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New Haven
Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Posts: 52
Location: Merida, Mexico
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 Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:55 pm Post subject: Driving to Mexico |
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Dear All:
I am returning this fall to Merida, MX after a 2 year hiatus in the States. I had previously spent 3 years in Merida teaching EFL at a language school as well as several unis and intend to take up this career again. I am planning to drive down, hopefully with one of my brothers but possibly with another female if my brother can't get the time off. I have some safety concerns with regard to crossing the border (probably at Brownsville) and wondered if anyone could speak to this. When I drove down with a couple of friends in January we were hassled by the police in Tampico and had to pay a $1,000 mp propina in order to be allowed to continue on our way. I speak Spanish well enough to get by, so was able to bargain down from $3,000 pesos. I am not too concerned about this type of scenario, but am thinking more about real physical danger in border towns. Again, any info, insights, caveats, etc. would be appreciated.
Sharon |
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Dragonlady
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 720
Location: Chillinfernow, Canada
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| Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by Dragonlady on Fri Oct 07, 2011 4:49 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Sangre Frito
Joined: 12 May 2011
Posts: 2
Location: Brownsville, Texas
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| Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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| I live in Brownsville, and have travelled in Mexico for the last 20 years. The route your planning on going is not safe by bus or car. 180 bodies were recently dug up in San Fernando.I strongly urge you to consider another route. |
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Samantha
Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera
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| Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| If it were me doing it, I think I would fly and then buy a car here in Mexico, with local license plates. Less stressful that way. You can sell the car whenever you decide to leave Mexico. |
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BadBeagleBad
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
Posts: 1186
Location: 24.18105,-103.25185
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| Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Samantha wrote: |
| If it were me doing it, I think I would fly and then buy a car here in Mexico, with local license plates. Less stressful that way. You can sell the car whenever you decide to leave Mexico. |
Yeah, I think this is a good idea. I have heard some people say that having plates from outside Mexico makes you a target for corrupt cops, probably less so with local plates. |
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New Haven
Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Posts: 52
Location: Merida, Mexico
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| Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you one and all for your responses. You've given me a lot to think about. My impression is that all (most) of the border crossing areas are problematic, mostly because of turf battles between narco gangs. It seems, at least in Tamaulipas which is on my route, that the victims are all Mexicans. In other words, I haven't found evidence of gringos being targeted. Has anyone come across information to the contrary?
Thanks again.
Sharon |
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BadBeagleBad
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
Posts: 1186
Location: 24.18105,-103.25185
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| Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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| New Haven wrote: |
. It seems, at least in Tamaulipas which is on my route, that the victims are all Mexicans. In other words, I haven't found evidence of gringos being targeted. Has anyone come across information to the contrary?
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No, gringos aren�t targeted specifically, but then, neither are many of the Mexicans who have been killed, they�ve just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. It�s playing the odds. Would you walk around in downtown Washington DC at midnight? Same kind of thing. |
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Samantha
Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera
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| Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| The fake check-stops on the highways are the biggest concern these days, IMHO. They can take place at any time, anywhere. Some travelers get robbed at gunpoint, others lose their cars (and contents). This sometimes make the news, sometimes not. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| It seems, at least in Tamaulipas which is on my route, that the victims are all Mexicans. |
A lot of Central Americans...people migrating up illegally from other countries through Mexico have been targeted. |
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Samantha
Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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New Haven wrote:
| Quote: |
| It seems, at least in Tamaulipas which is on my route, that the victims are all Mexicans. In other words, I haven't found evidence of gringos being targeted. Has anyone come across information to the contrary? |
Please read the full article containing specific warning from U.S. Consulate General for Tamaulipas November 12th, 2010:
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=543276
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Victims' profiles vary. Some were traveling with passengers in the vehicle, while others were alone. Some were driving large new trucks, and others small, older sedans. The carjackings occurred at all times of day and night and on all days of the week. Some of the victims' vehicles had United States license plates, and others had Mexican plates. Most victims reported that there was very little traffic on the road at the time they were targeted.
Victims all reported being pulled over or cut off by one or more vehicles and then being threatened by firearms. While there have been some reports of injuries, the majority of victims were not physically harmed during the robbery. The number of perpetrators and the types of vehicles they were driving have varied, but the assailants are generally described as a group of young men or teenagers in civilian, all-black, or camouflage clothing. Many of the carjackings lasted less than two minutes. Some of the victims were left with the personal belongings in their pockets, but others also had their wallets, cell phones, and travel documents stolen.
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A sampling of incidents involving non-Mexican travelers, broad daylight, random locations. The first incident is recent. Two more incidents which occurred a year ago, also happened in Tamaulipas and those victims felt they were specifically targeted.
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3058578
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/04/07/pf-13504646.html
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/world/Canadians_carjacked_in_Mexico_90618599.html?period=W&mpStartDate=03-30-2011&
http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101026/edm_mexico_101026/20101026/?hub=EdmontonHome
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/80629357.html |
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