BajaNomad - Driving Mex. 1 at night..

Driving Mex. 1 at night..

Fishmagician - 5-24-2012 at 09:05 PM

I have a friend who has durive some of Mex 1 and he shared his opinion with me,,,"don't drive at night, and if you do, you need a cow catcher and bigger lights on it." I imagine the road is not well marked with center lines and side lines, and only natural lighting (night time pitch black) so he may be right. One of the suggestions I got from one our kind Nomads was to put reflectors on the left edge of my trailer (8.5' wide)...if it's too dangerous to drive at night then the reflectors don's need to be put on the trailer. What do the rest of the Nomads think of driving Mex. 1 at night???? :?:

woody with a view - 5-24-2012 at 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishmagician
I have a friend who has durive some of Mex 1 and he shared his opinion with me,,,"don't drive at night, and if you do, you need a cow catcher and bigger lights on it." I imagine the road is not well marked with center lines and side lines, and only natural lighting (night time pitch black) so he may be right. One of the suggestions I got from one our kind Nomads was to put reflectors on the left edge of my trailer (8.5' wide)...if it's too dangerous to drive at night then the reflectors don's need to be put on the trailer. What do the rest of the Nomads think of driving Mex. 1 at night???? :?:

if you have to ask then you already know the answer=it's up to you!

i would hope you wouldn't install a "cow catcher" but instead a "cow pusher."

the best advise is don't go to Mexico and hopefully the sun will come up.... tomorrow! just kidding,.just go and quit asking for permission!

[Edited on 5-25-2012 by woody with a view]

David K - 5-24-2012 at 09:19 PM

Right, have done it but only in extreme times... The problem is cattle and burros are attracted to the warm asphalt at night, and cattle like to lay down on it... and it usually is in a vado (dip) so you don't see the black cows until it is too late.

Other reasons for avoiding night driving is the scenery you miss... some of the world's finest desert landscapes (and yes there are miles of blah nothing, too). No Green Angel patrols at night and limited help, if needed.

Is it really worth the risk to cut 10 hours? Towing a trailer makes it even harder... the highway is only 19 feet wide, on an elevated levee often, and no shoulders, or pullouts, most of the time.

Did I mention the chupacabras or banditos? :rolleyes:

burnrope - 5-25-2012 at 04:31 AM

Driving at night can be hairy in Baja. There are sections of road that have cattle on them, mostly areas that aren't in the mountains. Then there's the locals who drive with minimal lighting, which can have deadly results when you use the headlights of on coming traffic to judge wheather it's safe to pass or not. I've done it, but I don't enjoy it.

[Edited on 5-25-2012 by burnrope]

chuckie - 5-25-2012 at 04:44 AM

I dont do it..

Mula - 5-25-2012 at 05:24 AM

And in the summer when it's hot the truckers run at night. Full Speed!

mulegemichael - 5-25-2012 at 05:39 AM

Nope!..never!....i knew too many amigos that bit it there!..not a chance!

edm1 - 5-25-2012 at 06:14 AM

No night driving in Baja for me, not until they put islands in the middle lanes!!!

Anyway, I wish you luck in facing the challenge of driving your wide travel trailer through Mex 1, that you will do just fine without incidents. I'm waiting for the trip report with baited breath.

dean miller - 5-25-2012 at 06:39 AM

DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT!

sdm

Marc - 5-25-2012 at 06:47 AM

I only drive at night after drinking. :lol:

Just a joke folks.

SFandH - 5-25-2012 at 06:52 AM

I might do it during a full moon.

[Edited on 5-25-2012 by SFandH]

goldhuntress - 5-25-2012 at 07:30 AM

I don't recommend it. The odds of something bad happening go way up.

mcfez - 5-25-2012 at 07:33 AM

I drive at night.

