BajaNomad - Highway 5 dangers

Highway 5 dangers

grace59 - 6-22-2015 at 03:57 PM

So, I was reading a book last night and read this:

"The stretch of highway between Mexicali and San Felipe had become notoriously dangerous for tourists with robberies and even murders being reported more frequently; consequently we were not eager to stay in Mexico after dark."

This is a book that was just published and the author is getting lots of attention for it. The last thing that this area needs is more sensationalized crap being said. As a long time resident of the area, I have been up and down Highway 5 numerous times without issue. Is my head stuck in the sand or perhaps up some place where sand sometimes gets stuck? I felt that the author was doing the people of this community a great disservice and expressed my feelings to her. When I contacted the author and asked for her sources...her proof....numbers?? This was her response: "I also spent much time in Baja travel blogs such as Baja Nomads and the State Department travel advisories to keep abreast of news from the area."

So, Nomads, am I missing something? I know that there are issues throughout areas of Baja, but is Highway 5 really that "notorious"? Have any of you had troubles?

David K - 6-22-2015 at 04:01 PM

Drama... she needs drama to sell books, sadly. If she wants to sell to people who avoid Mexico, then keep up the bandito stuff.

I for one have driven Hwy. 5, in the dark, for over 35 years... and NEVER had an issue. This is not a cattle grazing part of Baja, so no worry about black cows sleeping on the road, like Hwy. 1.

bajaguy - 6-22-2015 at 04:13 PM

You can always post truthful reviews on sites that sell the book

Oh, by the way, what is the title, who is the author and how did you contact her???

Anybody who writes a book with bogus information should be called out

sancho - 6-22-2015 at 04:16 PM

I've been going down to SF since early '80's, I remember an incident or 2, not to me. To suggest nothing has happened is a little naive. Personally, I consider driving anywhere
in Mex to have an elevated risk, not as being robbed, but
just the act of driving itself. Being a camper and watching Mexicalli
visitors driink all day Sun., then pack up for the drive to Mexicalli, is the part I look upon as risky, most being uninsured, some
vehicles in need of repair, to me that is the risk, not of
assult, etc

ligui - 6-22-2015 at 06:02 PM

We drove it at night so we didn't have to see anyone . :bounce:

Love that road .

ligui - 6-22-2015 at 06:05 PM

By the way .. what is the name of the book ? We should know who is bad .

:fire:

Thank goodness I have been warned!

AKgringo - 6-22-2015 at 06:06 PM

I had no idea how much risk I have been taking the past few years! I guess I will just stay home and enjoy Baja from the safety of the internet.

As an added benefit of virtual tourism, I can troll this site and scold people who are still foolish enough to put boots (or tires) on the ground down there!

Edit; Maybe I should have included a smilie face, which one is for sarcasm?

[Edited on 6-23-2015 by AKgringo]

Bajame - 6-22-2015 at 06:44 PM

Hey I just drove it for the first time 3 weeks ago , thought it was great . Maybe I should of had somebody with me ? Tell me where this doesn't happen in the states ?

Maderita - 6-22-2015 at 08:35 PM

Yes, Highway 5 was notorious and dangerous for a period of time. It seems maybe 15 years ago (plus or minus 5 years)? Sorry, couldn't find the incidents during a quick search. There were multiple highway robberies involving guns and violence on deserted stretches of the highway. The perpetrators were eventually caught. They were police officers as I recall. There were numerous news articles at the time.
Does anyone recall the details or have a link?

mtgoat666 - 6-22-2015 at 08:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita

Yes, Highway 5 was notorious and dangerous for a period of time. It seems maybe 15 years ago (plus or minus 5 years)? Sorry, couldn't find the incidents during a quick search. There were multiple highway robberies involving guns and violence on deserted stretches of the highway. The perpetrators were eventually caught. They were police officers as I recall. There were numerous news articles at the time.
Does anyone recall the details or have a link?

