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ledge
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 11-3-2009
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Safety in baja
What is the general impression of safety and violence in Baja compared to two years ago?
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JESSE
Ultra Nomad
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Up north is down IMHO, cops really giving the traffickers a run for their money. Down south is as calm as ever.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ledge
What is the general impression of safety and violence in Baja compared to two years ago? |
Opinions are all over the place. Just depends on who you ask. If you want a more complete answer, you have to ask someone who understands Spanish
and monitors the news, all of it. Those who don't just don't know but, that won't stop them from saying they do.
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Bajahowodd
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Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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I think it depends more on where you plan to be and what you plan to do. Your question was very broad.
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BooJumMan
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Has it already been 2 years since the original media outbreak of the violence in Baja?
Most parts of Baja are impoverished and the people in turn become desperate. Crime is still considered high in the northern reaches, mainly Tijuana
and other border towns.
I personally wouldn't spend much time walking the streets in Tijuana right now. But for the 99.9% of Baja, its just as "safe" as it ever was.
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ledge
What is the general impression of safety and violence in Baja compared to two years ago? |
Are you my ex-husband or what?
If this is a serious question, then I take that back.
P<*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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MikeLikeBaja
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It is safe everywhere except anywhere near Dennis's house. He is usually running around his neighborhood wearing only tube socks and whitie tighties
accusing people of stealing his chickens and monkies.
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ledge
Newbie
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Registered: 11-3-2009
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No this is a serious question to convince my wife that Baja is still a safe place to travel for the upcoming summer. Two years ago went to San
Juanico with the kids and they had a great time. Since then she has more stories about the problems and opinions from people who say they would never
go down there again because of the problems. Seems to me in the last two years things have settled down in the border area a little bit more, esp.
compared to three years ago when the policia were the ones car jacking Americans as they passed through TJ at night, and I know too that BCS is
incredibly safe, and beautiful. I just want the opinion of people who are living down there or travel down there, with no vested monetary interest,
only an appreciation for the area, to provide their impressions on baja safety and the drug problems that still need to be resolved.
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Paulina
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I take it back.
When people tell me that Baja is a dangerous place I remind them of all the many places here where I wouldn't go, where I wouldn't visit due to
violence, drug crime, gang activity etc. Those places don't make the entire state of California a bad place. I hold the same true for the states of
Baja.
Good luck. I can understand your wife's concern.
P<*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Go to the Nomad Baja Trip Reports forum... look at anyone's report over the past two yeras and see if there was ANY violence... only to fish, I think.
Crime happens MORE to innocent people DAILY in the USA... Do you stay in your home? Are you affraid to go to Disneyland or the zoo... even though
murder and robbery happens daily in L.A. or San Diego?
The violence in Baja... is nearly always in Tijuana or Rosarito area,... and nearly always between drug gangs and police. Tourists are almost never
the victim of any of the stuff going on.
Again, go to the Trip Reports forum and read/ look at the photos of what you are missing...
If you want to be extra conscious: Don't drive in the dark and stay on major highways in the border zone...
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sancho
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Comparing Baja crime to US crime is a total
waste of time, for me the risk in Mex remains basically the
same over the yrs., I think one has a bit more of a chance of being
robbed in Mex, but I don't think the
chance of physical assult has increased to any great degree
in Mex, however, as you have probably read over
the last couple yrs., there have been
a few terrible incidents, that have happened
to even to long time Baja travellers.
Some go out of their way to paint
a little too rosy of a picture of safety
in Mex
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capn.sharky
Senior Nomad
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Registered: 9-4-2003
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Loreto is very safe
And it needs your business. Come down and bring your money.
If there is no fishing in heaven, I am not going
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Where is the adventure with out a little risk?
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
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Mood: Want to fish!!!
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I commute almost weekly from O.C. to La Mision-Ensenada. This has been my routine for over 7 years. Pre mid 2007 I would stop in TJ for food, drink,
entertainment. As things got ugly, and I got married, I began driving straight thru at the border and not stopping before Cantamar. I would guess that
must be getting close to 300-350 round trips, at 45-50 weeks per year x 8 years. Not a single violence issue, ever. Be smart and aware. Dennis is
right, if you don't speak Spanish and read the news, or watch the Mexican news shows, you don't get even close to knowing all the things that go on.
As far as Baja Sur goes, 6 trips in 3 years, and again no problems. I do believe petty theft-burglaries are increasing as the economy keeps slipping.
Lots of people out of work with families to feed is the reason in my opinion. Go, enjoy all Baja has to offer. Just be aware of where you are, who is
around, and avoid the shady border attractions, drug areas, red light districts, ect. As I drive straight thru TJ, or taken the border road to the
toll road, I have witnessed dozens of drug transactions right on the streets. Once you are south of TJ-Rosarito, everything should be just fine. The
people, places, and fantastic experiences far out outweigh the very slim possibilities of any problems you will encounter. This board has tons of info
on all the great, SAFE places to go and discover your own Baja.
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Mika
Junior Nomad
Posts: 60
Registered: 1-8-2009
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Hi,
Personally, my impression regarding safely in Baja hasn't changed since I started to go down there often which is slightly more than 2 years ago. We
have spoken to many locals in TJ about current situation, but everybody we talked to said that as long as you don't do stupid things (drugs!) that's
fine. Then again, there were less people on the street in TJ at night compared to 2 years ago.