I always will drive behind a truck or RV. Same thing is done on foggy nights going back and forth to Los Angeles on 99

Cow catcher...........that's a great idea for cheap per steaks!

bill erhardt - 5-25-2012 at 07:54 AM

If as your screen name suggests you like to fish, and you spend time on Baja, you will surely end up driving occasionally on Mex 1 to be where you want to be at first light when the fishing is often best. Over the past ten years I've logged thousand miles of night driving to and from launch sites, and lived to tell the tale.
Two practices have made it easier for me:
1. Drive in the early morning dark rather than in the late evening, if you have the choice. You will find less drunks, people hurrying to get home, and traffic in general.
2. If possible find a rabbit to run interference. Staying a hundred yards or so behind somebody going your way takes a lot of the strain out of it. A big truck or bus is ideal. let him light up the roadway, blow oncoming traffic back on their side, and livestock off the road.

wilderone - 5-25-2012 at 08:10 AM

The constant hazard driving Mex. 1 - day or night - is the big cargo trailers and transport buses. They need all of their lane, and sometimes 8 inches of yours - especially around tight turns. And there are plenty of tight turns, blind turns. I have been on buses riding at night and they drive down the middle of the highway. At night, it's more difficult to gauge those inches and if a wind is blowing it's more difficult to control a large truck trailer. Darkness is simply an added risk. Sundown is around 8 pm now - you can drive 14 hours in daylight - why would you want to drive longer than that anyway? Ask yourself what you would do in the event of the "worst case" scenario. If you're comfortable with your plan, then go for it. Personally, I try to avoid trouble.

Mula - 5-25-2012 at 08:20 AM

And don't forget those northbound Scrap Iron trucks - - - and the southbound overloaded Sequnda vans and pickups.

Always a challenge.

Many Thanks

Fishmagician - 5-25-2012 at 08:35 AM

Again, thank you all for the constructive input it's all important. The more I know about the conditions the better planing I can do. I will post a report when I make the trip south. :yes:

thebajarunner - 5-25-2012 at 08:52 AM

I drive at night
I drive a bit slower than in the daylight (my compadres tell me I am the fastest guy on the track in daylight)
I pay real close attention.
I have never had "issues"

(Hate to say it, but I actually prefer driving at night, less traffic, cooler weather, etc. On some roads we preferred racing at night than in the daylight, of course we had radical lighting for night driving, which gave much better definition to road conditions than the overhead sun glare)

Lee - 5-25-2012 at 09:25 AM

There are stretches of road where there won't be any cows or goats. Not sure how the Cabo/Todos 4 lane will play out but that road about sunset use to be bad. Not the whole road but driving along then seeing goats on both sides at the last minute would scare the bejesus out of me. I've had close calls with a couple cows.

About sunrise along the stretch between GN and Vizcaino one trip saw a cow that had been hit. Guy had to be hauling as this cow was scattered for a hundred feet along the road. Blood everywhere. Guy must have survived as he wasn't in the ditch.

Might be some pattern. Don't drive early in the evening or morning. Midnight no problem.

I know a guy who drives all night couple times a year and no problem. If you hit something, you got a problem.

Sprocket - 5-25-2012 at 09:26 AM

I would say NO, why chance it.
Reason 1.

Reason 2

Reason 3

Reason 4

[Edited on 5-25-2012 by Sprocket]

mtgoat666 - 5-25-2012 at 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishmagician
What do the rest of the Nomads think of driving Mex. 1 at night?

I don't do it. The road is challenging in daylight, more so in the dark.

DavidE - 5-25-2012 at 10:18 AM

Superb tires
disc brakes on all 4 corners. Stop on a dime
Megawatts of lighting
20/10 vision. Can see a tecate can at night from 100 meters

Crest a hill or round a curve
And meet a drunk driver coming at you doing twice the speed limit in your lane.

One seventh the traffic but over 90% fatalities occur between dusk and dawn
Check out any bar or cantina during the daylight. Check again at night.
Notice the vehicles and big rigs parked out front.

MexicoTed - 5-25-2012 at 12:52 PM

I do everything I can to avoid driving at night. In 1989 I was run off the road by a semi taking too much of my lane. Luckily, there was an open area to pull off, but still ran though a cactus. And in 2007, a friend was driving just at dusk and came around a corner south of Bahia Concepcion to find a bull laying on the road in our lane. Stopped in time, but any darker we probably would have hit it.

