WhackAMolE
Nomad
Posts: 121
Registered: 1-6-2014
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Another close call on highway 1
Hola amigos, my first post here. I'm a retired Americano living in Ensenada for almost a year now. I make an errand run to San Diego two or three
times a month. Yesterday and today was my first trip north since the collapse of the cuota.
Timewise it's really not bad at all. Yesterday my trip to TJ took maybe five or ten minutes longer than usual, with relatively light traffic. (And to
cap it off, the wait at the Ready lane was less than 30 minutes. Oh joy!)
Coming back today was the same, maybe an extra five or ten minutes. Really not bad at all.
However I did have one amazing near-collision today. As I was driving south, a big pickup truck was driving straight at me in my lane. Clearly he was
attempting a totally impossible passing maneuver.
I had to head for the shoulder of the road to the right ... and as I started braking and moving to the right, he suddenly swerved hard to HIS left, my
right, and drove directly in front of me to the outside of me on the shoulder and up an outlet road at about a 45 degree angle to his
original direction. I somehow had the presence of mind to steer left back onto the road from the shoulder.
If instead of carefully moving to the shoulder I'd initially swerved hard to the right -- a perfectly reasonable choice since he was coming fast
straight at me -- this would have been a high-speed almost-head-on collision. But it didn't happen.
Instead I got back onto the road, he swerved in front of me up a dirt access road, and I was past the danger.
And then as I glanced at my rear-view mirror I saw a huge cloud of dust as this guy turned back toward the road and actually accelerated back onto
the wrong side of the road going north to complete his insane passing maneuver. I lost sight of him and have no idea what happened after that.
My conclusion is that the timing of the trip really isn't affected much at all ... but the danger level is greatly elevated. Between the truck crashes
and the occasional pendejo like my pickup driver today, there's just a much higher than normal chance of something bad happening on that road.
I was very lucky today. It only takes one nut like this and there are a lot of impatient people on highway 1. Maybe Tecate next time.
[Edited on 1-9-2014 by WhackAMolE]
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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glad you survived. I lived in Ensenada years ago and encountered similar erratic moves.
One thing I quickly learned: You can never assume drivers will follow reasonable passing procedures.
\"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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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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passing ????
let alone any normal driving,,thinking,,resoning procedures !! YIKES !!
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BornFisher
Super Nomad
Posts: 2107
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
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Welcome to the board and thanks for that well documented warning for the detour. Gotta put on your patience sombreo and take it easy!!
As an aside, I went southbound to La Salina Sunday and Monday and if you tell them your destination, you will be allowed to proceed past the road
block. Even if you just say you are going to the gas station!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64755
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Was there a bicycle in his lane?
Seriously, glad you are okay and welcome to Nomad! Thank you for taking the time to share your trip report with us!!!
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bajadogs
Super Nomad
Posts: 1064
Registered: 8-28-2006
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Was there a bicycle in his lane?
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If we all rode bicycles we wouldn't be so gordo huh DK?
Welcome aboard WhackAMolE!!! Great name!!! Uncle Hank?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64755
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Seriously! 
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13195
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Welcome to bajanomads! Great name and I for one, am very glad you posted this. Never, ever would I think that someone might attempt that maneuver. At
least now I will be surprised but perhaps alive, when and if they do.
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by soulpatch
That maneuver is pretty common over here in Nayarit. People use that lane intrusion as a warning that they are crossing completely over instead of
pulling off the road to the right and then crossing when safe.
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I used to use that passing maneuver back in my dirt track racing days but that was more than 50 years ago. Certainly wouldn't try it now.
Bob Durrell
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Tens of thousands of roadside Capillas are not safe-driving awards. I drive with my headlights on and the assumption many drivers are suicidal.
In the USA I remember "Armando"
He had a fight with the girlfriend, got drunk and purposefully drove his car at better than 90 mph off the end of a T interection around 110th street
East and K street in Lancaster CA. The car was a wad of sheetmetal. He was head to toe bruises. No regard whatsoever for anyone that would have been
crossing the T on K Street.
Defensive Driving takes on a whole new meaning when dealing with Mexican drivers. Remember, less than 5% of them have insurance, and 1% of them have
enough money in the bank to cover a 100 dollar scratch to someone's car. Be careful.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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BajaLuna
Senior Nomad
Posts: 581
Registered: 12-5-2012
Location: Pacific Northwest/Bahia Asuncion
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Mood: groovy
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You are so lucky, that was a close call. Glad you are ok!
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