The only thing that I felt a bit uncomfortable was that those sales people (like time share or tours) are desperate and they are more insistent and
annoying than before. That I felt everywhere (TJ, Ensenada, Loreto and Los Cabos) We tend to stop and talk to those guys rather than being jerk to
them. But for people who are not used to those hard sell, I am sure that it gives unfavorable impression of Mexico (or Baja).
I would not drive around TJ at night, but that's what we have done in the past too. I advice to anybody going any new places whether it is Baja or US
to arrive a new town in the day light. The first impression is always important and it makes less scary. : )
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MitchMan
Super Nomad
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Registered: 3-9-2009
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There was a similar thread to this one about 5 days ago in a different topic in this forum. For the following comment, I have summarized my
interpretation of the content, in pertinent part, of that previous thread.
I posed the question about safety in BCS, as most posts were indicating that the level of danger worthy of comment related to BS in the north. I
asked specifically about drug related problems in BCS because someone said that they thought that the drugs were coming from So America north through
mainland Mexico, then cutting west to TJ once the drugs made it close to the USA border and that was the cause of problems in the norther border
cities and the reason for no problems in BCS.
One person responded by countering that the Baja has long been a drug route for transporting the drugs and for storing drugs as well. He thereby
insinuated that the problem was everywhere in the Baja but because of the marked lack of population density, it wasn't as noticeable.
Well, I don't know officially what to believe. But I do know that common sense and common observation has some merit. I spend much of my baja time
in BCS, La Paz mostly. I haven't noticed any drug problems. No one I know talks about it. As far as I can observe, I don't see a problem. What I
do notice is the increased presence of Federales and Federale road blocks between cities and semi regular caravans of local rifle-armed police in
trucks. Other than that I haven't seen or heard of any problems at all, so far. I feel safe enough to take my family to BCS. I keep looking and
asking, however.
Once exception is, last year, my La Paz attorney said that more and more young people are doing drugs than before.
There is some value to one's own experience as it does have some statistical validity. Your individual experience is one statistical sample. If you
talked to other people, their experience is a sample. When you talk to many people, you are gathering many semi-random samples. So far, my "random
sampling" is supporting "no problem to be worried about in BCS", so far. I could be all wrong in actuallity, but I am going to rely on my experience
and operate under the assumption that it is safe enough to take my kids to BCS.
I would still like to know if anyone knows of problems with violence in BCS(?)
[Edited on 11-4-2009 by MitchMan]
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k-rico
Super Nomad
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Registered: 7-10-2008
Location: Playas de Tijuana
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What I've seen pertaining to drugs in BC and BCS:
While camping at now abandoned San Pedrito near Pescadero I found a used crystal meth pipe.
At Santispac last year while camped next to the nice houses at the point I saw a grey haired pony tailed gringo drive up to the shore in a pickup
truck right before sunset. A few minutes later a 25 foot or so pointy bowed speedboat came in. The gringo transferred several 5 gallon tanks of gas
and a neatly wrapped and taped cube of something, about two feet long on each side, to the speedboat, afterwhich they both quickly left the scene, as
did I.
While spending the night in my RV at Cielto Lindo I got up about 3 AM to take a leak. I witnessed an 18 wheeler truck tractor without the trailer
quickly pull in and a gringo getting out of a small beat up trailer carrying another similarly wrapped package to the truck driver. The truck
immediately left.
Just last week at Santispac a black SUV with tinted windows pulled up to the beach about 25 yards from me. A Mexican dude got out and sat beneath an
empty palapa. A few minutes later an old gringo motored into the bay in a small inflatable from the south. Money and a package were exchanged.
Also last week while at Abreojos collecting shells at the point I found another used meth pipe on the beach.
In other words, every time I go camping in baja I witness some aspect of the drug trade. It's everywhere.
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
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Mood: Want to fish!!!
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Sad but true. Drugs are everywhere. I am really bummed you can't walk the beach without stepping on pipes. Meth is the worst. You see it changing
hands in TJ and Ensenada. Those shore meetings could be scary. Truth is, less people, less chance of having to deal with it. Stay south, stay safer?
Probably
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HaciendaCerritos
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 5-17-2009
Location: Todos Santos, Cerritos Beach
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Mood: Happy
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I drove a truck from Nashville, TN to Todos Santos with no more than a tarp over the bed packed with all kinds of stuff.
I was robbed in Texas. Nobody touched anything in Mexico.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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If you're worried about people doing drugs, then never leave your house. Yes, there has definitely been an increase in drug usage by Mexicans. There
are two primary reasons for it. First, the cartels realized that it was cheaper and less dangerous to deal at home rather than in El Norte. Second,
the economy being in the toilet creates the need to be able to get away from reality. There was what I might consider a hysterical blip in posts on
this forum some time back which I firmly associate with all the media hype about the cartel violence. We've been traveling Baja for decades. I have to
admit that when we drove first time that year to Cabo in 2008, I did actually look in my rear view mirror more than previously. But, it was a tranquil
journey and when we have gone several times since, there's been no cause for paranoia. Frankly, no one can guaranty that you won't become a victim of
crime traveling from your house to the supermarket. In my opinion, Baja is really pretty darn safe. And a whole lotta fun.
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