A while back there was a rash of cars attacked at night by rock throwers..

mtgoat666 - 6-22-2015 at 08:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

I for one have driven Hwy. 5, in the dark, for over 35 years... and NEVER had an issue. This is not a cattle grazing part of Baja, so no worry about black cows sleeping on the road, like Hwy. 1.

Black cows are just one of many road hazards,...

Burros
Rocks (on road or missiles)
Bandits
Narrow or missing shoulders
Unlit vehicles
Poorly marked road hazards
Horses
Cows in colors other than black :lol:

gnukid - 6-22-2015 at 09:10 PM

Black cows are just one of many road hazards,...

those are highlights not hazards you silly

bajabuddha - 6-22-2015 at 09:12 PM

So are the Black Crows, if you play 'em loud enough........

TMW - 6-23-2015 at 10:25 AM

The best I can recall it was the early 90s. There were some guys in a car with a red light that would approach cars on Hwy 5 in the KM60-KM90 area before La Ventana and acting as cops would pull people over then rob them. This would happen late at night like 1am. After several robberies extra police were put there and they caught the guys.

wessongroup - 6-23-2015 at 10:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha

So are the Black Crows, if you play 'em loud enough........

Now thats funny ... :lol:

motoged - 6-23-2015 at 10:43 AM

Still no book title, Grace ?

grace59 - 6-23-2015 at 11:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Still no book title, Grace ?

The title of the book is "The Accidental Truth" by Lauri Taylor. She wrote the book dealing with the murder of her mother who went missing from Vista, California in 2006 and was found murdered near Puertecitos about a week later. I remember when it happened as there was some discussion about it on here back at the time. You can search on here for the name Jane Kling. I had already traveled the highway many times by then and was on this forum for a couple of years and did not remember any mention of dangers on 5 (other than the narrow roads, vados and other drivers with unsafe cars.)
I'm only reading the book (about her investigation into the murder) at the suggestion of my sister-in-law who is friends with the author from their sorority days at SMU. So far most of what I am reading is irritating the crap out of me, but I promised the SIL that I would read it.
I was just wanting to hear stories from the Nomads as to their experiences as I was told that some of Lauri's info. came from here. I understand that she came here under stressful circumstances, but still feel like she is sensationalizing things and being unfair to people from this area. But as she said when I contacted her....those our my "opinions and perceptions" which they are.

StuckSucks - 6-23-2015 at 11:14 AM

Said book on Amazon

David K - 6-23-2015 at 11:15 AM

That explains a lot, thank you Grace.

I thought you posted about a new travel book about Baja that said such a thing... and not a story book about the sad murder of someone's mother.

I remember the incident... and it was not between Mexicali and San Felipe, but 40+ miles south of San Felipe.

StuckSucks - 6-23-2015 at 11:16 AM

Like others here, I've been up and down that road a million times - sometimes late at night, and never had a problem. I've never even heard of a problem.

David K - 6-23-2015 at 11:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by StuckSucks

Like others here, I've been up and down that road a million times - sometimes late at night, and never had a problem. I've never even heard of a problem.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=16296

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=19477

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=22839

[Edited on 6-23-2015 by David K]

mtgoat666 - 6-23-2015 at 11:32 AM

Quote: Originally posted by grace59

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Still no book title, Grace ?

the description and reviews on amazon indicate the book is interesting.

i suspect people investigating a murder and the underbelly of the region probably learned a few things the retiree expat crowd may be unaware of,...

AKgringo - 6-23-2015 at 11:58 AM

DK, thanks for the link to the original posts from2007.

Grace, I wish your original post would have indicated that the author was writing about first hand experience. It does not change my opinions about Baja, or future plans, but my response would have been a lot different.

