BajaNomad - Highway 1 - Powered by XMB

Highway 1

RenoJoe - 5-5-2018 at 10:36 AM

Can anyone tell me what the least traveled day and time of the week for Hwy. 1 is, between Hwy 5 to Vizcaino for trucking?

John Harper - 5-5-2018 at 10:39 AM

3rd Thursday of every month, from 2:07AM until 3:12AM.

John

David K - 5-5-2018 at 11:34 AM

LOL

Seriously, trucks, busses, and motorhomes towing boats, plus drunks, are all something you just need to contend with. You could go all day without seeing any in the center of Baja and El Rosario to Guerrero Negro is the least traveled section (and why it gets less maintenance).

Highway One south of San Quintín (Km. 0) narrows to just 19 feet wide, with no shoulder and often on an elevated levee making pulling off impossible. Add the occasional bicycle tourist or other obstruction like potholes and you can see head-ons or rollovers are a serious possibility!
The government has been widening 10-20 km. sections (such as north and south of El Rosario and Nuevo Rosarito). but the majority of the highway built in 1973 is still that narrow.

[Edited on 5-5-2018 by David K]

mtgoat666 - 5-5-2018 at 11:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by RenoJoe

Can anyone tell me what the least traveled day and time of the week for Hwy. 1 is, between Hwy 5 to Vizcaino for trucking?

Google BajaTrans and look up their traffic study reports :biggrin:

Seriously, the traffic is so light i dont think anyone has ever bothered to do a traffic study,... it’s always light traffic. Even on holidays it is zero traffic compared to 405 in santa monica at 3 AM on a weekday

woody with a view - 5-5-2018 at 12:03 PM

WORD!

HeyMulegeScott - 5-5-2018 at 01:12 PM

Plenty of room.

motoged - 5-5-2018 at 01:40 PM

Those knuckles look white... :biggrin:

David K - 5-5-2018 at 02:02 PM

Great photo, Three2tango!

Not as dramatic, but here's one I took (the one I posted first was from jrbaja).

HeyMulegeScott - 5-5-2018 at 03:07 PM

motoged - Just a tad white

David K - Thanks. It's a wide-angle GoPro shot so it tends to exaggerate things but it does feel like this!

basautter - 5-5-2018 at 03:40 PM

I find there is less traffic early in the morning.

bajabuddha - 5-5-2018 at 04:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by basautter

I find there is less traffic early in the morning.

True for open highway, but near ag areas and farms like San Quintin it's a madhouse.

LancairDriver - 5-5-2018 at 05:49 PM

No wide angle on this one.

C4D2147B-FF8A-43D9-B882-5F70FB7203BC.jpeg - 33kB

surfhat - 5-6-2018 at 09:57 AM

From my first sojourn down the peninsula in 73, I have always aimed for the edge of the roadway when approaching vehicles, especially trucks. A quick turn as we pass each other back off the edge has worked 'almost' all of this time.

Using my turn signal to let the approaching trucks know to please give me what room they can works. They usually do the same to let me know they see me coming. That simple action is somewhat reassuring as we avoid a head on collision.

I was run off the road in my Ford 4 wheel van in the early 90's by one of these tractor trailers south of Constitution and felt lucky to survive. It was dawn and he had to have seen me coming as I was driving south into the sun. Aiming for the edge was not enough that time and I had to put my right side tires off the pavement as this truck was over the center line. My turn signal got no response. I slowed down without jamming on the brakes as I was trying not to roll over. I almost made it to a safe stop when I hit a cement culvert that wiped out my front axle and I stopped in cloud of dust a few feet further past that.

The truck never stopped. Oh, to have had a dash cam back then. My Vagabundos insurance served me well, after I insisted the van be shipped back north of the border. There was no fixing it down there at the time reliably, since these vans were somewhat rare.

Ever since, I use that turn signaling for every vehicle heading my way on that narrow two lane road, as much to let them know I see them coming.

Speaking of Mexican mechanics, I watched a couple of episodes of Van Life recently when the couple had their Sprinter vans motor fail on the Mainland. What became clear, and what I have always experienced when needing a mechanic in Baja, is the resourcefulness of Mexican mechanics, and their willingness to do everything they can to remedy a situation. Bless those blessed Baja mechanics, and not charge the moon for their efforts, salt of the earth that they are.

