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Cisco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4196
Registered: 12-30-2010
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajafun777
Wow, some of the comments here just make you shake your head. So, you get stopped in a border area and have a conversation of what you are doing
since you pulled off the road where drugs and illegal entry occurs day or night.
Dangerous job for those trying to do their jobs and in turn when I get stopped in Mexico as I am sure many of you have I accept the job they are
doing. I don't get mad or call them names or hate on them. Yes, maybe their demeanor or ways of handling the stop was not my top ten things that day
but it is what it is.
I have no criminal background, I have no illegal drugs on me or in my vehicle and I obey their laws, as i think they should obey ours. I show agents
from both Countries respect no matter what and don't let the little things ruin my day. Life is way too short to let the little things enrage you.
Enjoy life and leave the casting stones to those that are perfect in their actions to others in their personal and working lives. We all have way too
much on our "bucket lists" to finish before we are finished to let the little stuff twist us into knots. Take Care and Travel Safe-------"No Hurry,
No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777 |
Although I understand and appreciate your position, I’m not going to be interrogated as a pre-condition to traveling within my own country.
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Bajafun777
Super Nomad
Posts: 1103
Registered: 9-13-2006
Location: Rosarito & California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Enjoying Life with Wife In Mexico, Easy on The Easy
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Cisco, unfortunately we have had others reduce our freedoms to lesser levels due to criminal acts and in attempts to keep others safe. Cruel, Mean
and insane criminals do not care what any of us go through and any moment any of us can be confronted by such animals. So, how our security is
maintained now will always be points of discussion but reality is lesser freedoms due to these types of individuals.
So, to get into a court house now you will empty your pockets and walk through a scanning device and answer whatever questions the officers ask you
period. To drive down the street and come upon a DWI stop you will drive through the designated area and answer questions as they look you over
period. When you go to take a plane or ship you will go through similar inspections and will answer any questions period. Heck do you realize that
the courts have long ago given total authority to schools to search any student within its grounds without a warrant? So, again I see where others
may not like it but they need to get over the tail twisting and stress of attacking those doing their jobs to keep at least some level of safety
within our borders and communities.
Times have been a changing and I nor really you have the time to let it sour our abilities to enjoy our lives, family, friends and places we love to
visit. A few minutes of questions just will not get me into a anger point since I can quickly answer them then be on my way. Too much good stuff out
their to let the small stuff ruin our FUN and ENJOYMENT, as we have so many amazing things this world has to offer before we leave it. So, enjoy
yourself and may you always find FUN! I know I will, as my desire to complete as many of my "Bucket List Items" before I die is very important to me
and hopefully yours are to you too! Ahhh Baja, now getting ready in a few days to head down to La Paz for MORE FUN!! LOL Take Care & Travel
Safe-------"No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777
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Cisco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4196
Registered: 12-30-2010
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajafun777
Cisco, unfortunately we have had others reduce our freedoms to lesser levels due to criminal acts and in attempts to keep others safe. Cruel, Mean
and insane criminals do not care what any of us go through and any moment any of us can be confronted by such animals. So, how our security is
maintained now will always be points of discussion but reality is lesser freedoms due to these types of individuals.
So, to get into a court house now you will empty your pockets and walk through a scanning device and answer whatever questions the officers ask you
period. To drive down the street and come upon a DWI stop you will drive through the designated area and answer questions as they look you over
period. When you go to take a plane or ship you will go through similar inspections and will answer any questions period. Heck do you realize that
the courts have long ago given total authority to schools to search any student within its grounds without a warrant? So, again I see where others
may not like it but they need to get over the tail twisting and stress of attacking those doing their jobs to keep at least some level of safety
within our borders and communities.
Times have been a changing and I nor really you have the time to let it sour our abilities to enjoy our lives, family, friends and places we love to
visit. A few minutes of questions just will not get me into a anger point since I can quickly answer them then be on my way. Too much good stuff out
their to let the small stuff ruin our FUN and ENJOYMENT, as we have so many amazing things this world has to offer before we leave it. So, enjoy
yourself and may you always find FUN! I know I will, as my desire to complete as many of my "Bucket List Items" before I die is very important to me
and hopefully yours are to you too! Ahhh Baja, now getting ready in a few days to head down to La Paz for MORE FUN!! LOL Take Care & Travel
Safe-------"No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777 |
Thank You, that was very well said.
