BajaNomad

Baja safety concerns - Stupid ?, but gotta ask...

5Gsocal - 11-24-2006 at 02:14 AM

My question is: How safe is the coastal area from TJ to La Fonda/Playa Mision on a scale from 1 to 10 - 1 being worst, 10 best

Please do not attack me as I ask this incredibly stupid question, but given varied reports from friends that have recently traveled down your way, I have to ask those in the true know...

I have traveled down to this area at least 2 to 4 times a year since before I can remember - my family has gone down since the 40's (my grandpa, just passed at 84, would only have his dentistry done in rosarito), and I have family members that are ex pats raising babies living in other areas in Mex so I know that as long as you dont do stupid things & are respectful - nothing bad will happen, or at least thats how I have been taught. I like Baja, it has great memories and has always been a great "short" vaca when theres not enough time to really go away.

I havnt traveled down in the past 8 months due to a pregnancy/new baby, but have heard strange/concerning things from friends since say July (more weird than years ago when right before Fox was elected and all the crazy stuff in TJ). At that time we had a friend whose brand new suburban was "confisgated" at the checkpoint just south of Rosarito by the kids with AK-47's - although all passengers were allowed to go and even take what they could carry - baby and car seat included. We chalked that up to being stupidly flagrant at that point in time. We always drive our most beater cars and apply a nice coat of dust & mud before our travels. Not very tempting.

Anyway my husband is going down next weekend with friends to surf & golf - no medicinal herbage will be involved, limited drinking and limited night driving. Should I be concerned?

So is it status quo or is the random violence really getting worse? I heard the surf camp at playa mision was robbed at gun point (a few girls raped too?) and a friend who lives in houses just past la fonda had a car stolen out of their locked garage both situations were to have had police involved? Two seperate surfer friends reported the two car forced pull over scam on the pay road during the day - 1 claims he saw guns? both never pulled over/were not shot at, just scared. All of this in the past 2 months.

PS I have really enjoyed reading all your posts - especially the one about 2 presidents...

Crime

John M - 11-24-2006 at 05:55 AM

The posts regarding cirme along the toll road and along the beaches between Ensenada and the border here on the Nomad board have certainly increased in the last six months. Whether the crime as likewise increased is a more difficult thing to measure. Is there just more reporting? Are we simply becoming more aware?

There always seems to be better "safety in numbers." And...exactly as you pointed out "as long as you don't do stupid things & are respectful" - gets you a long way.

The advice I'd offer is to do all they can not to drive at night.

John M.

Paula - 11-24-2006 at 07:34 AM

Not driving at night should include not driving too early in the morning, too. I wouldn't be on the highway too much before 6:30or 7:00.

DENNIS - 11-24-2006 at 01:14 PM

Hi GS ----
Great question. Shows a concern for safety. If more people showed your concern, there would probably be fewer problems.
The toll road from TJ to La Fonda, during daylite hours is safe. The Highway Patrol with their radar should be the biggest concern so, drive the speed limit.
There are no quarantees for safety after the sun goes down, not that the toll road turns into a hotbed of crime but, if anything is going to happen, it will probably happen at night so, dont drive at night.
Off the toll road and into civilized areas, restaurants, shopping etc, one should have no problem.

Now ... Camping on the beach in what one would consider a beautiful, secluded spot, the essence of Baja, is insane. Especially between TJ and La Fonda. That area is a scum-magnet pulling from both sides of the border. It isnt even safe to be on the beach, alone in the middle of the day.

Excercise the same caution one would use in downtown San Diego and have a good time.

Paula - 11-24-2006 at 02:27 PM

Larry, my thinking is that some of the baddest of the bad don't home until the daylight starts to blind their bleary eyes:rolleyes:. I was maybe a little too cautious in saying 7:00, but what some of us might call a nice early start is the end of the evening to some shady characters.

Iflyfish - 11-24-2006 at 04:43 PM

5Gsocal

Welcome to the Nomads.

Your questions are not stupid in the least. What is more important than the safety of ourselves and our families.

I hope your husband has a blast and that you too can soon return.

Ilfyfish

bajaandy - 11-25-2006 at 08:38 AM

Welcome to the Nomad board! This is a great place to get some pretty good information, as I'm sure you've already figured out.

Safety in Baja.... this has been a hot topic lately. I supose I have somewhat mixed emotions on this subject, but in the end I don't let it stop me from going to Baja.

I too try to read everything I can about what is going in in current events, try to be careful and polite and "not stupid" when traveling, but my view of safety in Baja is this: It's as safe a place as anywhere else, right up until it isn't. I don't want that to sound naive or fatalistic, but I suppose I do believe in fate to a certain degree. Part of what lures me to travel is the sense of the unknown. What's around that next corner or over that next sand dune? Will it be pistol toting banditos? I certainly hope and pray that it will not be, but I don't let the thought of that keep me from going to see what is there.

