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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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TW plays BUMPER CARS in Mexicali
TW will fill you in on what had happened. I have to hurry and leave for LAX, but here are the photos...which will tell 1,000 words....
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Mango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 685
Registered: 4-11-2006
Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
Member Is Offline
Mood: Bajatastic
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Yowch. Looks like the bus won. 
I am sorry to hear about your rig TW. What street did this happen on?
I drive the streets around here in Mexicali often. Even, if I go up north for a few weeks to work it always takes me a bit to re-adjust to the
crazies around here.
I will add a little advice for driving in Mexicali from my experience here which may help others get though this hectic city.
- Avoid driving in the right lane on the main roads, and buses, pedestrians, and cars often enter the roadway with little or no regard to traffic
already present on the roadway. I've had most of my near misses in the right lane on Justo Sierra/Benito Juarez/Lopez Matoes, etc..(All 3 lanes each
way)
-Drive in the middle lane if 3 are present, people love to stop in the left lane that is next to a turn lane and create a 2nd illegal turn lane. They
often stop all traffic behind them after they stop at a green light while they wait for a green arrow to change in the turn lane next to them. (This
drives me nuts!)
-Before entering a traffic circle, know where you are going to exit. I usually pick the middle of the 3 lanes so I can right OR left; but, people
will often "squeeze" you, hold your ground, man your horn, and be ready to break and "smerge" It helps to aim for the little bit of paint striping
1/2 way though the circle for reference; but, be ready for anything... cars turning left from the right lane, etc. etc.. etc.
-Treat every intersection on side streets as if it has a possible stop sign. Some people just blow through stop signs, other times the sign is
missing with just bare pole left, but you are expected to stop anyways.
-Look out for the female tourist cops on quad-runners near the border crossing area. They love to swoop down on someone in pairs for not stopping at
a stop sign or speeding. (I've never seen a man on a quad here.. or a female in a car or motorcycle..go figure)
-Learn how to drive with one hand on the horn. My car was blessed with a horn louder than any other I've ever had. It's a godsend and really helps
when trying to alert an idiot that they are about to get whacked.
-And, had to add it. don't drive at night.. which can be hard this time of the year with the sun going down so early. I break this rule often here in
town; but, I avoid driving outside of town after dark or past 9pm in town.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64587
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Tom, we are waiting to hear 'the rest of the story'!!! Please...
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
Member Is Offline
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Those "pre-runner " bumpers aren't much good against a ....BUS.....
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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I was waitng to post a trip report after I get my happy snappy camera pixs back tomorrow but Ken's pictures tells it all.
We had finished the Pole Line Road run and got out to hwy 5 around 5pm. I headed north to Mexicali to cross the border and try to make it home that
night since I had to be at work Tuesday morning. Coming into Mexicali near the first OXXO minimarket I wasn't paying attention as I should have and
suddenly the bus is right there and I hit the breaks and bam, all is stopped. I felt like an idiot. I get out and the driver is OK, no one aboard.
Lots of people around and Ken shows up and the cops, a man and woman. They did not talk to me in english and spoke only to Ken in spanish. After a
while Ken tells me the bus driver wants $200 for his bumper repairs. OK, sounds like a deal. The female cop has me blow on her fist and looks to the
other cop and shakes her head up and down to say I had alcohol on my breath. They tell Ken I have a choice of spending a night in jail or pay them
$100. Well for me that's a no brainer, pay the money. No police report is written up and no ticket is issued.
Ken takes off for a tow truck. I call my wife and then my brother. My brother suggest that we tow it across the border and then deal with getting it
to Bakersfield. I agree especially since I don't have a police report for my Mexican insurance. Ken comes back with two guys in a pickup that were
going to tow it. I ask Ken to tow me to the border and explain why. The tow truck guys pull my bumper out from the tire and Ken pays them for their
service.