I did break down one time in El Rosario heading south around this same period and the mechanic invited me to his home and workshop while he got parts from San Quintin. I stayed in my van for a day or two there, and I dined with his family overnight. Hospitality is a natural response from these fine people. As much as I tried to show my appreciation, they refused to accept payment for other than the parts and labor. I was able to pass on some home items that they could use in place of actual pesos. The lasting memory of their treatment of me has been the gift that keeps on giving.

Thanks to all here.

mtgoat666 - 5-6-2018 at 10:18 AM

I just leave my headlights on, all the time, everywhere, i dont know why people dont use always-on feature most cars come with.
I dont think using your blinker does much, and headlights are brighter, more noticeable

JZ - 5-6-2018 at 10:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

I just leave my headlights on, all the time, everywhere, i dont know why people dont use always-on feature most cars come with.
I dont think using your blinker does much, and headlights are brighter, more noticeable

They are always on by default in my Silverado.

[Edited on 5-6-2018 by JZ]

John Harper - 5-6-2018 at 12:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

They are always on by default in my Silverado.

It's a long standing joke among my Ford friends. You can always tell a Chevy truck is coming at you because invariably one of the "daytime" running lights on them is always burned out. Watch for it and you'll see what I mean. Maybe with LED lights their engineers will finally figure it out.

I've been in the habit of driving with lights on when traveling for the last few years. I guess driving 395 so many times and the "lights on" zone just created a routine for me.

John

[Edited on 5-6-2018 by John Harper]

Alm - 5-6-2018 at 07:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by RenoJoe

Can anyone tell me what the least traveled day and time of the week for Hwy. 1 is, between Hwy 5 to Vizcaino for trucking?

Towing something wide and swaying like travel trailer? Big trucks are way less dangerous when you are not towing. 19ft (in some places) is still 9.5 ft wide lanes, leaves you more than 1ft margin on either side, without left mirror.

Try not causing incidents through the fault of yours. Slow down where it says Curva Peligrosa or 40 kmh - this is 25 mph. They are not kidding. Slow down and move to the right when you see big truck in the curve - it could straddle the yellow line a few inches. Always slow down when approaching a blind curve - yes, there is a light traffic most of the time but you only need one car or truck doing 70 mph in YOUR lane because he's passing somebody or it's easier to go cut through the curve this way.

You can't do anything with drunks, speeding up m.orons and people passing across the yellow line where visibility is just few hundred feet. They are here all day and night. Farm traffic isn't dangerous, it's slow, but people trying to pass in this area - they are dangerous.

BajaMama - 5-7-2018 at 09:04 AM

This thread reminds me of when I first started driving Hwy 1 to Punta Chivato, before the road was a little wider Ensenada to San Quintin though back then the pot holes weren't nearly as bad. I would just put my eyes on the road and repeat to myself "find a happy place, find a happy place" when trucks and busses passed me in the opposite direction. But nothing will ever surpass the hills just south off El Rosario. Driving over a blind hill and having a truck come straight at you, well, all you can do is pray they are in their own lane. Pucker factor for sure. Now I just tuck in behind a big rig over that area.

Hwy. 1

RenoJoe - 5-7-2018 at 09:37 AM

Thanks For the Good comments from the Good people. Not the Dumb comments from the Dumb people.

BajaTed - 5-7-2018 at 10:02 AM

Performance driving 101 on the race track (and Baja Hwy 1)
Eyes always up and looking ahead
BOTH hands on the wheel @ nine & three.
Listen to your butt, have a plan.
You will drive right at what your staring at, eyes UP
Your mind is dying to wander, don't listen.

KasloKid - 5-7-2018 at 10:25 AM

When I used to tow a 5th wheel trailer though the length of Baja, I found the truck drivers pretty good at pushing their rigs as close to the edge as possible.

It was the tourists driving wide bodied motorhomes that got my attention... quite a few of them could not or would not move over. Close encounters of the "crap your pants" moments.
My solution when meeting a "non-compliant" motorhome was to keep my trailer wheels 4-6 inches over the centerline, then wiggle the trailer a bit and move over to the edge a few seconds before imminent collision. It worked every time. The expressions on their faces: Priceless.

The times when I had issues with local truck drivers was them passing me close to an upcoming corner (I bailed off the road one time as another semi came around the corner towards us with this yahoo right beside me, attempting to pass me... wtf? .... the two trucks stopped face to face just inches from each other)
I solved that problem by straddling the center line before an upcoming corner and not letting them by. I'd move over at the corner, then turn my left signal light on to let them go by when safe to do so, waving a friendly gesture as them went by.

