Is it safe to go to Mexico, by yourself ?

[Ulter]

Hey Bam Bam sup bro!!

I haven't seen you around much, good to see you. 8 posts since Oct?? Hope all is well.

 

[BigManStan]

PM me and I can help you out. I know tex well.

 

[Riker29]

Here is some good, general advice.

I am not going to tell people “hey here is how you get gear or bring gear back from Mexico”. Posting that info is wrong and should not be allowed on the board. This post if more about just handling yourself down there, so that its safe. Maybe SOME info about ....... getting back .......... is included, but this is mainly about handling your safety and handling the border crossing itself.

I think that a lot of guys hear examples of what may or may not happen in Mexico, and make assumptions that it’s totally safe, or totally dangerous. Neither extreme is true.

There are cases of people being idiots and having no trouble at all. There are cases of people being nice and respectable, only to be harassed, beaten up, raped, killed, or just never heard from again. Ever.

In general the advice many should take is:

Be respectful, and be respectable.

Meaning, be cool and friendly. A LOT of the problems that people have when they are there is the "Ugly American" attitude, as if everyone in Mexico are low-lifes or scumbags or whatever, that WE ARE AMERICANS and we can act like idiots, get drunk off of our asses, have fights, just get loud and cause problems, and its ok because WE ARE AMERICANS. Well, I am very patriotic myself, but that attitude WILL get you into a lot of trouble down there. They HATE gringos that show up and treat them like shit, or cause problems or cause fights.

Even if you have no intentions of causing a fight or anything, if you ACT like you have an attitude (loud, drunk, acting like a badass, LOOKING like you are that “type” by dressing with a wife beater shirt, or tight T with muscles, etc) then you “fit the profile" and they will assume that you are, or will be, a dick, and you will run into problems.

So, don’t act like an asshole. Leave the macho crap back home, and just be cool and friendly. If people ask you to buy something, don’t say “out of my face scumbag" or square off at them like you will fight, just say "no thanks".

Be nice to them, be friendly. Smile. If a cop walks by, give them that sort of "hi there" nod. Don’t stare, but don’t avoid them either.

Now this stuff is not a guarantee. But its going to make you a LOT safer and have a LOT lower risk of any problems. With cops, Federales, locals, etc.

If you act like an asshole, you will get harassed (and deserve it, in my opinion). Also if you act paranoid or guilty or whatever, you are also just being bait for anyone who IS looking to just fuck with some gringo.

Oh, and another thing. And this is in the “duh" category. If you are big, have a lot of muscles, etc, don’t wear a fucking tight shirt or wife-beater tank top down there! What a dumb ass - why draw attention to yourself!? You not only will bring attention down there (the kind you don’t want, from police looking for dudes who are buying gear, to Mexican people who want to fuck with gringos) but you WILL be targeted at the border crossing! Don’t be a dumbass. You want to be low-key and NOT stand out.


I should have made this its own thread so that people will see it more. Oh well.

Karma?

Later for now.

 

[WannaImpress]

Here is some good, general advice.

I am not going to tell people “hey here is how you get gear or bring gear back from Mexico”. Posting that info is wrong and should not be allowed on the board. This post if more about just handling yourself down there, so that its safe. Maybe SOME info about ....... getting back .......... is included, but this is mainly about handling your safety and handling the border crossing itself.

I think that a lot of guys hear examples of what may or may not happen in Mexico, and make assumptions that it’s totally safe, or totally dangerous. Neither extreme is true.

There are cases of people being idiots and having no trouble at all. There are cases of people being nice and respectable, only to be harassed, beaten up, raped, killed, or just never heard from again. Ever.

In general the advice many should take is:

Be respectful, and be respectable.

Meaning, be cool and friendly. A LOT of the problems that people have when they are there is the "Ugly American" attitude, as if everyone in Mexico are low-lifes or scumbags or whatever, that WE ARE AMERICANS and we can act like idiots, get drunk off of our asses, have fights, just get loud and cause problems, and its ok because WE ARE AMERICANS. Well, I am very patriotic myself, but that attitude WILL get you into a lot of trouble down there. They HATE gringos that show up and treat them like shit, or cause problems or cause fights.

Even if you have no intentions of causing a fight or anything, if you ACT like you have an attitude (loud, drunk, acting like a badass, LOOKING like you are that “type” by dressing with a wife beater shirt, or tight T with muscles, etc) then you “fit the profile" and they will assume that you are, or will be, a dick, and you will run into problems.

