bottled water . Buen viaje

12-11-2012, 01:29 PM	#11801
deepcdiver Nobody Special Joined: Jan 2004 Location: Oaktown Oddometer: 759	Crawling... I think he was past crawling for his life, I think he was dying of his burns. That fire totally engulfed him, and he breathed super heated gases as well as receiving burns. I believe that is why the video stopped at that point, I think got more gruesome not that he would have died quickly, but I doubt he survived. Play it back and you will understand I think. My 2 cents as an FF, I'm just sayin...one moment hum-dee-dum life at it's most mundane, next a horrible painful tragedy. Shitty way to go. __________________ Pain is just weakness leaving your body deepcdiver screwed with this post 12-12-2012 at 12:55 AM

12-11-2012, 10:31 AM	#11796
mark883 Holding up Michoagán Joined: Feb 2007 Location: Buckeyeland Oddometer: 1,403	I've been very happy with my pay as you go US AT&T cellphone. They have a VERY reasonable roam rate (25c / min last year) on Telcel, the biggest Mexico carrier, and you keep your local US phone #. The coverage was very good. Remember, its easier for Carlos Slim to deploy wireless than Telmex wires- so you get good reception, even in places like Real de Catorce. So I'd fill it up with $25 or so, and be good for just about anywhere in Mexico. You can recharge it with a credit card thru their website. Once you're in Mexico, it dialed like a Mexican phone, so you need to dial the US access code. For those of us that remember dialing the US (collect) from a pay phone with an operator, times have certainly changed. And life is much cheaper now. With any phone down there, be ABSOLUTELY sure you understand your roaming and DATA ROAMING expenses and procedures. BMW would be proud of what the carriers charge for roaming in Mexico. With pay as you go, there is at least a limit to one's stupidity, unless you're dumb enough to recharge the phone.

12-11-2012, 03:00 PM	#11802
Süsser Tod Studly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2010 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Oddometer: 576	Another video of the explosion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOW6ntyccaQ

12-12-2012, 06:13 AM	#11805
CptImagine NCC-1701-B Joined: Oct 2010 Location: Pa. thru Mexico Oddometer: 24	Carraterra Sinuoso My favorite Mexican road sign . En inglese "Winding Road" . Down there, It means it .

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