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Skip_Mac
Nomad
Posts: 102
Registered: 4-25-2008
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Lets see, it's been almost three weeks since I drove that stretch of highway alone in my car. Fifty carjackings on that stretch would be several per
day. Any reasonable person would wonder why there was no Headline Coverage in the tabloid US newspapers. Also, such a crime rate would draw official
attention...several carjackings per day on one stretch of highway. Gimme a break. Tell the original poster to use some common sense and stop
polluting these paged with wild tales.
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Leo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 518
Registered: 9-23-2004
Location: Todos Santos
Member Is Offline
Mood: could be better
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well said Skip Mac
The grass is always greener....
and so, there is always a better spot in Baja
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djh
Senior Nomad
Posts: 936
Registered: 1-2-2005
Location: Earth mostly. Loreto, N. ID, Big Island
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow fellow, plays a yellow cello...
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On a side note....
One of the things I like about languages..... A literal translation of the aforementioned article using BabelFish yeilded this:
"The victims argued to be undressed of their vehicles and properties, to be left later naked and in uninhabited.".
and
"the travellers are undressed of their automobiles and money"
I don't really mean to laugh at someone else's misery....
Its all just stuff and some numbers.
A day spent sailing isn\'t deducted from one\'s life.
Peace, Love, and Music
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bajabound2005
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2762
Registered: 10-15-2005
Location: Punta Banda, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: words cannot describe...
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Well, if you actually bothered to READ the articles in their intact language...I believe something has happened, and more than once. 50 tiimes? NO.
But the government's take on it seems to be this always happened there, what's the big deal? You cannot but those articles into translators and get
the real meaning, it only gives you a hint of the real story. DJH, your translation is uncalled for!
Friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Sharksbaja
Sorry Chris, but there is something odd about the whole thing. |
Not buying that, Corky. Too much here that has credibility. Or, deserves the attention to prove it wrong.
Have we seen that yet?
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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Thanks for that, Frank. You have the practical mind.
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djh
Senior Nomad
Posts: 936
Registered: 1-2-2005
Location: Earth mostly. Loreto, N. ID, Big Island
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow fellow, plays a yellow cello...
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Geeze Us !
"Your translation" [actually Babel Fish, as I clearly said] is no more uncalled for than your pompous, arrogant, presumptiousness!
Get some fresh air.
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabound2005
Well, if you actually bothered to READ the articles in their intact language...I believe something has happened, and more than once. 50 tiimes? NO.
But the government's take on it seems to be this always happened there, what's the big deal? You cannot but those articles into translators and get
the real meaning, it only gives you a hint of the real story. DJH, your translation is uncalled for! |
Its all just stuff and some numbers.
A day spent sailing isn\'t deducted from one\'s life.
Peace, Love, and Music
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Skeptical
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All Nomads report your recent experiences.
As I read the BajaChris's report, it seems to me that he is being responsible. He has heard this from what he consideres to be reliable Mexican
sources. He also says that the number 50 hijackings seems exaggerated. He is a newby, but he has returned to comment.
This is a very serious topic, if true. It severely impacts we who have residences in the South and who have to travel through that area.
I prefer to not believe the report but then I don't think it is a stretch of the imagination to think that it may be real. As the "War on Drugs", and
all the money we are pouring into it in the border region intensifies, it is logical that the criminals would move further south and do a little
fund raising. I fully expect the Mexican Government (this is not a country that is in full control) and the criminals to implement reprisals.
This report, true or not, is now out there and the idea is germinating. Not a good thing! So, let's us be responsible and suspend the usual sarcastic
remarks, and try to verify what we can.
I would like all nomads who live, travel or have reliable contacts in that stretch of HWY 1, between El Rosario and Gurerrero Negro, to inquire and
report what they hear.
Who can we trust? Certainly not the Judiciales or local policia. Maybe the highway patrols are trustworthy. They seem to be doing their duties and not
shaking people down.
It has been reported on this board recently that there are several checkpoints set up by police in addition to the army checkpoints. Who are they?
Could this be where this is occuring, or the cause of the stories originating?
