Is Mexico Safe?

[CO/WV]

Originally Posted by BobLoblaw

I was going to ask you what the road was like from San Felipe to Coco's corner but I'm guessing you probably don't remember

I do remember....... it is paved south of Puertocetous now.......... with the throbbing head was a welcome site
the road is paved nearly to Gonzaga Bay. We spent the night there.
The next day was to Coco's..... road was is good condition........ we meet a girl who took her honda civic on it.

No big areas of sand or silt

[Turkeycreek]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

Bob, I would guess that Coco is getting up there. Any updates?

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=841618 is a report on Coco and the road from San Felipe from last week

[operaflute]

How seriously should one heed the "don't drink the water" admonishments? If so, do you buy bottled to refill your on-board supply?

[Turkeycreek]

Bottled water is a good idea. You can bring a Katadyn filter or an ultra violet sterilizer like the Steripen if you want. Bottled water is available at all the small stores and gas stations but it can be a bit pricey for the brand names that are shipped in. We don't provide plastic bottles anymore because there is no viable plastic recycling plan here. Instead, we use 5 gal. bottles from the local water purification plant. We provide guests with carafes of water. I brush my teeth with tap water and drink it sometimes without problems. My advice is to start eating yogurt daily and your intestinal flora and fauna will be up to the task of protecting you form any bad effects. If you eat salad, it will have been washed in tap water.

Oh, and throw some immodium in your tank bag just in case

[Snownut]

Originally Posted by Turkeycreek

Oh, and throw some immodium in your tank bag just in case

I always have Imodium with me when traveling.. Also my doc has no qualms about writing preventative prescriptions for Cipro, Zofran, and Lomatil anytime I go out of the country or for a trip south of the border.. I agree that Yogurt Culture and Pro-Biotics are also a great way to help deal with non familiar foods (or sometimes questionable food).

[kaotickustomz]

Let me start off by saying my wife and her whole family is from Mexico, I'm a white guy from Detroit. We have been to various parts of Mexico many many times over the years. Her uncle is a border patrol agent in El Paso and while id love to go back to Mexico we have been told by her whole family, some still live in different parts of Mexico NOT to go it is not safe. I will agree that there are safe areas and unsafe areas just like Detroit, but when the people who live there and care about you are telling you not to go it will definitely make us second guess it. For the record I would advise anyone to vacation in Detroit without doing some homework either and I love my city but you have to know when enough is enough and pull the plug on visiting. Just my own personal experience and opinion, take it for what its worth.

[tricepilot]

Fruit of the Agave cures all water issues

[Turkeycreek]

Originally Posted by kaotickustomz

Let me start off by saying my wife and her whole family is from Mexico, I'm a white guy from Detroit. We have been to various parts of Mexico many many times over the years. Her uncle is a border patrol agent in El Paso and while id love to go back to Mexico we have been told by her whole family, some still live in different parts of Mexico NOT to go it is not safe. I will agree that there are safe areas and unsafe areas just like Detroit, but when the people who live there and care about you are telling you not to go it will definitely make us second guess it. For the record I would advise anyone to vacation in Detroit without doing some homework either and I love my city but you have to know when enough is enough and pull the plug on visiting. Just my own personal experience and opinion, take it for what its worth.

Kao, over 20 million tourists visit Mexico each year and come home safe. Some drown, some die in traffic accidents or have heart attacks. Some are murdered by family members. But I can count on 1 hand the number of American tourists murdered in Mexico in the last 3 years. There have been Americans killed in the border towns but they were not tourists, they were involved in illegal activity. Being a border agent in El Paso will expose one to the worst elements and skew perceptions. I have lived in Mexico for 5 years. I don't live in the city, I don't live a secure gated community either. Our doors are open from 7 am to 9 pm and on fiesta nights well past midnight. No fear.

If you are that afraid, then don't come. A little fear can be good to keep one on their toes but people paralyzed by fear are a danger to themselves and to others. So if that's you, don't come. On the other hand, if you know yourself and you know how to be aware of your surroundings and pay attention then come down and ride. You will not regret it.

Saludos

[Craneguy]

Well said Mr. Turkeycreek!

Felt like pushing water uphill when trying to convince people to visit, so I stopped. I prefer helping and talking people who already made the decision to come.

Much like the "British Hooligan" stereotype prevented people screwing with me in the 90's when I traveled, I love telling people I chose to move to Mexico. They treat me like some kind of lunatic/hero. It's a good conversation piece if nothing else ;)

[Snownut]

Originally Posted by Turkeycreek

Kao, over 20 million tourists visit Mexico each year and come home safe. Some drown, some die in traffic accidents or have heart attacks. Some are murdered by family members. But I can count on 1 hand the number of American tourists murdered in Mexico in the last 3 years. There have been Americans killed in the border towns but they were not tourists, they were involved in illegal activity. Being a border agent in El Paso will expose one to the worst elements and skew perceptions. I have lived in Mexico for 5 years. I don't live in the city, I don't live a secure gated community either. Our doors are open from 7 am to 9 pm and on fiesta nights well past midnight. No fear.

If you are that afraid, then don't come. A little fear can be good to keep one on their toes but people paralyzed by fear are a danger to themselves and to others. So if that's you, don't come. On the other hand, if you know yourself and you know how to be aware of your surroundings and pay attention then come down and ride. You will not regret it.

