Originally posted by aster
Just trying to get a sense of y'alls honest opinions on crime as it currently stands in Baja. Stateside all we hear about Mexico is pretty much a
steady stream of cartel violence, kidnappings, armed robbery, etc - obviously while there are still some very dangerous spots in the country I'm
guessing that stereotype does other areas (like Baja) a disservice. On another travel forum I was warned not to take our Jeep down there next month as
"drug runners are taking 4WD vehicles at gunpoint left & right".
So where does the truth lay currently?
We'll be down there before long and I'm trying to get a handle on best practices for safety. Right now I've just got a few via friends who've spent
time there:
-Don't drive at night due to borrachos and animals on the road
-Stuff left unsecured at a campsite or in-vehicle is liable to walk away (not sure if this applies to hotel rooms too?)
-Stop signs are yield signs in practice
-Occasional shakedowns from traffic cops & such
-We've got a "Club" for our steering wheel, I know this isn't really that effective a deterrent and am even wondering if it'd just draw attention to
our vehicle, worth bringing?
Any other tips for a couple gringos driving south for the first time?
I've lived in cities with rough neighborhoods and get the whole "keep your wits about you" concept, but it's been probably 7 years since I've been to
Mexico (and then the Yucatan) so we're simply not sure what to expect nowadays...
[Edited on 12-28-2013 by aster] |