Is Mexico Safe?

[xymotic]

The best part about the quote to carry is "know your surroundings"


How do you say "we're not in Kansas anymore" in Spanish?

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by xymotic

And those nice and polite Army kids actually do look for them as well, and I'm betting the get a lot less polite when the Machine guns stop pointing at the ground.

That strikes me as being a VERY accurate comment.

When in the Southeastern US I carried a legal pistol in the tankbag or luggage, as appropriate.

Down here I don't carry because I never know when I might want to take an impromptu trip across the border.

Guns (or ammunition for that matter) in Mexico is a real recipe for trouble.

[T.REX63]

Originally Posted by xymotic

The best part about the quote to carry is "know your surroundings"


How do you say "we're not in Kansas anymore" in Spanish?

"Ya no estamos en Kansas..."

[G-Tex]

This is quite a powder keg of a thread...

My personal experience has been that I have only had a couple times in Mexico where I was off of the bike and felt uneasy. I have ridden through CJ going to Copper Canyon, TJ to get to Baja and Laredo to get to Galeana. I have also passed through Presidio/Ojinaga, but that doesn't even register on a danger scale...basically, as I found out on my last ride through TJ, anything can happen and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it...

I was in Tijuana and it was THE TRAFFIC, not the narcos that were the problem.

From Change of Plans '09: Cabo Edition

"Guy
Street
Dead

Basically, I was riding the Border Fence road in the right lane about 3 car lengths behind a car. In the left lane, slightly ahead of the car in front of me was a large van. The van passed a pedestrian who was in the median of the highway. All of a sudden, the guy darted out in an effort to cross to the other side of the road. The car in front of me slowed slightly, but hit and ran over the pedestrian. I had to swerve drastically in order to move around the downed man. The car in front of me hauled-ass and I was left with a choice...

Do I try to track this guy's license plate down and get involved with the police, or do I try to help the man lying in the street? Ultimately, I was so shaken up that I really couldn't ride for a couple minutes. I stopped and headed back towards the scene.

The man was a panhandler who was just trying to make it across the street to work that side. When I walked up on the scene, he was surrounded by other panhandlers who were crying and generally freaking out. I felt very sad about the whole situation, but there was literally NOTHING that I could do at that point, so I loaded back up and made it to the Bank near the Playa that I mentioned earlier..."

My point...
1) You are on a motorcycle in a foreign country...nobody knows who you are, where you are going, what you have in your 401k, or any other thing about you...unless you open yourself up...
2) Although it has its fair share of nasty folks, Mexico is not filled with people out to get tourists.
3) Activities like foreign travel and motorcycling have associated risks, risks that are often distilled out of the ride reports for the sake of readability.
4) More or less, anything can happen at any time...
5) Be prepared to react to the situation on your own.

Hijack Over...Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride.

[Arte]

Originally Posted by G-Tex

This is quite a powder keg of a thread...

My point...
1) You are on a motorcycle in a foreign country...nobody knows who you are, where you are going, what you have in your 401k, or any other thing about you...unless you open yourself up...
2) Although it has its fair share of nasty folks, Mexico is not filled with people out to get tourists.
3) Activities like foreign travel and motorcycling have associated risks, risks that are often distilled out of the ride reports for the sake of readability.
4) More or less, anything can happen at any time...
5) Be prepared to react to the situation on your own.

Hijack Over...Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride.

thank you! wise words.

now lets all ride to Mexico !!

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by Arte

thank you! wise words.

now lets all ride to Mexico !!

A-men!

Arte, as a point of education - doesn't stopping to help an accident victim potentially subject a foreign tourist to being held as a material witness? I've heard that - although they say that the food is usually good at the jailer's house.

Any truth to that story?

Here in the States many places have Good Samaritan Laws. We can potentially be arrested if we don't stop to help. I don't know about the specifics of Texas, however.

[G-Tex]

Pirate John-

Make no mistake...I did not stop to help or render aid...I was so shaken that I couldn't go further and I was naturally curious about the situation...

Texas does not have a good Samaritan law similar to the type you talk about...we have a law that actually protects people when they do render aid to someone.

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

A-men!

Arte, as a point of education - doesn't stopping to help an accident victim potentially subject a foreign tourist to being held as a material witness? I've heard that - although they say that the food is usually good at the jailer's house.

Any truth to that story?

Here in the States many places have Good Samaritan Laws. We can potentially be arrested if we don't stop to help. I don't know about the specifics of Texas, however.

[FotoTEX]

My answer would be NO it is not safe. But where is? The Border towns are bad, get inland and you meet the great folks who live there. With so much great riding here, I feel no need to ride there. Others love it. Each to his own.

[Arte]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

A-men!

Arte, as a point of education - doesn't stopping to help an accident victim potentially subject a foreign tourist to being held as a material witness? I've heard that - although they say that the food is usually good at the jailer's house.

Any truth to that story?

Here in the States many places have Good Samaritan Laws. We can potentially be arrested if we don't stop to help. I don't know about the specifics of Texas, however.

As far as I know, in Mexico there is not a law that allows the police to arrest someone that did not stop to provide help on a traffic accident.

if you actually stop to help, you will be asked if you saw what happened, if so, then you might be required as a witness. but would apply for anyone, not only foreingers.

[Kiko]

Twice I have come upon an accident with an injured motorcyclist in Guadalajara and each time I was with a Mexican national who told me to do nothing in regards to administrating first aid. We did block the roadway. I don't know the law but everyone else just waited for the police and ambulance to arrive. Fortunately each time the injuries were not life threatening.

Once I crashed on the carretera and was unconscious, a Mexican in a pick up behind me stopped his truck to block oncoming traffic with his lights flashing and he assisted in dragging me out of the roadway so I would not get hit again. Then after the police arrived. he loaded up my bike and drove me into town rather than wait for an ambulance. I was out for about 20 minutes or so but this is what was told to me later. Gotta love that Shoei casco.

[tricepilot]

Warning: Mexico may be the only safe haven left!

It may become overcrowded with gringos fleeing south...get there while you still can...

Three Americans Kidnapped

[nyc rugby]

I hope so, I just quit work today and plan on hitting Mexico in a couple of months after wrapping up some loose ends here and working my way to the border.

[bananaman]

Originally Posted by varna2win

The beauty of ADV rider is if you make one comment in here everybody jumps on your ass. Maybe just maybe I don't know shit. One thing is for sure I'm not some candyass that rides a GS & drinks coffee at Starbucks. The Starbucks comment really pissed me off.

I am. I mean, I luv starbucks, and I ride a GS.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by nyc rugby

I hope so, I just quit work today and plan on hitting Mexico in a couple of months after wrapping up some loose ends here and working my way to the border.

If you come through Reynosa then let me know. Imagine the Underground Railroad, only this time for gringos fleeing the states.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by Arte

As far as I know, in Mexico there is not a law that allows the police to arrest someone that did not stop to provide help on a traffic accident.

if you actually stop to help, you will be asked if you saw what happened, if so, then you might be required as a witness. but would apply for anyone, not only foreingers.

Thanks Arte! When we ride together again I'll ask you about the nuances of those laws.