Baja's about taking it easy. Don't chance it.
Ted

Cypress - 5-25-2012 at 01:07 PM

Driving Mex.1 at night isn't a big deal. Probably better than driving the old Mex.5 in the day. The operative phrase is, slow down after dark. :light:

woody with a view - 5-25-2012 at 01:20 PM

off road lights REALLY help with after dark driving and they alert oncoming vehicles to your presence.

Bob and Susan - 5-25-2012 at 01:33 PM

i drive at night...its actually safer in my opinion...less traffic

there are some animals but if you are watching...no problems

now if i got a flat or something i'd probably sleep right there until the sun rose...it is pretty dark in the desert

edit:spelling...again

[Edited on 5-25-2012 by Bob and Susan]

Oso - 5-25-2012 at 01:44 PM

I used to do it 30 yrs ago when I was younger and dumber. It helped that there was less traffic. Once an owl appeared out of nowhere and almost hit my windshield, freaked me out. Today I don't like Mex 1 even in the daytime.

BTW, I bought my Tacoma from Max. He had put yellow reflective tape on the front left bumper. Supposedly most Baja residents did that, not sure if it was mandatory but it seems like a good idea so I left it on.

DavidE - 5-25-2012 at 02:00 PM

Those capillas do not mark the site of someone's superb driving technique or luck.

"Here lies Antionio (or Jose, or samuel or whomever). Tried his best to drive home from the bar with no headlights. Said he could see better at night without them".

Bob and Susan - 5-25-2012 at 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
.... yellow reflective tape on the front left bumper. Supposedly most Baja residents did that, ...

thats because the left headlight is ALWAYS out on a mexican car :lol:

Bob and Susan

Fishmagician - 5-25-2012 at 03:42 PM

I thought it was both lights???

cow catcher

captkw - 5-25-2012 at 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez
I drive at night.

I always will drive behind a truck or RV. Same thing is done on foggy nights going back and forth to Los Angeles on 99

Cow catcher...........that's a great idea for cheap per steaks!

LOL Hey feez,,prime rib on the road !! LOL and I have drove at night,, but try my best NOT to drive near sunset and after..and like to start driving at false dawn,say like 5:30 in the morn and always run headlights all day long!! unless off road !!mexico dosnt stop at night,,but I know,,that your chances of crap goes way up driving at night..the inshure co. have done a lot of study's in the us & found you have 90percent more chance at night K&T :cool:

[Edited on 5-26-2012 by captkw]

Ken Cooke - 5-25-2012 at 10:37 PM

Arriving in El Rosario after sunset (from Cataviña)

On our way to Tecate (straddling highway in our 4WDs) at dusk.

Traveling from L.A. Bay to Punto San Francisquito just past dusk.

Valle de la Trinidad (just past dusk) - heading out to Ensenada w/Hella's and KC Daylighters lighting the way.

[Edited on 5-26-2012 by Ken Cooke]

acadist - 5-26-2012 at 04:36 AM

My 2 cents.....The scarriest thing about driving at night are the trucks and busses coming at you, headlights coming at you on very narrow roads. That being said have I, yes....will I again, probably. Pulling a trailer I do not think I would, too many variables and stress.

GregN - 5-26-2012 at 09:16 AM

Just avoid it at all costs. Dangers obvious in dark winding areas. Even near populated areas many of the drivers out there have been drinking. Years ago I attended a couple funerals of people who thought they could drive at night.

Curt63 - 5-27-2012 at 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bill erhardt
Two practices have made it easier for me:
1. Drive in the early morning dark rather than in the late evening, if you have the choice. You will find less drunks, people hurrying to get home, and traffic in general.
2. If possible find a rabbit to run interference. Staying a hundred yards or so behind somebody going your way takes a lot of the strain out of it. A big truck or bus is ideal. let him light up the roadway, blow oncoming traffic back on their side, and livestock off the road.

I avoid it like the plague but these guidelines are dead on.

Fishmagician - 5-27-2012 at 09:43 AM

Curt63

Sound thinking in my opinion. Just get in line and don't worry about the time.. :yes: