I've read the posts of the problems in Baja. Here is a solution. Have the organizations which have a consern about trevelers to Baja propose to the Baja government that sting operations be set up to catch some of the police who are posing as banditos and banditos posing as cops. I can see it now. An RV traveling down a Baja road at night filled with about a dozen well armed policemen being stopped by a couple of cars with flashing red lights. You take it from there.
Great idea. The problem in Mexico is, though, organized crime has ears everywhere. It is very hard to pull a sting in Mexico without the crooks hearing about it. I'm told federal anti-drug police teams are kept in a bubble with no communication in or out. They do not know where their busts are going to be, and they are not allowed to have cell phones... and these are the teams that have already met the highest security clearance standards.
As with a lot of cases, the solution has to come from within. The idea of US government and tourist organizations pressuring the Baja authorities has merit.
This mornings North County Times (San Diego) has an article reporting some of the same incidents. Crime is everywhere including the States.
However, I have a lot more confidence in Stateside law enforcement than I do with Mexican authorities. Sometimes it is hard to tell who the bad guys are!
awfulart wrote: This mornings North County Times (San Diego) has an article reporting some of the same incidents. Crime is everywhere including the States.
However, I have a lot more confidence in Stateside law enforcement than I do with Mexican authorities. Sometimes it is hard to tell who the bad guys are!
http://www.nctimes.com/
This one may work better:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/11/26/news/top_stories/20_13_1611_25_07.txt
It's actually a fair overview, and doesn't take a partisan position. It does what many of the previous Union stories did not, it has statements from the consulate, the State Dept, Mexican authorities, Discover Baja, etc.
One point that's nice to hear that the consulate is being proactive.
Quote: (...) U.S. officials are investigating whether paramilitary-styled bandits are specifically targeting Americans in Baja California, Smith said.
In addition to Weber's case, the consulate received reports recently that two American surfers were pulled over near the border by an automobile with flashing lights that was masquerading as a police car.
"Next thing they knew there were these armed guys with ski masks pulling them out of their cars and robbing them of everything," Smith said. "We're still establishing whether or not this is a trend."
This is posted for the rational belief there are people who need to think twice about Baja at this time...
If you are a seasoned Baja traveler, there is no reason for not using your knowledge and common sense for surviving the roads of Baja. If on the other hand you are new to traveling Baja...this is not a good time to learn. I remember my first trip...not bad...but made a few mistakes, got trapped in the middle of nowhere...that was not good. I planned for over a year and read all the boards for warnings...there are just to many things to learn...IMHO wait until something is done to make it safer. It will not be long...Baja is changing fast...this is just a big hump in the road. If I do not hear good news by February, I will not go this year (by motorhome anyway) unless I can arrange a caravan of 3 or more.
It's actually a fair overview, and doesn't take a partisan position. It does what many of the previous Union stories did not, it has statements from the consulate, the State Dept, Mexican authorities, Discover Baja, etc.
One point that's nice to hear that the consulate is being proactive.
Quote: (...) U.S. officials are investigating whether paramilitary-styled bandits are specifically targeting Americans in Baja California, Smith said.
In addition to Weber's case, the consulate received reports recently that two American surfers were pulled over near the border by an automobile with flashing lights that was masquerading as a police car.
"Next thing they knew there were these armed guys with ski masks pulling them out of their cars and robbing them of everything," Smith said. "We're still establishing whether or not this is a trend."
Hey John...why does this site not hot link automatically?Maybe needs a software upgrade....?
Hey John...why does this site not hot link automatically?Maybe needs a software upgrade....?
The forum's message window has a toolbar that will do various tasks for you.
In particular, the link tool, will make an active link, if you paste the URL into the URL field. It also provides an optional field for text to make a link like Pacific John's. The reason it is done this way may be an arifact from when the software did not have the ability to shorten long URLs and those would, sometimes badly, break the forum margins.
Hey John...why does this site not hot link automatically?Maybe needs a software upgrade....?
The forum's message window has a toolbar that will do various tasks for you.
In particular, the link tool, will make an active link, if you paste the URL into the URL field. It also provides an optional field for text to make a link like Pacific John's. The reason it is done this way may be an arifact from when the software did not have the ability to shorten long URLs and those would, sometimes badly, break the forum margins.
Tom
Thanks Tom...I will learn how to use it. With some auto systems they only hot link some of the url...I think this may be better.
Actually, Northern Baja has become a scary place lately, especially San Quentin and North. We have been travelling into Baja many times each year for the past 6 years, every single time South of Ensenada. I should also point out that we have never had a single problem and personally I have nothing but great experiences to share.
Unfortunately though, it is not just a couple of isolated incidents as some of you have stated. Baja has turned into the Wild West. It is not a simple robbery or spur of the moment carjacking. It is paramilitary style attacks. People have been pulled over on a major road by what appeared to be a police car only to have been dragged out of their vehicles and have a gun forced to their heads. This even happened when they were travelling with another vehicle. People have been sexually assaulted. There is another documented report of a kidnapping and beating in broad daylight in Puerto Nuevo. You also have to remember that many incidents are never reported since some people do not trust the authorities (for good reason) in Baja.
We have always known there was a risk of having to pay a bribe when we've travelled. However, we also always felt like this was the worst that would happen. Now we feel completley differently and will not be travelling in Northern Baja until we have proof of improvement.
There have always been drug related problems in the Tijuana area that involve cartel shootings and executions of Mexican authorities that oppose them. In fact, there was Another One Today. However, they have always left the tourists alone. That is obviously changing. I think it is now ignorant to believe that Baja is safer than major US cities.
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will make an active link, if you paste the URL into the URL field. It also provides an optional field for text to make a link like Pacific John's. The reason it is done this way may be an arifact from when the software did not have the ability to shorten long URLs and those would, sometimes badly, break the forum margins.
