Alm
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Approach to Calexico East Ready lane?
It seems like you can approach Ready lane by C. Rodriguez from either East or West. The former would suit me better, this way I bypass Mexicali
downtown.
On the Google it looks like access to only regular lane from the East, while Sentri and Ready are being entered from the West - with a long line along
the Rodriguez.
[Edited on 1-18-2022 by Alm]
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John M
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It depends
It's been as you describe for some time.
However, we have accessed the SENTRI lane from the east - it requires a bit of a tight turn around a k-rail - same for the Ready Lane.
There have always been either Mexicali police or some other there at the intersection and they have not stopped us. Although I've seen it here on
Nomad that there are officers that will insist you don't turn from the W/B instead go down a couple of blocks, make a U-turn and approach from the
opposite way.
John M
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aburruss
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Yep. It can be a fiasco.
If you come in from the east, you MAY get to turn right into the READY or SENTRI lanes, but there's many times that there's a mexican police making
sure that you come in the "proper" way, which is from the west. Also, if you are ALLOWED to do it, it's a tough turn to make. In my full size truck,
I basically had to try to swing it WAY wide to make the turn into the narrow lane. I got waved along by the policia... And then you go down a half
mile or so... make a u turn, and sit in the line of people coming in from that direction, and then make your left turn into the correct lane.
Of course, the fun starts when people try to ignore the police, and turn RIGHT while coming from the east... This is the hilarity that ensues. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq8yF62zvE8
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Alm
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Thanks.
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boe4fun
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Mood: Circling the drain........
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We did this last week and it was a clusterf***. Couldn’t use google maps for whatever reason, or anything else on our iPhones, so had to stay on Mex
1. When we got very close (about a block or so) to the Calexico west POE, I finally saw a street sign “Argentina” that I remembered from
instructions that I’d previously downloaded and read several times but couldn’t open. Drove east for a few miles until the left lane started
backing up, stayed in the middle lane until we came upon two left turn lanes for the border, but the Sentri lane was on the left. So we not only had
to cross in front of oncoming traffic but had to maneuver through the people on our left who were trying to get in the regular border crossing lanes
which was on the right. Total nightmare, typical for Meh he co...
Two dirt roads diverged in Baja and I, I took the one less graveled by......
Soy ignorante, apático y ambivalente. No lo sé y no me importa, ni modo.
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BajaMama
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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I have only done Mexicali twice, once east and once west. Screwed up both times, but the east was the better screw up. I meant to approach SENTRI
from the east but ended up coming at it from the west. I wasn't sure I was in the right area, so I kept driving along side the line. When I spotted
where to make the left turn in to the SENTRI lane a miracle happened - a driver on her cell phone not paying attention left a huge gap for me to enter
then make the turn. No-one seemed peeved since most were heading for the ready lanes.
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PaulW
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Do not try enter Ready of Sentri from the east or you will be sorry. If you try you will find a cop that will only allow westbound traffic and no
turns. It gets mote complicated because that road is 3 lanes and they are full of cars heading to downtown Mexicali. so, you drive past the border
entrance and have to make a cross traffic U turn to get into the correct lane. The correct lane is next to the median and is already full of cars.
The best way is to get to the border fence and head east and get into the left lane next to the median. Do not use the directions you get for an east
approach.
Btw, the Standard lane entry has a similar problem. So, always enter the border from the east. Reason a U turn when arriving from the west is seldom
possible due to the heavy traffic.
PS
If you are heading to Arizona use Algodones for an easier and faster crossing by way of Hwy2 and the mostly newly paved canal road.
[Edited on 1-24-2022 by PaulW]
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AKgringo
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In early December, I crossed northbound at San Luis/Rio Colorado. I think it was on a Tuesday, and I got in line at 11:20 AM. It took twenty minutes
(ready lane) to cross!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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PaulW
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I read the Yuma newspaper and as a result I avoid San Luis due to crime against normal citizens. Pretty scary stuff being reported.
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Alm
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A follow-up.
I'm safely home North, approached from the East.
Somebody up there was looking after me. The cop, permanently planted there, couldn't care less. Concrete (or metal?) barriers were arranged for the
traffic coming from the West, to discourage cars approaching from the East. I had to make a VERY tight turn, even in my small car it was tight. At 4pm
on Saturday I expected 40-50 minutes in Ready but it took less than 15. The traffic was moving well. I carry a pee bottle and didn't have a chance to
use it - no time.
I think Standard lane has no such "East problem". Rather, it has a "West problem" - barriers make for an easy entry from the East - before the cop,
but it would be difficult entering from the West.
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