BajaNomad - Shennanigans in El Rosario

Shennanigans in El Rosario

barcodemarco - 6-5-2016 at 06:16 PM

Hi folks,

My brother and I just returned from a trip to BOLA + Animas Bay. Overall it was a great trip and I plan to post a quick summary in the trip section soon. However, I first wanted to post about some unusual sightings near El Rosario as a warning to other Nomads…

Heading down to BOLA, about 5 miles outside of El Rosario, we saw two Mexican women next to an old beater sedan who appeared to be broken down off the side of the road frantically waving an empty water container at us as we passed by. One was middle aged, the other 10 – 20 yrs younger. I considered stopping to help but something in my gut told me to keep going. After all, it was the middle of the day and being close to town, it shouldn’t be difficult for them to find support from locals.

We fueled up in El Rosario and continued on our way through town and across the bridge. About ¼ mile up the hill past the east side of the bridge we saw the same two women again waving the empty jug and imploring us to stop. I’m guessing they didn’t recognize us??? At this point, we assumed that it was likely a scam or worse, and were relieved that we didn’t stop the first time.

Unbelievably, 5 days later, on our return to the US, we saw them again on the outskirts of El Rosario with the same car, same empty jug and same behavior. All three times they seemed to be acting desperate and “broken down” but comfortably parked off the side of the road. Don’t know what the scam could be?

Given that we saw them 3 times in our round trip through town, I have to believe some other nomads have spotted them. I wanted to post mostly as a warning to others but also to see if anyone else has seen this?

mtgoat666 - 6-5-2016 at 06:58 PM

I have been flagged down a number of times with same plea for gas money. kids in their 20s. I always stop give 20 or 50 pesos. I dont care if its a scam, as i am fortunate to have enough money to give to beggars i run across, the money is irrelevant, and if truly in need then the money is well given, and if a scam, i figure they are poor anyways, so its for the poor.

Btw, i think once i was flagged down just south of ER, maybe its a local custom.

[Edited on 6-6-2016 by mtgoat666]

Barry A. - 6-5-2016 at 07:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

I have been flagged down a number of times with same plea for gas money. kids in their 20s. I always stop give 20 or 50 pesos. I dont care if its a scam, as i am fortunate to have enough money to give to beggars i run across, the money is irrelevant, and if truly in need then the money is well given, and if a scam, i figure they are poor anyways, so its for the poor.

Btw, i think once i was flagged down just south of ER, maybe its a local custom.

[Edited on 6-6-2016 by mtgoat666]

Goat, ol buddy--------you actions are normally referred to as "enabling", and encourage bad behavior in others. Just so you know-------------

BornFisher - 6-5-2016 at 07:11 PM

Were they ummmmm, attractive???? JK
Does seem a little fishy!!!!

barcodemarco - 6-5-2016 at 07:23 PM

Not attractive enough to ignore my gut...but close!

I'm happy to give money to the kids in ER that wear white and hold the can in the middle of the road but I don't care for the lying sort.

mtgoat666 - 6-5-2016 at 07:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Goat, ol buddy--------you actions are normally referred to as "enabling", and encourage bad behavior in others. Just so you know-------------

Barry,
Have you ever been poor, like dirt poor?
My few dollars may "enable" them to get a beer, and thats fine by me.

Bajaboy - 6-5-2016 at 08:27 PM

Drove through today but didn't see anything. But it was an unusual drive. First, there was only one officer at Chapparral and we weren't sent to x-ray. Next the first checkpoint south of San Vicente was not manned nor was the El Rosario one. The check point north of Villa Jesus y Maria only had one soldier. Very quiet on the highway, too.

Settled in now and read to enjoy a cold Stone Coffee Stout. Good to be on Baja time.

BooJumMan - 6-5-2016 at 08:58 PM

Yep, I saw this same thing my last trip in that area. It was a woman in her 40s or so and her kid who was probably 10-12. It looked way too desperate to me and seemed fishy.