I am inclined to read the book now, mainly to see how her dealings in Mexico progressed, how about a critic when you are finished?

norte - 6-23-2015 at 12:01 PM

It is not abnormal for nomads to speak before they think. look at the rest of the posts. you are not alone.

norte - 6-23-2015 at 12:04 PM

I guess when you mother is murdered and found in Baja you might feel it is sensational.

grace59 - 6-23-2015 at 01:15 PM

I will let you know what I think at the end. I do agree with some of the things she says as far as the slow wheels of bureaucracy and how you must run from place to place and back again to get anything accomplished. What I don't agree with (and this is only to the point that I've read to so far) is how she states things without fact (your chances of being murdered on the way to San Felipe) and the way she talks about the local people (some who went out of their way to be helpful). I'll let you know how it ends...unless you choose to get it for yourself. I know it has good reviews on Amazon, but I think that those come from friends....one of them being written by my SIL. Anyway, my entire point of this thread was to get your experience on 5 since she mentioned it is notoriously dangerous and that one of the places she got that info was on this forum. I was just wondering if I'd missed something in the past and just been lucky in my travels back and forth.

mtgoat666 - 6-23-2015 at 01:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by grace59

Anyway, my entire point of this thread was to get your experience on 5 since she mentioned it is notoriously dangerous and that one of the places she got that info was on this forum. I was just wondering if I'd missed something in the past and just been lucky in my travels back and forth.

quick search turned up these:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=21154
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=22624
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=44663&pag...

stuff happens at night. don't drive at night. even if the bloviator says there are no black bovines.

sancho - 6-23-2015 at 02:30 PM

I for one, like all info about Mex, positive or not, but it is sort a can of worms, revisiting past occurances, which are not necessarily
revelent today. Some of us go back a ways, like a long ways, stuff stored in the memory. Anyone remember the incident at
the Cortez Motel? or the one at Club Pesca RV park? Some here
only go back a few yrs. The uniformed sarcasim is just that

[Edited on 6-23-2015 by sancho]

rts551 - 6-23-2015 at 03:11 PM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho

I for one, like all info about Mex, positive or not, but it is sort a can of worms, revisiting past occurances, which are not necessarily
revelent today. Some of us go back a ways, like a long ways, stuff stored in the memory. Anyone remember the incident at
the Cortez Motel? or the one at Club Pesca RV park? Some here
only go back a few yrs. The uniformed sarcasim is just that

[Edited on 6-23-2015 by sancho]

or the two guys at the beach in San QUintin, etc.

PaulW - 6-25-2015 at 08:25 AM

The night my windshield was busted from a big rock at K150 when I reported it to the PFP the clerk at the PFP office said their were 6 incidents that night. The next day a Mexicali cop came with a Jeep and talked to the guys camped west of the highway near the mountain. No further incidents and no police reports I could find after the 6 mentioned. This happened after major layoffs at ElDorado condo construction sites.
==========

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by grace59

BajaGlenn - 6-25-2015 at 11:22 AM

As one that has personally had three ribs broken by car thieves below Loreto and my house burned at Punta Arena by Mulege--it's not just the roads that are sometimes unsafe--but as a whole Baja is safer that California!! Sad as the "old" days are always better right???? :?:

David K - 6-26-2015 at 08:54 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaGlenn

As one that has personally had three ribs broken by car thieves below Loreto and my house burned at Punta Arena by Mulege--it's not just the roads that are sometimes unsafe--but as a whole Baja is safer that California!! Sad as the "old" days are always better right???? :?:

You are one tough guy! Welcome to Baja Nomad!!

BajaGlenn - 6-26-2015 at 02:01 PM

Thanks David --I'm sure we crossed paths in the 35 winters we spent in Baja but didn't know it at the time--GREAT web site BTW :biggrin:

David K - 6-26-2015 at 02:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaGlenn

Thanks David --I'm sure we crossed paths in the 35 winters we spent in Baja but didn't know it at the time--GREAT web site BTW :biggrin:

Maybe? But, summer is our most common time to be on the peninsula. Camp Gecko was fun for Christmas/New Years 2001-2005, however. We may have met there?