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Scary times in Baja
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theq



Joined: 10 Apr 2000
Posts: 707

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps people should start carrying counterfeit bills hidden in Rx bottles when they go through TJ. After the uniformed bandits rob you of them, also making sure that you aren't carrying bogus bills in the U.S., turn their asses in for passing them. It's a slam dunk they'll have no record of having pulled you over. Twisted Evil

P.S. JPBassking: Don't read this post. Wink
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BajaVaya



Joined: 03 Apr 2003
Posts: 88

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moni,

What were you thinking driving thru Ensenada - TJ at 2 am!!!! Especially if you did not know the route backwards.

Unless you habla espanol muy bien and are prepared to stand your ground, going near that corridor between 9 pm and 5 am you might as well drive thru Watts, Compton, and Inglewood on your way back. With gear on your racks and young faces, you had sucker written across your front bumper in neon lights.

As a Baja regular with many Mexican friends, I can tell you that the Mex govt is verrrry upset about these shakedowns -- they are well aware of the deliterious affect this is having on el turismo. Any cop identified in a shakedown is fired en sequida, and will likely be a guest of the gobierno for a while. Did you notice that those guys were probably as scared as you were... guns or no guns? If they lose their jobs it is unlikely that will get another in the gobierno, and it is likely to severely impact their wives & kids.

Had you raised a cell phone to your ear, whether you actually dialed a number or not, they would have changed their tune instantly.

Hundreds of us gringo regulars have made 1000s and 1000s of trips to/from the border without incident. Yes, over the last 45 yrs I have been pulled over now and then; in each case it was legitimate (ran a stop sign, illegal U turn, speeding). Yes, they tried to shake me down. But I won't take that bullshit. I tell them right off the bat, that they either take $20 or vamos al estacion and I sit until they make up their mind. They always take the $20. They know very well that if I complained at the station that they solicited mordida, they would likely be fired.
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Epenrose



Joined: 05 Nov 1997
Posts: 402

PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same old senseless post.

Been in TJ twice in last two weeks. If you are not dealing drugs, are respectful you'll be just fine.

If you scan the news in the States you should be scared every time a white has a gun. It seems white teenagers plus adults are the ones that pull the trigger.

I'd start thinking it's all over when a Mexican cop pulls you over and is white skinned, then you're really screwed.

You read these posts and they just reek of racism and ignorance.

Please post all the violet incidents in LA and San Diego on the way down, there isn't enough storage to list.
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dennisrodger



Joined: 17 Jul 2001
Posts: 52

PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:37 am    Post subject: The sky is green......or is it??? Reply with quote

It never ceases to amaze me how ready some are to dismiss real problems in the name of racism and "it never happened to me". Your point is valid that one can find trouble in the US should they drive through certain neighborhoods at 2 AM. Though I think you'd have a little more trouble finding many headlines about cop cars, military dress, police uniforms, etc. involved in pulling over civilians and putting guns to their heads and other horrific acts.

I guess until it actually happens to some people they'll continue to blissfully pretend it's not a problem. The fact that it hasn't happened to everyone doesn't indicate it doesn't happen at all or isn't a fact. These horrible stories come from all types of people with all different backgrounds and years of travel to Mexico......so you can't just dismiss it as a stupid act on the part of the victim. It's a rough place down there getting rougher all the time and your options to save yourself are pretty thin. Why can't we just all agree it's a dangerous place and until they make it clear to us that they've cleaned up their act, they'll suffer the consequences in the form of reduced tourist dollars.

Nothing like the "racism" reference to shut down an intelligent discourse. I love someone spouting the "racist" monikor then proceeding to talk about what "white" people do.....keep throwing those stones at the windows.
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BajaVaya



Joined: 03 Apr 2003
Posts: 88

PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:24 pm    Post subject: Please quit the sanctimony Reply with quote

dennisrodger wrote:
... I think you'd have a little more trouble finding many headlines about cop cars, military dress, police uniforms, etc. involved in pulling over civilians and putting guns to their heads and other horrific acts.