4x4abc - 6-5-2016 at 11:01 PM

I am totally with Borrego

fdt - 6-6-2016 at 12:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy

Drove through today but didn't see anything. But it was an unusual drive. First, there was only one officer at Chapparral and we weren't sent to x-ray. Next the first checkpoint south of San Vicente was not manned nor was the El Rosario one. The check point north of Villa Jesus y Maria only had one soldier. Very quiet on the highway, too.

Very few people were out today in the State of Baja California, reazon 1- it was election day, reazon 2 México vs Uruguay at the Copa America, played in Glendale AZ, México won 3-1

fdt - 6-6-2016 at 12:44 AM

Quote: Originally posted by barcodemarco

Don’t know what the scam could be?

Given that we saw them 3 times in our round trip through town, I have to believe some other nomads have spotted them. I wanted to post mostly as a warning to others but also to see if anyone else has seen this?

It's an old scam to get either some cash or gasoline, I've never seen them by El Rosario but have near La Paz and they go very inofensive looking, like a family or a mother-daughter pair. They are parked by the side of the road and always have a plastic gallon container to make you think they overheated, specialy on a hot day. Once you stop to help them with water they say that it's gas that they need, enough to get to wherever. So it's gas or cash.

dtbushpilot - 6-6-2016 at 04:00 AM

I believe we should help those less fortunate especially someone in desperate or immediate need. It would be a shame to let someone suffer because of fear or suspicion. It's hot out there, even if they weren't broken down it's still a tough way to make a living. Stop next time and chat them up, practice your Spanish, share a cold bottle of water and maybe even give them a few pesos. Some day it may be you, every Mexican vehicle will probably stop and ask if you need help even if you do look suspicious to them.

On the other hand if your gut tells you something is fishy as in if you stop banditos will come out of the bushes and rob you then maybe it would be best to keep going, every situation is different.

DENNIS - 6-6-2016 at 06:51 AM

Used to be [maybe still] an old man on crutches who would stand on the bottom of the toll road on-ramp, north end of Rosarito, thumbing a ride north. The ol' cripple never had to stand there long before someone would pick him up, and off they would go, he panhandling all the way to SDM where he would get out and go to the other side of the road.....same position on the south on-ramp, and thumb his way back to where he started, panhandling all the way.
This was his all day job.

rts551 - 6-6-2016 at 07:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy

They were all pulled for election duty.

larryC - 6-6-2016 at 08:46 AM

I think it was about 10 years ago that there was a bandito that would act broken down and try to flag down help from motorists and then rob them at gun point. This was going on between El Rosario and Catavina. They caught those guys fairly quickly. Probably not the same bunch this time, but ever since then I have become very wary of helping someone beside the road out in the middle of nowhere. Especially if I am travelling alone. Sad, but true.

Bajaboy - 6-6-2016 at 10:12 AM

Quote: Originally posted by rts551

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy

They were all pulled for election duty.

Made for an easy drive :biggrin:

ncampion - 6-6-2016 at 10:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by larryC

I think it was about 10 years ago that there was a bandito that would act broken down and try to flag down help from motorists and then rob them at gun point. This was going on between El Rosario and Catavina. They caught those guys fairly quickly. Probably not the same bunch this time, but ever since then I have become very wary of helping someone beside the road out in the middle of nowhere. Especially if I am travelling alone. Sad, but true.

