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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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Topes
In the past year the incidence of topes, especially in the Camalu-SQ corridor, are simply overkill.
Any idea why, when, how this epidemic has struck the main highway?
(Actually, if there is no oncoming traffic then a swing into the left lane to the main tope, then back to the right, pretty well clears the way.)
Also, just wondering, what is the purpose of the stop sign in Bahia (LA)??? Did Guillermo install that one himself just to direct traffic into his
driveway?
Baja Arriba!!
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Mike Humfreville
Super Nomad
Posts: 1148
Registered: 8-26-2003
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That's what I used to think too...
but it turns out that the crosswalk for the students is there. If you look west from the stop sign you'll see the school there, in the background.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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the topes in baja pale in comparison to the ones i experienced near puerto escondido, oaxaca 20 years ago.
a couple years outta high scool and we're heading south in the rental car to check out what was around the next bend in the road...and the next
bend...and, well you get the idea.
all of a sudden a rusty, faded sign declares, "topes!".
OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!    STOP-LOOK OUT!!!!
to this day, Regan and i still get puckered up:moon: and get a chuckle out of
those FOOT HIGH TOPES!
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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| Quote: | Originally posted by thebajarunner
In the past year the incidence of topes, especially in the Camalu-SQ corridor, are simply overkill.
Any idea why |
Because typically, Mexican drivers don't obey road signs.
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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In Belize they call Topes "Sleeping Policemen"
Which brings to mind visiting my old Mom in Canby Oregon and every time we went by the grade school there was a cop dozing in a cruiser. I finally
realized I was crawling by a maniquin in a spare squad car. 
[Edited on 4-19-2005 by vgabndo]
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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I don't mind the topes as long as they worn you they are there or at least paint them. two years ago I lost a car when they put in the new ones at San
Ignacio and did not mark them or paint them. I hit it at 85 miles an hour in an overloaded pickup. now I no where that one is. Probably I'm the reason
they put it in.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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Mexray
Super Nomad
Posts: 1016
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: California Delta
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Mood: Baja Time
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Here's a little ditty I wrote on this subject a while back...
Lions and tigers and cows, oh boy! by, Ray Cellar 2000
It's hard at night to see them on the trail,
Our headlights are dim and beginning to fail.
I react from 'Go' to 'Whoa' in the darkness ahead,
A creature appears while I yell, "we're dead!"
The screeching begins, the fumes fill the air,
The smoke drifts away, I think we are there!
We have bumped to a halt with a clank and a jog,
The ice chest's now in front, along with the dog!
As we gather our wits and take a quick breath,
We count all our fingers and again cheated death!
We look through the glass and strain all four eyes,
The 'Creature' has gone - it's said it's good-byes.
We look to the left, we look to the right,
We look all around, we look in plain sight.
Where did it come from, where did it go?
It must be beneath us, it has to, I know.
Then I spy it nearby, it's colored off-white,
Makes it more visible in the dark of the night.
Laid there by strangers, with a hearty 'OK',
We've just been 'attacked' by a G.. damn TOPE!
According to my clock...anytime is \'BAJA TIME\' & as Jimmy Buffett says,
\"It doesn\'t use numbers or moving hands It always just says now...\"
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mexray
Here's a little ditty I wrote on this subject a while back...
Lions and tigers and cows, oh boy! by, Ray Cellar 2000
It's hard at night to see them on the trail,
Our headlights are dim and beginning to fail.
I react from 'Go' to 'Whoa' in the darkness ahead,
A creature appears while I yell, "we're dead!"
The screeching begins, the fumes fill the air,
The smoke drifts away, I think we are there!
We have bumped to a halt with a clank and a jog,
The ice chest's now in front, along with the dog!
As we gather our wits and take a quick breath,
We count all our fingers and again cheated death!
We look through the glass and strain all four eyes,
The 'Creature' has gone - it's said it's good-byes.
We look to the left, we look to the right,
We look all around, we look in plain sight.
Where did it come from, where did it go?
It must be beneath us, it has to, I know.
Then I spy it nearby, it's colored off-white,
Makes it more visible in the dark of the night.
Laid there by strangers, with a hearty 'OK',
We've just been 'attacked' by a G.. damn TOPE! |
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Mood: Happy!
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You got that one right Mexray......!!! Very funny.....
I'm really hoping they'll put a road around the whole Camalu-SQ corridor for people driving thru--they're the ones who are speeding, mostly, I would
guess.
