Donnie. Jeebus. All I can say is that you are truly one of a kind, bro. Two thoughts. Where are the pics of the pretty doc? And , yeah. People usually clap and cheer when I leave a place, too. Keep living large but, by all means , keep living.
I still dnt get why a foreigner would call someone pendejo in their own country and a potentially tricky situation, but thats just me.... Question: In a roadblock situation, is it ok to split lanes and pull to the front? D
I never EVER queue up with cages down there. And no one seems to expect bikes to. Right or wrong I would've run my bike to the front of the queue in Donnie's situation. But my Peruvian friend made a good point this morning about anti-American sentiment in certain regions and the risks associated with such an approach.
DK, riding to the front of a road block is not the problem, the problem starts when they are put into a position to have to deny you passage. I've seen roadblocks you cannot even walk through. Listening patiently to the man in charge and discreetly asking for a detour re-routing will usually get you out of things and on your way in some way or another. Hell, about 99% of the time I agree with the protesters! Unless it is some union against union BS, it is usually for a just cause. Purposely trying to run one is a major mistake, there will almost always be an alternate but much longer route. Donnie's situation cannot be second guessed. Everyone reacts differently and processes things differently, these things are very fluid and the militancy often has an ebb and flow. Physical violence is not the norm, often even the federales simply stand by until a poltico or one of their minions sorts things out. Trying to run one is an open challenge, don't do it. If you have slipped through by mistake, keep on riding unless they start to chase you in a vehicle. That is the only thing I would have done differently but I was not there, so it is a moot point here. A roadblock is a sign of a serious underlying situation and locals take it seriously. If there is no alternate route, backtrack or find some shade, you'll be there awhile.
If you ever encounter one of these civil disturbances, do not give in to the temptation to take a few photos. Don't ask me how I know... Also, when in a situation like this, deescalation is, in my opinion, the best way forward. It is easy to be critical in hindsight, but calling someone a pendejo, absent humor, is not likely to deescalate. I believe it is better to speak softly, politely, but firmly. However, every cripple has his own way of walking.
Don't want to get all CSM over this but there are areas of Oaxaca and Chiapas where certain types of people keep the locals all stirred up about the gov't and anti-Americanism is a central theme. When PRD presidential candidate Obrador lost his bid 7 years ago my older daughter's travel group got a taste of this. The tires on their vehicles were all punctured (not slashed) in retaliation for the American-backed PAN candidate winning the election. Basically they were being told to leave the Oaxaca area. They plugged the tires and beat it out of there. There's a long history of this kind of thing in certain areas. Once again the issue here is not politics but travel safety.
I should have put American-backed in quotes as this was the perception of many as opposed to a position of the American gov't.
They do not need to be educated, elites, or have read the same books, to be human. By being the aggressive alpha male in an unknown social group you may very well bluff your way through some of the time. But it is also quite likely to piss off another alpha who may feel that physical confrontation is the only resort. Your actions may have worked for you in this particular circumstance, but I think it is piss poor risk management for the majority of situations. 50% of the time betting your net worth on black at the roulette table is a good thing to do, but it is still not a smart thing to do when the outcome is unknown. Being El Jefe at work and demanding respect is a very different social environment to the one you encountered. But I'm glad you were able to defuse the situation, and I'm sorry for the late night get off. <comment about riding at night in Mexico deleted>
I still think this would have made more sense. There would have been no confrontation, no "temporary hold", no accident, and no visit to a hospital, and Donnie would have been on his way. But everyone has their own style, however I'll advised.
"As I've grown older I've realized that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake." --unknown
Once I hit around age fifty I calmed down a lot. Instead of ranting and raving and trying to get my way, I started taking the path of least resistance. My mother and my wife said I matured. I think I finally realized that people weren't going to do things my way, but it no longer mattered. I just quit giving a shit. I also decided that if I had to take a different route I might see something different and that might be good too. I'm now sixty five and a bit more mellow.
uh-oh, somebody cut somebody off to be first at the caseta de cobro.... Look closely for the pink mist
I'll second that... Some pals in Phoenix and myself have been talking about a Baja trip next summer. Probably all the way down to Lands End. One of these pals of mine works for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Dept. they say that they have "intelligence" information that there are cartel members who are setting up road blocks down there, posing as law enforcement, and executing any US LEO's, there is apparently a bounty. My friend isn't one to tell stories, and he swears that the "intel" is legit. He is now refusing to be a part of this trip. He is a pretty key member of the group, and we really want him along. I have vacationed in MX probably 20-30 times in my life, but I've never done a trip like this. Have you guys seen much activity from the cartels when riding Baja? It seems like so many of you guys do this, I can't see it being all that dangerous. Maybe I am just being naive. I haven't read through all of this thread, just the last 6 pages or so. My apologies if this was covered elsewhere. Thanks in advance gentlemen!
Make the trip. Just be polite and mind your manners and you will do fine, and you will also have fun.