Saludos

Turkeycreek, I think you hit the nail on the head.. We should always be aware of our surroundings and paying attention wherever we ride. I have a friend in Florida who thinks I'm nuts for wanting to ride into Mexico and has even sent me government warnings.. I in turn found the Canadian warning for her state or residence (below). Fact of the matter is its a dangerous world, we can either stay home and believe we are safe or explore what the world has to offer and try to be smart about it. I would rather die at 46 having seen most of the world than die at 80 having stayed home and playing it safe..

Current Canadian warning for Florida..

3. SAFETY AND SECURITY

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety. The purpose of this Travel Report is to provide Canadians with up-to-date information to enable them to make well-informed decisions.

Street crime can spill over into commercial, hotel, and entertainment areas. Riots, though rare, occasionally occur; these are usually confined to the poorer districts of major cities, but the violence can spread to central commercial and hotel areas. Full cooperation is recommended when stopped by police.

Violent crime remains a serious concern in Florida. Criminals have demonstrated that they will use violence with little or no provocation. Many attacks have occurred in the Miami area, and others have taken place on rural roads and at interstate highway rest areas. Some rest areas have dusk-to-dawn security on site (which is indicated on the highway sign). Proceed cautiously when exiting a freeway (including Interstate 95) into large urban centres, especially after dusk. Theft has increased, particularly from trunks of parked cars in the North Miami Beach area, South Beach and at airports. Be alert, as criminals use a variety of techniques to steal personal belongings.

Passport theft is on the rise in the United States. Travellers should ensure that their travel documents are secure at all time

[Turkeycreek]

Craneguy, I guess we should seek professional help since we obviously have a death wish. But unlike you, I don't have the luxury to give up trying to convince gringos to come since I run a hotel and a motorcycle tour company. So I answer people's questions, publish up-to-date info on our website and rely on review sites and word of mouth. It seems that the gullible, believe anything on the TeeVee types are not the people I want to come and visit. Open minded people, those skeptical of the mass media/mass hysteria are the folks we want here. They are willing to learn about other cultures and are respectful of the locals. So I work on the fence sitters, those who have the feeling that it can't be as bad as the press makes it out to be or there would be 10s of thousands of Mexican at the border screaming for asylum every day.

I tell people that the schools are open, moms walk the little ones to kindergarten each morning, the water system works, the trash gets picked up and the streets swept day in and day out. Parades and fiestas, weddings and quinceañeras happen. And every three years, there is an election and the people line up to vote. These things don't happen in a failed state. These things don't happen in a place of unrelenting violence and death. These things happen in a normal place where normal people live their lives in safety, enjoying their families and their community. That's why I'm here.

And Snownut. Thanks for the Canadian government warning. Any thing on Phoenix?

[Snownut]

Originally Posted by Turkeycreek

And Snownut. Thanks for the Canadian government warning. Any thing on Phoenix?

Only thing that comes up with a search on their site about Arizona is "retirement abroad" info.. Should that be a warning?

[Turkeycreek]

Originally Posted by Snownut

Only thing that comes up with a search on their site about Arizona is "retirement abroad" info.. Should that be a warning?

Let's hope not. I'm a bit older than your 46 years and retirees do come down so I'll not offend them needlessly .

[kaotickustomz]

Originally Posted by Turkeycreek

Kao, over 20 million tourists visit Mexico each year and come home safe. Some drown, some die in traffic accidents or have heart attacks. Some are murdered by family members. But I can count on 1 hand the number of American tourists murdered in Mexico in the last 3 years. There have been Americans killed in the border towns but they were not tourists, they were involved in illegal activity. Being a border agent in El Paso will expose one to the worst elements and skew perceptions. I have lived in Mexico for 5 years. I don't live in the city, I don't live a secure gated community either. Our doors are open from 7 am to 9 pm and on fiesta nights well past midnight. No fear.

If you are that afraid, then don't come. A little fear can be good to keep one on their toes but people paralyzed by fear are a danger to themselves and to others. So if that's you, don't come. On the other hand, if you know yourself and you know how to be aware of your surroundings and pay attention then come down and ride. You will not regret it.

Saludos

HAHAHAHA afraid huh, obviously you've never been to the city I live, Detroit. It is easily one of the most violent cities in America where murders, drug dealers and drug addicts run rampant. I've been shot at, had guns pulled on me and witnessed dead bodies in abandon houses, none of which happened in Mexico. Yet I love it here much like you love Mexico. I'm sure I can find statistics on how many people come here and leave without incident too. I loved visiting Mexico every time I went, only had 1 bad incident which wouldn't stop me from going again. Like I said I was just sharing what I was told by family members who both live there and work a long the border. Wasn't looking for an argument. There are bad parts and good arts no matter where you visit.

[Turkeycreek]

Originally Posted by kaotickustomz

HAHAHAHA afraid huh, obviously you've never been to the city I live, Detroit.

Yes, I did my time collecting FF miles in and out of Detroit Metro and spending time in the lovely bombed out downtown. I did always like Greektown at lunchtime. Actually, my job was to help move the company out of downtown to Southfield.

I'm not picking a fight either but putting info out there for the onlookers and innocent bystanders who will make their own decisions. So time to plan an escape from the Snow Belt/Rust Belt and head south.