So, don’t act like an asshole. Leave the macho crap back home, and just be cool and friendly. If people ask you to buy something, don’t say “out of my face scumbag" or square off at them like you will fight, just say "no thanks".

Be nice to them, be friendly. Smile. If a cop walks by, give them that sort of "hi there" nod. Don’t stare, but don’t avoid them either.

Now this stuff is not a guarantee. But its going to make you a LOT safer and have a LOT lower risk of any problems. With cops, Federales, locals, etc.

If you act like an asshole, you will get harassed (and deserve it, in my opinion). Also if you act paranoid or guilty or whatever, you are also just being bait for anyone who IS looking to just fuck with some gringo.

Oh, and another thing. And this is in the “duh" category. If you are big, have a lot of muscles, etc, don’t wear a fucking tight shirt or wife-beater tank top down there! What a dumb ass - why draw attention to yourself!? You not only will bring attention down there (the kind you don’t want, from police looking for dudes who are buying gear, to Mexican people who want to fuck with gringos) but you WILL be targeted at the border crossing! Don’t be a dumbass. You want to be low-key and NOT stand out.


I should have made this its own thread so that people will see it more. Oh well.

Karma?

Later for now.

Very well put Riker. I have been to Mexico several times, and have never had any problems, then again I dont go their with a cocky attitude. Rikers post pretty much sums it up.

 

[THE_BIG_FED]

BIG FED goes down there with my badge on my chest and my gun on my side, no one fucks with me. not that i need my gun with those little sawed off sorry excuses for cops and thugs down there.

 

[Bam Bam]

What's up Ulter? I have been busy man, it's good to be back, good to see you. As far as Mexico, the people have always been nice to me. You will see plenty of Americans over there. The Mexican people depend on American's to support what little economy they have over there. There are bad people and bad cops though, so use your best judgement. Believe it or not, I have always been checked by federalis when going over from the American side. They will check to make sure you don't have any weapons or drugs. I definately wouldn't take a girl across the border unless I was with a large group of people. Bam

 

[AAAColumbo]

Those are some awesome points RIKER! In esscense, I am really not going to go out and hit the bars...I am going to drive around, find what I need and try to get the hell out of there. I am especially nervous about those big "vendor" streets where traffic is bad, and people are walking everywhere...those places freak me out and worry me. The federalies also worry me. I am just going to stay in the car, stay on semi-public streets, and try to be safe!

 

[AAAColumbo]

Oh...I am not a gringo, so that might help me out

 

[BrothaBill]

Those are some awesome points RIKER! In esscense, I am really not going to go out and hit the bars...I am going to drive around, find what I need and try to get the hell out of there. I am especially nervous about those big "vendor" streets where traffic is bad, and people are walking everywhere...those places freak me out and worry me. The federalies also worry me. I am just going to stay in the car, stay on semi-public streets, and try to be safe! [/QUOTE

I know I said this before, but do NOT drive in Mexico without mexican car insurance, you can usually buy it at the border. If you get into an accident without it, you will not be allowed to leave the country. And double and triple check your car for any bullets if you hunt. People accidentally carried guns into mexico and been locked up for years. They are very serious about this. Otherwise be smart and have a good time.

 

[Riker29]

Those are some awesome points RIKER! In esscense, I am really not going to go out and hit the bars...I am going to drive around, find what I need and try to get the hell out of there. I am especially nervous about those big "vendor" streets where traffic is bad, and people are walking everywhere...those places freak me out and worry me. The federalies also worry me. I am just going to stay in the car, stay on semi-public streets, and try to be safe! [/QUOTE

I know I said this before, but do NOT drive in Mexico without mexican car insurance, you can usually buy it at the border. If you get into an accident without it, you will not be allowed to leave the country. And double and triple check your car for any bullets if you hunt. People accidentally carried guns into mexico and been locked up for years. They are very serious about this. Otherwise be smart and have a good time.

Lucias makes excellent points which must be heeded.

Peopel try to generalize "always drive" or "always walk". There are good and bad points to each. If you do drive YOU MUST GET MEXICAN INSURANCE. Period. Also, traffic laws are much much different over there - all you have to do is be IN a car that is in an accident and you can be hauled off to jail. Even if you are a PASSENGER and your car gets hit by someone who is blatantly drunk and at fault, ... just becuase you were sitting in the car ... that got hit ... you can be hauled away. It happens.

Taking a car has these risks but its easier to bring more ...... souvenirs (?) back.

Walking is less hassle in some respects, but if you can't carry ..... the souvenirs ..... then forget it.