On the other hand, I do try to make educated decisions about where and with whom I do my explorations. If it's a quick surf trip to Northern Baja, it's always with at least one other person. And quite honestly, with all the building and development and restricted access to the beach these days, I pretty much just bypass most of those northern spots anyway.

You mention that you've just had a new baby, so I suspect the mothering and nurturing and protective instincts are all in tune right now. Nothing wrong with that at all. Maybe some of that will rub off on your husband and make him just that much more careful about what he does, where he does it and who he does it with, whether he's in Baja or not.

So should you be concerned? Of course you should, as anyone should be about their loved one. I'm sure he'll travel smart, and will leave you with his projected itinerary, as any smart traveler should do. So kiss him, hug him, tell him you love him, then send him on his way. Then do the same thing when he gets back home.

[Edited on 11-25-2006 by bajaandy]

pleased do not attack me as i ask this incredibly stupid question

BAJACAT - 11-25-2006 at 09:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 5Gsocal
My question is: How safe is the coastal area from TJ to La Fonda/Playa Mision on a scale from 1 to 10 - 1 being worst, 10 best

Please do not attack me as I ask this incredibly stupid question, but given varied reports from friends that have recently traveled down your way, I have to ask those in the true know...

I have traveled down to this area at least 2 to 4 times a year since before I can remember - my family has gone down since the 40's (my grandpa, just passed at 84, would only have his dentistry done in rosarito), and I have family members that are ex pats raising babies living in other areas in Mex so I know that as long as you dont do stupid things & are respectful - nothing bad will happen, or at least thats how I have been taught. I like Baja, it has great memories and has always been a great "short" vaca when theres not enough time to really go away.

I havnt traveled down in the past 8 months due to a pregnancy/new baby, but have heard strange/concerning things from friends since say July (more weird than years ago when right before Fox was elected and all the crazy stuff in TJ). At that time we had a friend whose brand new suburban was "confisgated" at the checkpoint just south of Rosarito by the kids with AK-47's - although all passengers were allowed to go and even take what they could carry - baby and car seat included. We chalked that up to being stupidly flagrant at that point in time. We always drive our most beater cars and apply a nice coat of dust & mud before our travels. Not very tempting.

Anyway my husband is going down next weekend with friends to surf & golf - no medicinal herbage will be involved, limited drinking and limited night driving. Should I be concerned?

So is it status quo or is the random violence really getting worse? I heard the surf camp at playa mision was robbed at gun point (a few girls raped too?) and a friend who lives in houses just past la fonda had a car stolen out of their locked garage both situations were to have had police involved? Two seperate surfer friends reported the two car forced pull over scam on the pay road during the day - 1 claims he saw guns? both never pulled over/were not shot at, just scared. All of this in the past 2 months.

PS I have really enjoyed reading all your posts - especially the one about 2 presidents...
What makes you think that we will attack you for asking this question.,Is that the wrong image that we portrait or is it the arsh comments some of our nomads display?

Ps. welcome to the site and ask all the questions you want,including the dumm ones...

[Edited on 11-25-2006 by BAJACAT]

thebajarunner - 11-25-2006 at 10:14 AM

I agree with all of the above, including, sadly, the Northern beach situation.
But heck, Copacaban Beach in Rio is one of the most dangerous places on earthe, so why should we be exempt.

On another front.... the confiscated brand new Suburban story doesn't sound just right to me. Sorry, not attacking you, just questioning a rather fishy smell surrounding that one.

Any chance you could elaborate a bit on the facts???

Thanks, and welcome!

BNF - 11-26-2006 at 02:37 PM

Just got back from 4 days near La Fonda. Drove some at night. Was up early every day surfing before 7, always alone. Even was greeted by the Playas de Rosirito police after getting out of the water at a secluded spot. They just asked if I had weapons or drugs and then told me to have a nice day. I am convinced that if you are not doing anything dumb you will be fine, even in the area between TJ and La Mison

DENNIS - 11-26-2006 at 03:13 PM

Hi BNF ---

Nice to hear you had a good, safe time. I envy your attitude toward safety in the area because that is the attitude I used to have many years back.
Really, you have to be careful in that zone. It's a rats-nest. We only hear of a part of the unfortunate occurances and we hear too much.
You must be young and carry around the optimism of your age, believing that if you mind your own business and deport yourself as a good person, no bad will come your way. I hope you're right.

BNF - 11-26-2006 at 03:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Hi BNF ---

Nice to hear you had a good, safe time. I envy your attitude toward safety in the area because that is the attitude I used to have many years back.
Really, you have to be careful in that zone. It's a rats-nest. We only hear of a part of the unfortunate occurances and we hear too much.
You must be young and carry around the optimism of your age, believing that if you mind your own business and deport yourself as a good person, no bad will come your way. I hope you're right.


I didn't mean that it is a safe area at all times, and people do need to be careful and vigilant. I don't take any stupid risks and generally just treat people well. But I go there to have fun, and if I worry the whole time I'm not having fun. I feel much more comfortable in the area between La Fonda and K38 and generally stay there. I just stay out of the cities.