Alm - 5-7-2018 at 03:15 PM

Except for one comment - that was clearly tongue to cheek - I think all posts so far have been coming from people's experience, which is invaluable. A little politeness goes a long way, Joe.

[Edited on 5-7-2018 by Alm]

Alm - 5-7-2018 at 03:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaMama

nothing will ever surpass the hills just south off El Rosario. Driving over a blind hill and having a truck come straight at you, well, all you can do is pray they are in their own lane. Pucker factor for sure. Now I just tuck in behind a big rig over that area.

I just go 30 mph through those, - unless there is a sign with a lower yet speed limit. Saves gas, too. Behind blind hill there can be a sharp turn, you hit the breaks, then accelerate again - this where the fuel goes. Or, indeed, can be a truck in your lane.

Following a big rig is perfect - when there is one. Not only safer from rigs in the other lane, but also he knows all the topez - or can see them better from his high seat

John Harper - 5-7-2018 at 04:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

Except for one comment - that was clearly tongue to cheek - I think all posts so far have been coming from people's experience, which is invaluable. A little politeness goes a long way, Joe.

+1

Lighten up, Francis.

John

[Edited on 5-7-2018 by John Harper]

pacificobob - 5-8-2018 at 05:03 PM

i have found mondays are quiet on mex 1. might just be a matter of coincidence.

RenoJoe - 5-10-2018 at 10:01 PM

Thanks for the replies. I think from the information I received the best time to drive south is in early morning, monday or tuesday.

Cliffy - 5-11-2018 at 09:59 PM

Back when I started driving the Baja 1 (mid 70s) we needed to change a tire on the motorhome (left,rear,outside of duals) We stopped in a long straight stretch just north of the BOLA turn off and changed the tire right in the road way. Not a car or vehicle came by the entire time we were stopped! OH the good old days.

David K - 5-13-2018 at 08:05 AM

45 years since Highway 1 was completed and there are still hundreds of miles where it is very narrow and shoulderless. When it was opened on December 1, 1973, it was stated that the narrow sections would soon be widened. They just wanted to complete the goal on time so it was a rush job! Well, 40 years later only a few dozen miles have been widened. Traffic is still light between El Rosario and Guerrero Negro.

pacificobob - 5-13-2018 at 09:15 AM

i drove from la paz to TJ in may of 1969. it took over 2 weeks. 3 of us high schoolers. in some parts we had to have a guy walk in front of the car(2WD) moving rocks. its a miracle the oil pan held up. we lost count of the times we got stuck. if not for the help of kind rancheros we would never made it.
the 4 lane between la paz and cabo san lucas has been a game changer for us here. i have no doubt many lives have been saved.

David K - 5-13-2018 at 12:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob

i drove from la paz to TJ in may of 1969. it took over 2 weeks. 3 of us high schoolers. in some parts we had to have a guy walk in front of the car(2WD) moving rocks. its a miracle the oil pan held up. we lost count of the times we got stuck. if not for the help of kind rancheros we would never made it.
the 4 lane between la paz and cabo san lucas has been a game changer for us here. i have no doubt many lives have been saved.

Would love to hear more about your 1969 trip. Any photos? Have you seen my thread in the Literature forum about the 1959 book and the description of the drive south back then? I am so happy I was old enough to remember our 1966 trip to the tip... an epic adventure!

[Edited on 5-13-2018 by David K]

pacificobob - 6-5-2018 at 02:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob

sadly no photos. for a portion of the trip we were not sure we were going to make it. if not for the help from the rancheros we met along the way, i doubt we would have. the oil pan was a sight but never developed a leak. the car was a 1957 borgward goliath. for those unfamiliar, a German made car with a water-cooled horizontally opposed 4 cyl front wheel drive. like the current subaru. i paid $150 for it. i sold it for $75 when i got back.

David K - 6-5-2018 at 02:43 PM

Wow, so cool... I never heard of that make before... but am a big fan of horizontal motors Subaru and air-cooled VW.... as I owned both.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_(company)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_1100

[Edited on 6-5-2018 by David K]

SFandH - 6-5-2018 at 03:03 PM

Quote: Originally posted by RenoJoe

Can anyone tell me what the least traveled day and time of the week for Hwy. 1 is, between Hwy 5 to Vizcaino for trucking?

Sundays IMHO.