In years past I would never hesitate to stop to check on or provide help for anyone stopped on Hwy 1, but in recent years with several instances of people being duped by "stranded" motorists, I have not been inclined to stop. Too vulnerable to be taken advantage of. Sad but true.

carlosg - 6-6-2016 at 11:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ncampion

Quote: Originally posted by larryC

I went to college in Guadalajara (that was about thirty plus years ago), and I would drive South to just before Mazatlan and buy shrimp along the way from the "changueras" and then sell it at school; once while driving at night going North up the grade in Plan de Barrancas, Nayarit there was a car on a curve with a whole family standing around and the man working under the hood: they were stranded. I stopped and everyone ran to hide in the bushes and the man rushed over to my car with a wheel iron in his hand and asked me what the !@%$^&# did I want, I told him I had sopped to help to which he replied to be very careful because either I was stopping to rob them or it could be a sting on the road to rob passing drivers... I helped them and went on my way... my car was a VW Caribe (Rabbit), the man was the service manager for the main VW dealer in Guadalajara.. after that I NEVER had a problem that couldn't be fixed at the dealer.... even on a student budget...

[Edited on 6-6-2016 by carlosg]

4x4abc - 6-6-2016 at 11:50 AM

love that Guadalajara story!

Barry A. - 6-6-2016 at 12:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

love that Guadalajara story!

That's probably because you, and other's here, have their heart in the right mode, and yes it is a great story. But as an ex-cop I don't advise it unless you are able to fend-off trouble, and you are not putting passengers in your veh. in jeopardy. When alone, I help other's too under these circumstances, but never with my wife or kids along-------I don't believe I have the right to endanger them unnecessarily. Just different perspectives, I suppose.

Gulliver - 6-6-2016 at 12:42 PM

The closest to any thing like that for me was harmless but a royal pain in the butt.

Headed South about half way between San Quintin and El Rosario there was a woman empty handed and hitchhiking. Scooped her up in my old class B. With some difficulty due to my grubby Spanish I found out that she was headed for La Paz. I said that I could get her as far as El Rosario at least.

While stopped for gas I conferred with my partner (we were caravanning) and decided we could take her as far as G.N. where we stop for the night.

Unfortunately I neglected to show her the head and she was so busy scratching her arms from her meth habit that she didn't ask and she peed on my passenger seat.

I am still getting whiffs now seven months later after extreme measures including submerging the whole seat in noxious chemicals.

I am slightly more selective now about whom I pick up and I certainly show them where the head is and how to use it!

Anyone have any good RV seats they want to part with (grin)?

Barry A. - 6-6-2016 at 12:46 PM

Gulliver-----------I believe we could categorize that incident as "unintended consequences".

Bummer!!!

sancho - 6-6-2016 at 02:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

I am totally with Borrego

Me too, it's simply by chance what country/situation one is
born into. Not everyone has the luxury of going thru life
in a place like the US, and after much self congratulation,
have a fat pension waiting for them

Barry A. - 6-6-2016 at 03:27 PM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

I am totally with Borrego

We ARE lucky, aren't we. My Federal "fat pension" amounts to $1,670 a month (down $60 bucks a month from last year) take-home, and I get no Social Security. Relatively speaking, that may seem a lot, but I fail to see what that really has to do with the prudence and safety of stopping to help suspicious folks waving me down along the highway which I thought was the topic here?!?!?!?!

SFandH - 6-6-2016 at 05:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.

but I fail to see what that really has to do with the prudence and safety of stopping to help suspicious folks waving me down along the highway which I thought was the topic here?!?!?!?!

"suspicious folks"

I don't think any of us would stop if we felt the people were "suspicious".

alacran - 6-6-2016 at 06:59 PM

Hola, all gringos, the word is BANDIDOS, not banditos.

barcodemarco - 6-6-2016 at 06:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

I am totally with Borrego

Spoken like a true American apologist. Your president would be proud. There are PLENTY of good honest people in Mexico who would not sacrifice their integrity to cheat someone from a few bucks. It's not the money, it's the deceit. Integrity should transcend social status, wealth or lack there of. I'm surprised some folks are trying to rationalize why it's OK for them to scam folks just because they may not be privileged.

mtgoat666 - 6-6-2016 at 07:08 PM

It's just creative panhandling. Not a mortal sin. A very minor sin, if a sin at all.
Try being poor. Never judge a man or woman 'til you've walked a mile in their shoes.