Unfortunately it is an indictment of our society and what we have allowed ourselves to become in relation to others.
Yes, even my VA medical clinic in Mission Valley, San Diego, has detection devices and armed officers at the entrance. Frightening what we have
become.
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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I've been reading this thread with some interest, tho I prefer to visit the board for Information and observations about recreation opportunities,
beautiful places to visit, people to meet around Baja, etc.
These discussions are important though, and seem to distill down to: how much surveillance should US citizens accept and tolerate, at home and abroad?
Is the "inconvenience" of multiple checkpoints, multi-layer border fences and armed guards the price we pay for (fill in the blank/select all that
apply)________________ - security - safety - comfort, and is that price becoming too high for some of us to bear?
I've posted before that I lived in Ensenada in the 90s, and experienced my share of burglaries that were finally ended with the violent assassinations
of those responsible (likely drug trade related shooters sent from TJ cartel did the job). So when it comes to security concerns, well, armed guards
and municipal police didn't help our community, but narcotraficantes did. That was a new concept to wrap my brain around.
During 1999-2003 I was a research fellow at one of the UC campuses, regarding crossborder environmental policies, and also served as a US
Presidential appointee on an advisory board related to NAFTA. That's when I was among the first who received a SENTRI permit, which changed my life in
a remarkable way: I could actually enjoy my time in Tijuana, instead of dreading the wait!
During that time I crossed the border many times for meetings with agencies, businesses, academics etc. I also lead groups along the border region to
observe what is going on from a political, environmental and social perspective. Believe me, people from other parts of the world find this place
fascinating.
We are the world's busiest land-based international port of entry with the most expansive space for these crossings, from the ocean to nearly 10 miles
inland. Groups made up of Canadians, Central & Latin Americans, Asians, Europeans and others I have escorted to the fence are shocked by the
security infrastructure. They compare us to a divided Berlin, or West Bank/Gaza in Israel, complete with tunnels for illicit commerce.
Since border infrastructure was part of my research and advisory responsibility, I often drove my truck down along the fence, alone and with others,
to see what progress was being made. I kept an eye and ear peeled for the inevitable BP fellows, and once they established I was there for a
legitimate purpose, we often swapped stories of the strangest things we had experienced along "la linea." Some of them had pretty entertaining stories
to tell.
At that time I had a large black labrador who rode with me, and when the agents warned me of rocks being thrown, criminals crossing over to do me
harm, etc. I would thank them and assure them I realized the risks, but to date (and ongoing) have not had any problems. My sense was, and remains,
that large dogs make good travel companions for single women (but I don't plan to feed my 18 lb. poodle any steroids to test this theory)
One group I lead to Otay, over 10 years ago, included researchers from Mexico City. As I showed the BP agent a large map on the hood of my truck to
discuss our travel itinerary, the DFistas posed on their green patrol 4WD, legs and arms spread, to take photos to send home. Apparently, in DF,
getting stopped by the BP earns you brownie points.
On another trip, with an environmental group looking for burrowing owls over the then-undeveloped Otay mesa area early on a Sunday morning (there were
MANY then), we were suddenly joined by a group of 6 or so border xers who emerged from the tall grass, dressed in dark clothing. They calmly walked
by us as we scanned the fence and wilderness areas with binoculars, and jumped into waiting vehicles that had appeared from the industrial park. We
all acted as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, though I may have joked, "Oh, look- more birdwatchers!"
I'm certain they had crossed the night before, and their leader had eyes and ears on us before they determined we were non-threats, radioed ahead and
coordinated with the cars to continue heading north.
So, as I embark upon "Baja Border Crossings, Decade 3," I will continue to keep my ears and eyes on alert, and heart and mind open. And on occasion,
when someone with authority to do so wants to inspect my vehicle, I will make sure to chat with them about the most boring and mundane details of my
reason for traveling throughout the inspection, to the point they are delighted when it's time for me to move on.
This was a tactic I learned while interacting with BP in rigid inflatables who approached us off shore, while we were doing ocean research about
Tijuana sewage, which most people don't like to discuss... but that's for another post.... http://www.netconnection.com/outfall/
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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