BajaNomad

Safe is subjective/Mexico vs North America

Baja Bernie - 5-18-2012 at 09:04 AM

I think you will find this interesting...I did and I have felt safer in Baja than along the southern border of Arizona. Now I gotta worry about Texas.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonely-planet/are-americans-sa...

DENNIS - 5-18-2012 at 09:40 AM

Dealing with homegrown crime [USA] has already been dealt with in the public psyche. We know about it, and for mental comfort, we have dealt with it and put it aside. We know it's out there, but so are the rest of our life experiences, so we live around the reality of crime in our environment.

A vacation offers a method and time to live in a carefree manner. It's a reward for those who toil to maintain a daily life at home. It's meant to be an enjoyable experience, but when the element of gruesome crime is outwardly written into the itenerary as a very visible part of the society which one chooses to visit and enjoy, it stands out as a deformity that can't be overlooked or ignored.
Doesn't matter, the statistics. What does matter is the reality which the tourist mind has yet to process. Crime in Mexico for the outsider is anything but a hidden blemish. It's a part of the landscape as a whole and can't be brushed aside with silly numbers.

The Huffington Post must have been paid to write that fish-wrapper article.

That said....how are you doing, Bernie. Good to see you, as always.


.

[Edited on 5-18-2012 by DENNIS]

woody with a view - 5-18-2012 at 09:42 AM

well said, Dennis. g'day!

Udo - 5-18-2012 at 09:45 AM

Baja Bernie is back!

I definitely second Dennis' comments.

DENNIS - 5-18-2012 at 10:03 AM

I should have mentioned that Mexicans at home have the same experience. Things are always worse on the other side of the fence.

Well!

Baja Bernie - 5-18-2012 at 10:39 AM

It looks like I got Dennis' juices going...Subjective is the operative word.

We went to New Mexico for the Balloon Festival and our car was busted into and over $2,000 worth of 'stuff' was stolen...Never thought it would happen in the 'Enchanted Land'...Worst part...we had to wait for the cops as the Dawn Patrol took to the skies.

Last November we did over 2,000 miles in Baja, with our car loaded with stuff for the kids...and never worried and nothing came up missing...Subjective...Most idiots get ripped off in Baja just because they are idiots.

[Edited on 5-18-2012 by Baja Bernie]

David K - 5-18-2012 at 10:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja Bernie
It looks like I got Dennis' juices going...Subjective is the operative word.

We went to New Mexico for the Balloon Festival and our car was busted into and over $2,000 worth of 'stuff' was stolen...Never thought it would happen in the 'Enchanted Land'...Worst part...we had to wait for the cops as the Dawn Patrol took to the skies.

Last November we did over 2,000 miles in Baja, with our car loaded with stuff for the kids...and never worried and nothing came up missing...Subjective...Most idiots get ripped off in Baja just because they are idiots.

[Edited on 5-18-2012 by Baja Bernie]


Sorry for the crime in America Bernie! Pretty amazing when people fear Mexico and are blind to the daily crime in their back yards.

Ateo - 5-18-2012 at 10:51 AM

This is a perfect article to send to the worried parents just before my Mainland trip. Thanks. :)

DENNIS - 5-18-2012 at 11:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Never thought it would happen in the 'Enchanted Land'...


New Mexico?? Enchanted?? :lol::lol:

I recently contemplated a move to Taos. Even went there for a week on an exploratory toward that end.
It was the most uncomfortable week of my life what with the hateful stares from the Hispanics and Indians.

Subsequent to that, I subscribed to the Taos weekly newspaper and the crime reports filled a large part of the rag. Lots of gang and racial crap. Lots of it.

Enchanted??? Yeah. About as enchanted as a back room at the Inquisition.

The Injuns can have it.

By the way, Bernie. You, of all people, should be doing at least a little bit of homework before you travel. Just because they fly the Stars and Stripes above the state house doesn't mean you belong there.

DavidE - 5-18-2012 at 11:10 AM

Wow!

Pretty strong stuff here. Oh well, time to dodge bullets and shrapnel and go water the garden.

tripledigitken - 5-18-2012 at 11:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS


......Enchanted??? Yeah. About as enchanted as a back room at the Inquisition.

The Injuns can have it.....

By the way, Bernie. You, of all people, should be doing at least a little bit of homework before you travel......


I happen to enjoy vacationing in NM. Have been doing so regularly since the late 80's. Me thinks your attitude may have had something to do with your experience. What would homework have done for Bernie?

Leaving for a 10 day M/C tour to Northern NM in early June, just like last year. Will watch out for those "Injuns"!


;)

DENNIS - 5-18-2012 at 11:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by tripledigitken
What would homework have done for Bernie?



I can only imagine a cop would be concerned about the relative crime rate, but I guess he relied on objectivity instead. :lol:
Who knows?

Dennis

Baja Bernie - 5-18-2012 at 04:56 PM

I said "Encanted" because that is what their license plates said for years...I did check on the crime rate and asked the NM Tourist folks for a recommendation for a room because when we got there I had the sense that the crime in many parts of the city may have been underreported...Turns out that on talking to the cops that the Tourist Bureau folks were told to 'understate' the crime...We spent two weeks bouncing around NM and enjoyed the friendly folks everyplace we stopped...I guess individual perceptions play a big role when it comes to evaluating people and areas.

PS The Cops told us when they found that I was a retired cop that 80% of their crime was over 2 two week periods when they were flooded by tourists...and that the street folks only hit out of state vehicles because they knew that most of them would not report the crime unless they wre assaulted.

Glad the post helped someone.

DENNIS - 5-18-2012 at 05:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja Bernie
I said "Encanted" because that is what their license plates said for years...I did check on the crime rate and asked the NM Tourist folks for a recommendation for a room because when we got there I had the sense that the crime in many parts of the city may have been underreported...Turns out that on talking to the cops that the Tourist Bureau folks were told to 'understate' the crime...We spent two weeks bouncing around NM and enjoyed the friendly folks everyplace we stopped...I guess individual perceptions play a big role when it comes to evaluating people and areas.

PS The Cops told us when they found that I was a retired cop that 80% of their crime was over 2 two week periods when they were flooded by tourists...and that the street folks only hit out of state vehicles because they knew that most of them would not report the crime unless they wre assaulted.

Glad the post helped someone.


Thanks, Bernie. Ya know....I don't ever remember hearing a report such as yours about Mexico.
Did you ever ask Mexico LE questions as you posed to NM police?
Maybe there's more turmoil here than most will report.
Waddaya think?

Have you done your research? Research shows that You're Wrong

Ken Cooke - 5-18-2012 at 06:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
I should have mentioned that Mexicans at home have the same experience. Things are always worse on the other side of the fence.