Quote: Originally posted by barcodemarco

Quote: Originally posted by sancho

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

I am totally with Borrego

barcodemarco - 6-6-2016 at 07:27 PM

Creative panhandling - that's great! I want you as my lawyer

You do know that is the gateway scam

woody with a view - 6-13-2016 at 12:04 PM

We were had by them on Saturday. Who drives past a lady and a 7 year old. We gave them about 2 gallons of spare fuel I was bringing back for my generator and a Couple of pesos. They said they'd been there 3 hours and no one had stopped. When we left them my son said he thought he remembered seeing them there on the drive south a week earlier.... At that point I said it would be awesome if when he was pouring in the gas it would have overflowed the tank!

The federal cops had a roadblock going at the south end of the ER bridge as well. They had two cars stopped in the dirt and waved us thru.

AKgringo - 6-13-2016 at 01:17 PM

Woody, I hope they truly needed the fuel, and pesos, and it didn't cost that much to help them if they were in need.

It would have been an interesting experiment to whip out the camera, or phone and snap a few pictures of the grateful recipients, then of their car, and license plate, and see if the smile disappears.

Posting a picture here might help others to decide how much help to offer these stranded travelers.

Lee - 6-13-2016 at 02:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view

Who drives past a lady and a 7 year old. We gave them about 2 gallons of spare fuel I was bringing back for my generator and a Couple of pesos. They said they'd been there 3 hours and no one had stopped.

Who? Me. No problem. Someone will stop, it doesn't need to be me. I don't believe they were there 3 hours, either. Don't believe a MX wouldn't stop. If a family with babies, dogs and chickens were waving bottles, I'd keep going. Sorry.

The above only applies on the road, in the middle of no where, S. end of ER. In GN, Ciudad, if it didn't look like a scam, I'd stop. If I have any doubt about the legitimacy of what I'm seeing, I pass.

woody with a view - 6-13-2016 at 02:26 PM

We've stopped to siphon gas for people 4-5 times now over the years. It's unfortunate that this lady is teaching her kid to be a hustler. It isn't unique to Mexico, I have a family member who did the same thing with their kid who dropped out of CalPoly to concentrate on the new found skill set.

It just sucks for the next people who may need assistance.

barcodemarco - 6-13-2016 at 02:50 PM

I drove past them....3 times.

I'm still laughing that in the amount of time it took me to fill up in ER, they drove to the other side of town and then tried to act stranded again.

Maybe they just have a very small gas tank and get bad mileage?

Can't believe that they are still there 3 weeks later. Truly a 9-5 gig. The locals must be disgusted with them.

willardguy - 6-13-2016 at 02:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by barcodemarco

I drove past them....3 times.

The locals must be disgusted with them.

or envy their tenacity......

BajaNomad - 6-13-2016 at 03:10 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fdt

Quote: Originally posted by barcodemarco

Right on the money here. I suspect it's the same folks that have been noted with this previously. We've given them gas and food before ourselves - on the same trip we both took south last year. They made it seem they were overheated... as noted.

Pretty sure it was the same two noted in this article online as well:

http://ridermagazine.com/2016/06/04/baja-enlightenment-ridin...

Photo attached.

David K - 6-13-2016 at 03:18 PM

Industrious people!

woody with a view - 6-13-2016 at 04:13 PM

that's them!

David K - 6-13-2016 at 04:42 PM

Terry28 - 6-13-2016 at 04:51 PM

So what..You did a good deed Woody...nothing like making deposits ahead of time in the Karma Bank!!!!!!

woody with a view - 6-13-2016 at 05:27 PM

yep....

motoged - 6-13-2016 at 07:48 PM

When we give things away, they are no longer ours.

If the giver's intentions are good, that is really what counts....

If we feel scammed and foolish, it becomes our problem, not the scammer's.....they have their own burden.