How do journalists have actual, reliable access to the truth in that fairly remote region unless they are assigned to the story? It is not safe for
them either.
I think that our board members can dig and turn up timely and hopefully factual information. Also, any travelers who have gone through that region in
the last few weeks, please report what, if anything, they see or experience.
I do not live or travel in fear, but part of that attitude is possible only when well informed.
Thank you Nomads. Do what you do best; be helpful. Also be vigilant and be careful. Vie Bien!
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Mulegena
Super Nomad
Posts: 2412
Registered: 11-7-2006
Member Is Offline
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Desert Whispers
Gotta jump in here...
We traveled north one week ago today in my old Pathfinder. It had some transmission problems before we left, so we were concerned about the car's
longevity.
Well, it was near evening as we approached Punta Prieta. We were enjoying the evening colors and debating a stop for the night in Catavina or hitting
it for El Rosario. At first we thought it was just the rolling hills, but then realized the rpm's were up at 4k and we were slowing down. Dang, the
tranny's slipping! We turned around, asked for a mechanic and slowly drove to his house at the top of the hill.
He and his wife took us to the grocery store and got them to open up so we could use the town's only phone to call our family in San Diego who said
they would drive down to get us. The call was 40 pesos per minute and very bad reception. They took us home, fed us with their family and gave us
their livingroom fold-out couch to sleep the night.
The next morning he looked the car over and decided he could not fix it. We walked to the grocery store again to call a "yonke" in Ensenada about a
used tranny. Again, the call was expensive and poor reception-- and no luck, no tranny.
Over a lunch of hot tortillas and boiled chicken with mole (delicious) our hosts gently told us they had heard of robberies and murders on the highway
north. As we asked specific questions the answers were always affirmative, even if ambiguous and contradictory. We realized that although they were
sincere they could not substantiate their story, it was simply "common knowledge".
Our take on this? Even though Punta Prieta is on the highway it is effectively a remote and isolated community. There is only the most basic of
phone services, and communication with the outside world occurs randomly and sporadic. Yes, of course we're cautious while traveling. However until
specific incidents are recognized and documented, with reservation, we put these stories in the realm of urban legend.
The Pathfinder? We decided it had finally died a complete death, so cleaned it out and bequeathed it to the mechanic!
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Skeptical
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Thank you Maria, for that report. Sorry about the demise of your vehicle.
One wonders how these "urban legends" (hardly urban) originate. There must be some basis. Perhaps it traveled by word-of-mouth and built from the
tragic murder by cartel members, of the toco stand woman in El Rosario last fall, or the motel owner's highway murder (from Bahia de Los Angeles) near
Catavina a couple of years ago. These sporadic events do occur. Maybe those stories are the basis for the recent rumors. I hope that is all it is.
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bajachris
Nomad
Posts: 196
Registered: 3-29-2009
Location: San Diego, San Juanico, San Andres
Member Is Offline
Mood: Love Baja
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Doubters
First of all I asked for verification because the story does not completely add up. 50 car loads of people dead or missing is very questionable but
that's what I was told by someone who I deem credible. Secondly when I called one of my contacts who frequents the area and lives about 2 hours north
of Guerrero Negro they did not say this story is bullchit. They said there have been car jacking's in the area mostly in the afternoon and
recommended that we be careful. And finally we have a post with an article addressing this subject. Something is going on.
My post was not to spread rumors but to see if anyone knows anything that will help us to travel safely if we do in fact decide to make our trip
through the area in question.
Those in denial have to accept a few facts.
1. These incidents have occurred up north and it is not unreasonable that someone would decide to take advantage of the remoteness of the high desert
area.
2. Just because the news media has not caught on to this does not mean this problem is fiction. IMO, the biggest danger is the road and I have never
seen the number of accidents or the danger the road can pose reported on in the media. I still worry more about having an accident then I do about
running into members of the drug cartel and being shot.
3. Mexico is a poor country and economically things are worse than ever. People need to make a living and the police can not always be trusted.
I hope that when it is all said and done the people responsible are caught or this story proves to be exaggerated and we can travel safely. Until
then if you have any information at all that can be used to help us all travel safer please share it.
