Spanish taught in American schools is fairly close to the Spanish spoken in Mexico, but is actually Castilian Spanish from Spain. Mexicans typically speak with more vernacular (slang), they will understand you but you’ll sound really too formal and with a lisp! We had house guests, one from Bogota, Columbia where they speak the Castilian Spanish and one from Hermosillo, Mexico. Both were trying to help us with their language and we started putting little post it notes on things around the kitchen. Both had different words for the same item, but they both knew what the other was saying. The Columbian said the Mexican was speaking a type of Ebonics!
It's usually best to not understand spanish when talking to the police. It's a lot harder for them to shake you down for a bribe if you claim to not understand what they're saying. Unfortunately, a lot of them in Baja have at least some English skills. My brother's mostly college educated neighbors in Guadalajara always want to practice their English. Bro's Castilian Spanish is impeccable, but even after living there 6 years, he's still learning all the slang of the local construction workers he's hired.
I have used that successfully on the mainland. A reasonably entertaining gambit. Baja is Gringo Central. Every cop I have ‘met’ in Baja spoke English.
Ouch! Too bad you can’t put a car tire on your rig. I would think it would be much easier to deal than with moto related supplies. Which brings to question, do you have to go to La Paz for moto related products? I don’t remember much in the way around Mulege, but I know of guys up in San Iggy who are all about motos. Edison Romero for one, his family has the ice cream shop in the plaza. I know you expats have your sources, just throwing it out. I’ve been supporting Trophy Trucks for the last 25 years so my moto resources are not the best.
Usually LaPaz or Encinada,and it comes by bus.US for special stuff.We are lucky to have Daniel Buckovick in town for service.Baja 1000 vet,and good friend.He trailered me to his shop today for the repair.
You guys riding sidecar in mainland Mexico; do you have problems with topes and your subframe? My subframe is no more than 8 inches above the ground. Some of those topes are huge! BTW, using Pinsleur Spanish, I've gained enough language skill to travel solo in Latin America. There are others, but the totally verbal learning method has worked for me. Having some language skill enriches Latin America travel immensely.
Trying to imagine dangerous they would be on solo bike let alone a small wheeled scooter. They definitely would be effective at getting normal vehicles slowing down.
And then there are the ones that are just paint. Used to be at Punta Prieta there were "rummble" strips before fairly high tope. The closer you got to the tope the closer spaced the rumble strips were spaced. They were tall enough that the big trucks would go into the opposing lane to avoid them. Lat time through they had removed all of it and replaced it with just paint. There was another set of the rumble strips just south of there in the north bound lane before a sharp steep down hill turn.
There is a spot about 20 miles north of Mulege with just the paint.We never slow down,but I always have that split second thought"I hope they haven't put one in !!"
This brings two memories to mind. 1 Driving into the sunset in a Mazda E2000 tray top truck. Hit a Tope out of nowhere as the sun hid it till the last second. There was a bunch of crap on the dashboard that literally hit the roof. I was not a happy camper. 2 My 1st ride on my new to me XTZ660 Yamaha road tail. Pulled out of a car park to see a "Tope" in my way. Grinned and cracked the throttle open. Its nice to get some fresh air.
I rode down thru Baja on my BMW K1200rs last year. There was a couple of spots where the rumble strips caught me by surprise, when coming up to a corner a little hot. The rumble strips would cause the ABS on the bike to almost not wanting to brake. As they would bounce the wheel just enough to cause the ABS to release the brake, and the next bump would repeat the cycle. Pucker moment for sure.
As SB said, the metal turtles are really the worst - especially when there are like a half dozen rows instead of just two as pictured. I only saw those near border offices that I can recall, so not on the open road. I didn’t measure our clearance but I’m sure it was less than 8”, and a long wheelbase to boot, so I expect you’ll be fine. We scraped some bits going in and out of driveways and such but did ok with the topes - even the tall ones usually have large tops, so you’re not likely to high center. Our only oh-shit came just south of Mazatlan on a foggy morning with a bright sun coming through the haze - and me distracted talking to Mrs. Szurszewski about the conversation I’d just had with the federal police. Our ABS was dysfunctional at the time, and I saw the upcoming tope just early enough to not quite lock up both ends for a second or two before releasing the brakes to unload the suspension and sail over the “bump” - I think I took our speed from about 100kph to around 60 and we did ok, but I am 100% sure the dogs both bounced off the roof of the trailer