BajaNomad - 6-13-2016 at 11:22 PM

Also noted on Talk Baja in October:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TalkBaja/permalink/117415294...

wilderone - 6-14-2016 at 08:08 AM

Huh. I stopped once when a couple guys - one older, one younger - were waving a gas can. I couldn't spare any gas, but they said they'd been there since yesterday afternoon, did I have any food to give them. I said yes, and got out of my car and opened the trunk. They closed in to see what I had - I got a little nervous - and picked out some granola bars and a couple oranges and maybe 1/2 gal. of water - I didn't have much as I was coming home after a trip. They were very grateful for the food and I believe their plight was legitimate.
Another time a carload of about 5 people thumbing a ride - they ran out of gas and wanted a ride about 20 mi. back to Santo Tomas to get gas. I gave him a ride - we chatted. I've seen the road crew/pothole guys waving a water bottle, and I would have stopped had it been safe - cars following too close to pull over.
I've been on the receiving end of good deeds in Mexico and am happy to help when I can. But after traveling so often in Baja and almost never seeing a Mexican driver stranded, and a Mexican driver not helping out another does raise the caution flag.

David K - 6-14-2016 at 08:55 AM

What happened to the Green Angel daily patrols???

gsbotanico - 6-15-2016 at 09:54 AM

I've been on the receiving of getting help on the road. In a rental car on the newly paved road that runs along the Guatemala border in Chiapas, I drove over what I thought was a small rock, which punctured the oil pan. Fortunately there was a small paved area along the road to pull over too. This was (is) rebel Zapatista terrritory with frequent government check points. It's also remote low-land jungle with little traffic on the road.

It was already late in the afternoon. I knew we couldn't spend the night, so I stood out in the center of the road to stop the first vehicle to come by. It was a flatbed truck with a crew and boxes of shoes to be sold along a chosen route. The driver gave a ride to the nearest town of Comitán 185 km away up in the mountains. The driver told us he wasn't going to stop because he had been robbed previously after stopping to help a "stranded" woman.

We reported the accident to the car rental agency that night and got a call the next day from the Mexican highway patrol by radio phone. They found the car. The gasoline had been stolen, but otherwise the car was OK. We had removed all our luggage. We sent out a tow truck which cost us over $200 because of the long distance of the tow. Fortunately Comitán has a modern VW dealership, so the repair was quickly done. We still lost 2 days of traveling time, but were grateful for the driver/owner of the shoe business, who once comfortable with us, was very helpful. He even dropped us off at a hotel.

My rule is to avoid stopping to help in urban areas, but judge the situation in rural areas and give help, especially on secondary or dirt roads.

Finchaser2020 - 6-28-2016 at 09:20 AM

Saw them last Wednesday working north of town.

Thought it was strange they were stranded, but had two vehicles.

Have helped people down there when things lined up. Like a guy with his differential laying next to his work truck.

But this one smelled bad, especially after reading this post before we left.

KurtG - 6-28-2016 at 11:21 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

What happened to the Green Angel daily patrols???

I rarely see them anymore.

David K - 6-28-2016 at 11:24 AM

The Federal Highway Police patrol should address this as well.
Maybe it is a condoned scam... if it only affects us stupid gringos who think they really need help?

Bob and Susan - 6-28-2016 at 12:16 PM

its a new business...they are all over southern California...no one is doing anything there either...they used to call them gypsies

rork forfood.jpg - 75kB

AKgringo - 6-28-2016 at 12:36 PM

There is a rest stop north of Colfax CA, where locals can be found trying to "get enough money for gas to get to Reno"

There is no gas station there, and some of them are squatters living close to there, and nave no car! I have seen similar situations at other rest stops along the interstates, usually on the way out of a community with a long ways to the next one.

Bajaboy - 6-28-2016 at 01:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

What happened to the Green Angel daily patrols???

I saw two of them yesterday in Baja Sur...haven't seen them up north for some time. I think the last time was near Jesus y Maria.