Thanks
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bajachris
Nomad
Posts: 196
Registered: 3-29-2009
Location: San Diego, San Juanico, San Andres
Member Is Offline
Mood: Love Baja
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Nomads
Although a newbie to this forum, we are not Baja newbies. We have been visiting Baja for 15 years, own property, and have built a house with help
from the local people. Baja is in our blood and we love it.
The stories toneart mentioned I have verified with friend's I have in Bahia, the guys who help me with my house and people I know El Rosario.
Mulegena story sounds about right based on my impression. Something is going on and we need to flush out the details and factor them into our
travels. I am not saying don't ever go to Baja again. But we do need to be a whole lot more careful than before. We may need to caravan down with
other in the future.
Thanks
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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Any idea on the methodes this rufiants are using to stop the cars, Do they look like police officers, or do they set it up as if they need help in the
road knowing that most of the Turistas stop to help. We need top have and idea on thier MO, so people know what to look for.
PS I hope is just isolated incidents..
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Mulegena
Super Nomad
Posts: 2412
Registered: 11-7-2006
Member Is Offline
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Thank you, Chris, for your report.
It is important for all of us, resident and tourist, to live and travel with respect and awareness of our environment.
We know there is some basis of fact in this report, and its with an interest for a balance between fact and possibility that I've reported my personal
experience.
I'll travel south again in a few weeks and will report at that time. As Toneart requested, have any other travelers conversations or incidents to
share on this thread?
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nancyinpdx
Nomad
Posts: 233
Registered: 1-16-2009
Member Is Offline
Mood: muy eccentrica
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Chris, it's good you appear to have a relatively thick skin; you'll need it in order to survive on this board. Welcome to Bajanomad.
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bajachris
Nomad
Posts: 196
Registered: 3-29-2009
Location: San Diego, San Juanico, San Andres
Member Is Offline
Mood: Love Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by djh
On a side note....
One of the things I like about languages..... A literal translation of the aforementioned article using BabelFish yeilded this:
"The victims argued to be undressed of their vehicles and properties, to be left later naked and in uninhabited.".
and
"the travellers are undressed of their automobiles and money"
I don't really mean to laugh at someone else's misery.... |
It is not "Undressed" the correct translation would be stripped or deprived of..
My understanding of the article is the people living in Guerrero are afraid to travel to Ensenada due to Banditos in the high desert and want
additional police patrols out there.
So don't laugh, its not funny.
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bajachris
Nomad
Posts: 196
Registered: 3-29-2009
Location: San Diego, San Juanico, San Andres
Member Is Offline
Mood: Love Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
Any idea on the methodes this rufiants are using to stop the cars, Do they look like police officers, or do they set it up as if they need help in the
road knowing that most of the Turistas stop to help. We need top have and idea on thier MO, so people know what to look for.
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That is what I was hoping to find out.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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Gee, I said I was sorry.
If the story isn't greatly exagerrated I'll eat my freakin' truck. If it is true it shows this forum and it's thousands of visitors and the travelers
of that stretch of hiway are hiding something quite well or we really don't know what's happening.
Where are the official reports. Some one should have more info to affirm the story and report. I need convincing material.
I'll have to go with Tony and just say, imho, that I think it's not at all accurate.
Here ya go Soulpatch:
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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42 postings in half a day. All started by a newbie. Maybe all with good intentions. But, if there were even a couple of such occurrences, would not
there have been some reportage? I am soon going to make that trip. As I have several times a year for many years. It gives me pause. And it also makes
me wonder if newbie is saving my life, or screwing with me.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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We are a hard sell...as the saying goes. Too bad we're so mean and thankless about it.
We get a warning and we fry the messanger.
One of these days, when all hell breaks loose...... those who we hope to hear from will stay silent for fear of ridicule. Right...or wrong, Chris
was just trying to help us. That's my take on this issue.
I don't know how to spell,"messanger" but, what I did up there doesn't look right.
When all else fails, use a dictionary....MESSENGER
[Edited on 3-30-2009 by DENNIS]
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