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Jaelyn
Joined: 08 Oct 2004
Posts: 21
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 Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:17 pm Post subject: CRIME? |
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I have my eye on Panama or Mexico (although anything in LA is possible) and was recently advised to stay away from the Panama cities because there's so much crime.
I'm considering the source and taking it with a grain of salt, but wonder what people have experienced regionally, with regard to personal safety.
I appreciate everyone's feedback. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: CRIME? |
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| Jaelyn wrote: |
| I'm considering the source and taking it with a grain of salt, but wonder what people have experienced regionally, with regard to personal safety. |
Maybe not all exactly regarding personal safety, in my present location I've experienced:
~ 3 burglaries
~ 1 attempted assault/robbery
~ 3 attempted assaults (robbery not a motive)
~ 2 or 3 attempted pickpocketings (Is that a word?)
~ 1 case of intentional damage to my unattended vehicle
~ 4 or 5 situations of money and possesions taken from my house (by plumber, electrician, painter, etc.)
[I'm assuming that by regionally, you meant various Latin American regions, not limited only to Panama.] |
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Jaelyn
Joined: 08 Oct 2004
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:04 pm Post subject: Regionally |
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Yes, by regionally I mean I'd like to get an idea of how safe people feel in different areas, anywhere in Latin America.
Thanks for your reply. That seems like a lot of crime directed at a single person, especially the assault stuff. What kind of time frame has this taken place within?
Most importantly, I guess... As you continue to live in Mexico, how safe do you feel? |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 12:55 am Post subject: |
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Just to put a little weight on the other side of the scale, I have been living in Mexico for close to 12 years and the only problem I have had--which was maybe 4 days after arriving--was when I did not unpack my crammed VW Beetle which was parked in front of a friend's house on the Calzada del desierto de los leones in Mexico City, and it was broken into. I lost two or three little bags of stuff. Perhaps the Universe felt I had brought too much stuff to Mexico?
Probably the diciest spot I have lived and worked is Guayaquil, Ecuador. I heard a few stories there, but never had any problems.
In general, I feel much safer in Latin America than I ever did in the US. |
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Jaelyn
Joined: 08 Oct 2004
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 2:01 am Post subject: now i'm wondering |
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| ... if it's all just a matter of the company you keep.... |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:40 am Post subject: Re: Regionally |
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| Jaelyn wrote: |
That seems like a lot of crime directed at a single person, especially the assault stuff. What kind of time frame has this taken place within?
Most importantly, I guess... As you continue to live in Mexico, how safe do you feel? |
I've been living here for a little over 9 years in the same city.
As for the assaults / attempted assaults, three were by complete strangers and in very public places. One was on a city bus in the middle of the day. The assailant thought I was carrying a laptop, but I wasn't. The second was at a public beach during the day with lots of people around. The third was on a busy sidewalk downtown, also during the day. The fourth was in front of my house by a somewhat crazy man in the neighborhood who doesn't get along with anyone. It was during the clean-up after the hurricane. He only threatened to hit me with a softball-sized rock, which shows how bright he wasn't, because I was chopping up fallen branches with a machete at the time. It turned out to be only a verbal confrontation. I must say I only felt in danger during the first incident, and then only temporarily . . . when the guy had me pinned between the bus seats against the window with his hands around my throat trying to strangle me. The others were rather brief encounters.
I feel safer regarding crime, especially violent crime, in the city where I live now than I did when I lived in the U.S. Feeling safer while driving or riding in a car here is a different matter, however. |
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Jaelyn
Joined: 08 Oct 2004
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 5:36 pm Post subject: Driving? |
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| OK, so why does driving scare you so? |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 10:22 am Post subject: Re: Driving? |
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| Jaelyn wrote: |
| OK, so why does driving scare you so? |
Driving per se doesn't scare me. However, many Mexican drivers do. In my opinion, driving in a safe manner does not seem to be a high priority for far too many people who get behind the wheel here. Have you had much experience driving in Mexico? |
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Jaelyn
Joined: 08 Oct 2004
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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I've done no driving in Mexico and now wonder if I should worry crossing the street.  |
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moonraven
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094
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| Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Worry? No, but you need to be aware that pedestrians do not have the "right of way" here. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 11:25 am Post subject: Re: Driving? |
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| Jaelyn wrote: |
| OK, so why does driving scare you so? |
Far too many people here wake up in the morning and say to themselves, "I have nothing better to do today, so I'm going to teach myself how to drive." Apparently, most of them are not very good teachers. |
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Paulie2003
Joined: 29 Mar 2003
Posts: 541
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| Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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Personally, Tim, I should think you'd be OK if you just been 'round the block...ah, but I see that you already have!!!  |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 10:20 am Post subject: |
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| Paulie2003 wrote: |
| Personally, Tim, I should think you'd be OK if you just been 'round the block...ah, but I see that you already have!!! |
Ah, yes. At my age I'm afraid I've been 'round the block a few times. Just backing my car out of my driveway can sometimes be a driving challenge . . . and I live in what's basically a residential area. |
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Paulie2003
Joined: 29 Mar 2003
Posts: 541
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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Not to get too personal Tim but, how old is your car anyway 
The truth is that in many developing countries giving a license to drive is akin to giving a license to murder - incognito...of course |
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Jaelyn
Joined: 08 Oct 2004
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 3:05 pm Post subject: Another Questiopn |
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Hah... that reminds me of another practical concern. How does one go about the legality of driving in Mexico, or elsewhere in LA?
Does a US license work indefinitely? Even if that is so, what do people usually do at renewal time? |
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