BajaNomad - Crime in TJ and toll road

Crime in TJ and toll road

Scottandaudrey - 10-16-2008 at 08:14 PM

What are your feelings about passing through TJ and taking the toll road to Ensenada?

*Is this safe?
*Are Tecate and the back road to Ensenada(Mex 3), safer?
*With the current "crime wave" and drug cartel problems, is there a safer time of day to travel? (I was thinking of crossing right after dawn).
*Once past Ensenada, is it safer?

I was down there in April and expeienced no problems, but I keep reading about robberies, rapes, psycho gun battles and kidnappings. I know that chances are that nothing will happen, is it really as bad as it sounds?

¡Gracias por la ayuda y los consejos!

bajabound2005 - 10-16-2008 at 08:50 PM

travel in daylight (as always) and the toll road in fine any time. Watch the construction (see other posts on that!)

tjBill - 10-16-2008 at 11:08 PM

The four lane toll road is much more safer than the two lanes highways. Their are lots of head on-collisions on the two lanes.

The automobile accidents don't make the headlines like robberies, rapes and kidnappings.

barneyb - 10-17-2008 at 12:01 PM

The road is safe but as another member suggested try to limit your travel to daytime hours.

A word of warning. The police cars and officers that were stationed 24x7 along the route to the toll road from the San Ysidro border crossing are now gone. It's been at least 10 days since a remember seeing them. Most likely this is due to the recent narco war in the city which basically made the cops sitting ducks. Hopefully they will return once the violence level in the city is back to normal.

[Edited on 10-17-2008 by barneyb]

Cypress - 10-17-2008 at 12:33 PM

Just get behind one of those 'high-balling" truckers, day or night.

If you can keep up with 'em you'll be doing good, anything in the road will be pulverized. A Baja version of a "Snow Plow".

roundtuit - 10-17-2008 at 05:42 PM

Crossed Oct 5th (8:30 am), gassed in Endsenada, El Rosario, arrived Guerro Negro at 6:30. No problems just some road construction on toll road and south of El Rosario. If in doubt follow a bus, faster than most trucks and buses rule the road if you can keep up.

DrTom - 10-18-2008 at 06:59 PM

i had the same concerns earlier this year. i loved crossing in tecate....and i only travel baja during daylite.....

Ken Cooke - 10-18-2008 at 09:40 PM

In June, I visited the Tijuana/Rosarito area twice. In July, I was in Tecate once. On my first trip to Tijuana, I was very jittery. But, I had no problems, nor did I see anything that worried me. I did see carrivans of Mexican Military troops passing by, reminding me there is a war of sorts taking place, but it looked as if the local people were getting by, living their lives the best they could.

For me, the worst part of my visits was showing my passport, and explaining all of my visits to Peru, El Salvador and

Colombia

Scottandaudrey - 10-18-2008 at 09:43 PM

Thanks for all the input! I have been travelling in Baja since the early eighties, but with the news of all the crimes, etc, it seems like it is getting scary.

I have heard of a lot of Americans (surfers and off-roaders), getting pulled over and robbed by cars with police lights.
I may try tecate and try going through at dawn. Either way, I think I'll leave the wife at home. Anymore input is appreciated.

Ken Cooke - 10-18-2008 at 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scottandaudrey
Thanks for all the input! I have been travelling in Baja since the early eighties, but with the news of all the crimes, etc, it seems like it is getting scary.

What's your destination in Baja?

bajaguy - 10-18-2008 at 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scottandaudrey
Thanks for all the input! I have been travelling in Baja since the early eighties, but with the news of all the crimes, etc, it seems like it is getting scary.

I have heard of a lot of Americans (surfers and off-roaders), getting pulled over and robbed by cars with police lights.
I may try tecate and try going through at dawn. Either way, I think I'll leave the wife at home. Anymore input is appreciated.

Travel in daylight, cross at Otay, take Blvd 2000, avoid downtown TJ, bring the wife, enjoy the trip.

I have been crossing at Otay, both north and southbound for almost three years now with no problems.

Where in Ensenada are you headed????

Ken Cooke - 10-18-2008 at 10:08 PM

I wouldn't sweat some puss in a converted wanna-be cop car w/fake lights and siren. Hey, do what they do on the evening news - HIGHSPEED CHASE! Seriously, I wouldn't sweat it. Take your wife, too. Its not as dangerous as the news makes it sound.

Scottandaudrey - 10-19-2008 at 10:15 AM

Quote:

[Travel in daylight, cross at Otay, take Blvd 2000, avoid downtown TJ, bring the wife, enjoy the trip.

I have been crossing at Otay, both north and southbound for almost three years now with no problems.

Where in Ensenada are you headed????

I am headed to the Central Pacific coast (El Rosario and south to G. Negro)

I am really only worried about the TJ to Ensenada section. I know a lot of the fear is probably media hype, or surfers who want uncrowded waves, but I am still apprehensive. An example of the problems is the following story:

In Surfline's WATER magazine it talked about legendary big wave surfer Mike Parsons who was pulled
over in the dark by men in a car with police light. He was dragged from his car and robbed at gun point....

bajaguy - 10-19-2008 at 10:23 AM

Always try to travel in daylight........you and you wife shouldn't have any problems. Make your first stop in Ensenada for breakfast, gas and supplies at the Commercial Mexicana.

Ken Cooke - 10-19-2008 at 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottandaudreyI am headed to the Central Pacific coast (El Rosario and south to G. Negro)

My tip is to cross the border at 8 a.m., all of the bad guys will be asleep at this time. You will be through Tijuana along Hwy 1 within 30 minutes, and any concerns will quickly be behind you.

Take your wife, and enjoy yourselves.

bajaboolie - 10-19-2008 at 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scottandaudrey
Either way, I think I'll leave the wife at home. Anymore input is appreciated.

Don't leave your wife at home!! She'll miss out on the fun. I'm always a little nervous from Tijuana through Ensenada, but I feel confident enough that I go, and I bring my daughter. Oh, and I bring "the husband", too.

Scottandaudrey - 10-19-2008 at 11:53 AM

Quote:

Very funny

Udo - 10-19-2008 at 01:20 PM

I went through Tijuana this past Saturday, and I was shocked how little traffic there was.
Saturday is usually a busy time and filled with cars.
You should have an easy drive through TJ and to Mexico 1.

barneyb - 10-19-2008 at 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by udowinkler
I went through Tijuana this past Saturday, and I was shocked how little traffic there was.
Saturday is usually a busy time and filled with cars.
You should have an easy drive through TJ and to Mexico 1.

Yes people are staying indoors trying to keep a low profile, even more so on the weekends when they don't have to go to work. Normally there are outdoor parties every weekend nearby where I live. There have been no parties in my neighborhood since the last weekend in September.

Ken Cooke - 10-19-2008 at 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by barneyb[/i
Yes people are staying indoors trying to keep a low profile, even more so on the weekends when they don't have to go to work. Normally there are outdoor parties every weekend nearby where I live. There have been no parties in my neighborhood since the last weekend in September.

That's terrible. Too bad for all of the nice families this has affected.

roundtuit - 10-19-2008 at 07:49 PM

The whooses can stay at home. The brave can see the beautiful BAJA . The choice is yours. Now as green as ever. End of STORY

CortezBlue - 10-20-2008 at 09:41 PM

Unrelated
I just got back from Cancun and we traveled 180d from Cancun to Chicha Nitza in both day and a bit at night with no problems at all.

2.5 hours of toll road through the jungle.