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El Jefe
Super Nomad
Posts: 1027
Registered: 10-27-2003
Location: South East Cape
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Way to go Mexray! That was great. Maybe we should start up a Baja Poetry section on the board. Well...then again, maybe not. The poems and song lyrics
that do pop up in the middle of threads are nice surprises.
Thanks
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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El Jefe
Super Nomad
Posts: 1027
Registered: 10-27-2003
Location: South East Cape
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Topes;
My favorite stretch of topes is in San Pedro, south of La Paz. I've had many locals smile when I refer to their little town as San Pedro del Tope.
Other old poorly marked favorites are 1. coming into San Ignacio from the south, and 2. Mulege just north of the Serenidad turnoff. I've hit both of
these hard more than once, even though I well know they are there. Maybe it is the scenery or whatever that has my attention and then, Wham! Dammit, I
knew that was comming!
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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bajalera
Super Nomad
Posts: 1875
Registered: 10-15-2003
Location: Santa Maria CA
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On the Gulf road south of La Paz, San Bartolo--alias "San Topolo"--has five or six topes, which seems like more than a fair share for such a small
settlement.
Lera
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
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turtleandtoad
Senior Nomad
Posts: 730
Registered: 1-20-2005
Location: Wherever I park. See sig for current location.
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Mood: Good if fishing
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I have to admit, they have gotten My attention! After cracking the skin around one of my slides by hitting a tope too fast, I found myself stopping at
yellow stripes PAINTED on the road.
But I've been wondering about the little "mini-topes" that I've run across approaching a few curves and vados. Why do they run them all the way across
the road, not just on the approaching traffic side?
Mike & Robin; Full-Time RV\'ers
37\' Georgetown w/3 slides & 275 Watts of Solar Power
06 Taco TRD
www.turtleandtoad.com
I am here
To paraphrase Frank Lloyd Wright; I\'m all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let\'s start with keyboards. --
Mike Dean |
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Frigatebird
Nomad
Posts: 215
Registered: 9-12-2004
Location: L.A. County
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To keep people from driving on the wrong side of the highway trying to avoid them.
Avatar courtesy of Herb 
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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| Quote: |
Why do they run them all the way across the road, not just on the approaching traffic side?
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it's faster than filling in the potholes with the leftover asphalt!
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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Topes??? Got a U2U asking "what is topes??"
Well, I looked in my special Baja Dictionary (provided by Baja Vida)
Topes (n) a medieval contrivance, awkwardly place in public thoroughfares, attempting to hinder, distract, confound or otherwise seriously damage the
conveyance and demeanor of the previously happy traveller.
Seriously, the topes are those speedbumps which the Mexican government has placed on the highway to slow traffic. Sometimes near schools, sometimes
in populous areas, other times with no apparent rhyme nor reason.
Possibly endorsed by dentists and auto body repair men due to the teeth jarring, metal bending affect if not properly negotiated.
Baja Arriba!!
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turtleandtoad
Senior Nomad
Posts: 730
Registered: 1-20-2005
Location: Wherever I park. See sig for current location.
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Mood: Good if fishing
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You forgot to mention that they are also used as a platform for selling fruit, newspapers, juice, and cowboy hats; and to collect donations for the
local schools, red cross, etc.
You also never know how high or steep the tope will be. Is this a 20 km tope or a 2 km tope?
Finally, the tope is the reason that a good 40% of the cars are in need of a muffler! And why people don't bother to replace a broken or missing
muffler (why bother, when the next tope is going to eat it)
Mike & Robin; Full-Time RV\'ers
37\' Georgetown w/3 slides & 275 Watts of Solar Power
06 Taco TRD
www.turtleandtoad.com
I am here
To paraphrase Frank Lloyd Wright; I\'m all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let\'s start with keyboards. --
Mike Dean |
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Arthur
Nomad
Posts: 232
Registered: 10-2-2003
Location: San Anselmo, CA
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I gotta see one of those 2 km topes. Do they give you a ladder with it?
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jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4863
Registered: 2-2-2003
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It's actually called
San Bartope by some. They are there because of the dead children that were littering the streets before the topes were put in to slow people in a
hurry down.
One of the unfortunate parents of one of these tragic incidents paid for these topes himself.
I think it's a shame that some gringos are inconvenienced by these "mountains" in the road!
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Me No
Banned
Posts: 444
Registered: 11-24-2003
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Anyone remember the Seven topes that used to be in what is now Maneadero? There was a tire shop adjacent to everyone of them. They used to light
them up at night with burning 55 gallon drums. They were so big you almost needed 4 wheel drive to get over them.
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