Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 11:43:41 -0700
Reply-To: John Drew <john.p.drew@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Drew <john.p.drew@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Going safe in Mexico.some tips.
In-Reply-To: <000701c8ad3f$b7cbf0c0$4001a8c0@gateway.2wire.net>
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Don is absolutely right- border towns are not to be taken lightly. We have
been inching our way from Matamoros (Brownsville) to Tijuana (San Diego)
over the last month and half and though we have yet to run into any problems
we have always been very careful not to park in the wrong places, especially
if it involves popping the top. I also believe that the very best security
measure you can take in regards to protecting your vehicle is to travel with
a large dog. Rocky is our head of security and his responsibility is no
small task but he has yet to fail us and we are traveling with over $15,000
of video/computer equipment. None of my westy's windows are secured and I
have done nothing to upgrade the car's security features. The best part is
that Rocky is totally harmless. To help avoid giving others this impression
however, I posted a computer printout of a photo of a rotteweiler,
accompanied by words that read "PELIGRO: PERRO DE GUARDIA Y PROTECCION"
which loosely translates to: DANGER: THIS IS A GUARD DOG. I knew this would
have some impact but its actually had a huge impact. Mexican Federales have
on more than one occasion actually passed up searching the van on account of
being afraid of Rocky. This all just a long-winded way of saying, if you do
have to spend some time along to border, a big dog will be your most
important companion.
On another note, thanks to all regarding the lurching engine and leaking
coolant input. We are going to stay in Douglas until a replacement
coolant reservoir arrives, which is fine because there are some interesting
border stories developing here. For instance, we are interviewing the head of
the "American Border Patrol" today, which is a local civilian militia group
that has taken border control into their own hands by launching a
multi-pronged approach to stopping the flow of migrants, one of which
includes civilian installed web-cameras along the line. Not sure what to
expect but we can already sense a palpable chill blowing in the southern AZ
wind, which is very distinct from our experience in South Texas. For all of
those that are following our adventures (unofficially sponsored by a 1987
Vanagon Westy), you can look for our El Paso/Ciudad Juarez stories to be
posted by Tuesday at the latest. Our first border stories from AZ will
follow in another week or so.
And to be sure: the vanagon listserve will receive its proper credit when
this project is said and done.
-the border stories team
www.borderstories.org
- Show quoted text -
On Sat, May 3, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
> One thing you can do is NOT hang around the border towns, as has been
> said. I've lived long periods in Baja for 15ys, off and on and traveled
> widely on Mainland, also..by vehicle. My only trouble has ever happened in
> the bordertowns, other than a few minor incidents in La Paz and Cabo..
> The border areas in Mexico are VERY dangerous. Drug related bad guys,
> combined with crooks of all types seem to congregate along the borders and
> in towns like Ensenada, and they are not reluctant to brazenly take the
> opportunity to rob a gringo if given half a chance. I do not camp out near
> the border any longer. If I must remain near a border town, I use a
> commercial campground with a good fence and security around and I still
> watch my a** carefully. The main tourist routes can also be problematic,
> but these ARE patrolled and probably as safe as any in the US..
> Large dogs are probably the best security you can have in Mexico.
> Mexicans, on a whole, are very leery of large healthy looking unafraid
> dogs.
> Mine, usually I take two large Chesapeake retrievers, have saved our butts
> and make it easy to feel secure about leaving your campsite or parking and
> being away from the vehicle for periods you wouldn't normally feel right
> about. I have a special spiked collar that I stick on my male when we head
> south....Makes him look really mean, that and his intense yellow-eyed stare
> causes many macho Mexican Man to make a wide detour around our camp or
> cross
> the street rather than walk past the vehicle...We are almost always waved
> through all the Army drug and gun checks you encounter...the soldiers take
> one look at those two dogs and say "Pase! Pase!"
> Though we have never been asked, you are supposed to have proper travel
> papers for taking dogs. We always do, just in case.
> The one 'scam' that we were caught in happened in LaPaz, Baja. One of the
> local scumbags downtown had a crappy old honda 50 that he would sneak up
> and
> wedge under tourist's bumpers behind big campers. He got us with that
> scam..My fault..I watched him pull that same scam about a dozen times later
> that season, sometimes with the police right there, getting their cut..We
> gave the jerk $50 US to "buy a new gas tank" even though the dented one he
> lamented about after we "backed over his moto" was not even attached to the
> un-rideable little honda.. Smart crook, dumb gringos...but Mexico is a
> different culture and sometimes it is best to 'take the hit' rather than
> try
> to fight the scam...It would have been with that guy, who we saw later
> often
> smoozing wth the local cops...
> It's probably like anywhere, the cities have their share of crooks but out
> in the countryside the traveling is safer than the US.
>
> Don Hanson
>
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