I guess until it actually happens to some people they'll continue to blissfully pretend it's not a problem. The fact that it hasn't happened to everyone doesn't indicate it doesn't happen at all or isn't a fact. These horrible stories come from all types of people with all different backgrounds and years of travel to Mexico......so you can't just dismiss it as a stupid act on the part of the victim. It's a rough place down there getting rougher...


Dennis, you, and it appears many others, view this incident from a law abiding "white" traveling in Mexico at night. A white tourist who can't speak any word of spanish beyond cervesa.

Now envision yourself as a law-abiding Mexican, with legitimate documents, travelling in San Ysidro, Chula Vista, Jamul, etc and unable to speak a word of english (sacrilige!). The cases of such Mexicans being roughed up by US officers of the law are legion. Not to mention Mexicans robbed and beaten to the point of being maimed by gangs, "Minutemen," and other heavily armed sanctimonious "defenders of America." Stories of Mexicans murdered, even by teenagers, crop up regularly in our San Diego press. Most Mexicans are far more fearful of traveling in the border cities of the great USA, than we are of roaming TJ, particularly at night, and not without reason.

The count of incidents against US visitors to Mexico pale in comparison to incidents against Mexican visitors to the US. If there were as mainy murders and maimings of US citizens, none of us would set a toe across la linea.

The one indisputable common denominator of these tragic happenings --
............. They almost all occur at night.
Avoiding the border when law-abiding citizens are sound asleep is prudent, irrespective of the side you are on.
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WindSapien



Joined: 01 Oct 2000
Posts: 267
Location: Lake Isabella , Ca.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:44 pm    Post subject: Baja Risks Reply with quote

Back in the late sixties and early seventies I used to go down to Baja crossing at Tecate ,leave the vehicles at La Ruma Rosa and ride dirt bikes over the Sierra Juarez to Ensanada and south thru Valley de Trinadad to San Quatine and south.We would do this maybe four times a year for about five years or so. The only time we had an incident was at Hussongs in Ensanada where they made their regular rounds and arrested one of our guys for swapping a t-shirt with a girl at the bar.Things sometimes got pretty wild there. Young kids and alcohol ya know. He spent two weeks in jail and it cost us two thousand bucks to get him out. He whitnessed unspeakable torture in the jail by the guards upon Mexican nationals,not himself.We stopped going down after that. Fast forward twenty five years exchanging dirt bikes for windsurfers and we ,my wife and I,that is, returned to Baja at LaVentana . We spent five seasons there without any problem. The expierience was awesome . The only time I ever felt the least bit nervous was walking back from a party at a house between The campground and Captain Kirks around 10pm. The reason for my bit of nervousness was caused by the presence of some of the Gringos (Canadian& American) that frequent the area just kind of bumming around seeming to be scopeing out the turistas. I engaged a couple of people in conversation earlier in the day who were very reluctant to say where they were from when we ask during a pleasant conversation "Here and there" etc. Captain Kirks is an extremely safe windsurfing resort to stay at. They keep an eye on every thing that goes on and if you let their driver pick you up in La Paz,take you to the CCC market for groceries and on to Kirks you are probably safer than driving to your local K-Mart at night.We haven't been back for a few years just because we bought a house at the lake and prefer the sailing in Maui. Annnd my passport has expired and I don't want to spend the money or go to the hassel to renew it. Shit happens everywhere.I was attacked on the freeway north of Santa Barbara by a couple of thugs a couple of years ago. I saw a windsurfer get the crap beat out of him by a couple of Maui fishermen at Kehei two years ago. I've seen gangbangers getting busted at Cabrillo. I had a big guy with his two buddies attack me at Seal Beach about six years ago.I don't think he will do that gain.There are a-holes everywhere . Get smart ,cover your butt and think about what the hell you are doing. WS
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