Ken tows me down to the border fence and we turn left and into the right lane. Soon after another cop car pulls up behind with lights on. He tells us
it is illegal to tow with a strap on this section because it's a high speed section. But for $150 they'll let us go, Gee money now makes it legal. I
say I need to go to an ATM because I'm broke. The cops take us to an ATM and I get the money and give it to them and they take us back to the street
to the border and hold up traffic while we get in line again in the right lane. It's now about midnight. As we near the border I look to my left and
wow, brother Bill has arrived. We switch tow straps from Ken's jeep to Bill's Ford F250. We get to the border and the agent comes out laughing and
says He would never have believed he'd see a Ford pulling a Toyota. After the usual questions of where I'd been and what had happened he says I hope
your day is better tomorrow than today and waved us thru.
Bill tows me to McDonalds parking lot while we figure what to do. Two cop cars are there talking. We decide to go to the Best Western hotel. I ask the
cops if we can tow it to the hotel and they say OK just make sure my hazard lites are on. I get in the truck and the battery is dead. Another cop car
pulls up blocking the other two. I tell Bill to haul butt out of there, he does and we make it to the hotel OK.
The next morning I call looking for a trailer to put the truck on but no one seems to have anything in Calexico or El Centro. We go out to the truck
and after a good look it doesn't seem too bad so we pull the front grile and bumper guard etc out and take the hood off . There was no fluid loss so
we pull the fan and head to Toyota in El Centro and get a new one. A top radiator hose from Auto Zone and the truck is running fine, even the A/C
worked. We leave the hotel at noon. I was a little worried when I got to Lancaster because I didn't have a right front headlight, all was OK and I got
home at 6:30pm.
My wife had already called Allstate and about 8pm I get a call from them asking about the accident etc and made an appointment for a claims adjuster.
Allstate will cover my vehicle as long as I was in Mexico less that 72 hours and not further than 75 miles when the accident happened, which I was OK
on both parts.
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MICK
Nomad
Posts: 499
Registered: 11-12-2003
Location: Rio Hardy
Member Is Offline
Mood: livin the good life on the river
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TW, Sorry to here about your ride. Wish I had been there to help. We miss seeing you we must get together sometime after you get it fixed and go for a
ride. IF your heading down we will be at the casa from the 27th to the 2nd.
You and shirley have a merry Christmas
Mick
Getting there is ALL the fun!
Ok being here is fun to
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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Thanks Mick. Shirley and I plan on being at Lou's Turkey fest and we'll stop by to see you.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64587
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks Tom... what a story!
Great work by Baja Ken, too!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Thanks Tom... what a story!
Great work by Baja Ken, too! |
Alls well that ends well. I am glad that Tom made it home so quickly and safely. I also made my plane to Barranquilla, Colombia without incident.
The jeep still has some salty mud on her, but itll be fine once I can pressure wash her.
Tom, you didnt mention how I broke the first tow strap...
I was real worried about you for a moment when that strap broke, amigo...
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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Tuesday Morning
Let's take a look and see whats wrong and what we can do. The bumper guard really did it's job protecting the vitals. It's attached to the frame
below.
[Edited on 12-23-2007 by TW]
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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After pulling the guard and front body parts out.
Using the tow strap we pulled everything we could forward away from the engine.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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Another look
We tie wrapped everything loose including the battery and fuse box. The white thing above the radiator is the fan.
[Edited on 12-23-2007 by TW]
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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A side look
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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The morning of when things were good.
Our last night of camping. A morning hike down this wash to the hunting blind.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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The cobblestone section of the Pole Line Road on Sunday
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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Our First Night Camp Spot
Sunday morning in the wash not far from the bottom of the Summit.
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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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Hey you got home safe and sound. Sometimes it's almost impossible to avoid mordida.
Say TW, I was looking for a past post of yours but the search says "nothing to search". What's up with that?
Hope Santa brings you a new frt end. That is if you believe in him.
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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bajamigo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1218
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: hubimos llegado
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It was nice of the cops to escort you to the ATM. You can get robbed in places like that.
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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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TW, sorry to hear about your problems in Mexicali and the crooked fingers reaching into your pockets for monies they should not have any reason to go
for. Wish I had known I have a friend that does great mechanic repairs and he would have taken care of your problem but your talents took care of the
mishap. Glad Calexico Police gave you consideration for your situation. If you travel through here again Ken has my cell phone number and I will
respond to a fellow Nomad in need. Take care and Merry X-MAS minus the cash the crooks took from you, sorry that happened to you. Later
=====bajafun777
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