Down Ole Mexico Way

[Vegasdan]

Originally Posted by MickBrennan

@ Dan, On your travels are you planning to avoid cities with a crime rate higher than Las Vegas or Mexico? They would include, among others; Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, Memphis, Baltimore, D.C. Milwaukee, New Orleans, Atlanta, Oakland and Miami.

@ W Thomas, We are originally from NJ. Doesn't everybody have something under the seat?

Mick, I avoid all big cities, I might have to drive through on my way but don't stop and only find campgrounds in small towns. Not that I'm paranoid, I just don't like traffic anymore or unfriendly folks. I also carry multiple. If you like Mexico, by all means go south, I feel there is alot of this country I haven't seen yet.

[Explorer2]

Originally Posted by jackrobinryan

Traveled all over the world in the last 30 yrs.

I wouldn't naively go hiking in Iraq near the border w/ Iran and expect international support when I or my companions were arrested, however unjustly.

And I wouldn't drive my expensive motorhome across our border, thru an inarguably dangerous area to get to nice and safe beaches that I could easily fly to or see later. Just ain't worth it.

Not interested in being a story on GMA.

My thoughts exactly!

[MickBrennan]

Originally Posted by wthomas1

You can't carry a shell, let alone a gun into Mexico.

There you go again.

The amount of misinformation possessed and disseminated is astounding. Just google "Hunting in Mexico" and you will find loads of information about harvesting wildlife and bringing guns and ammo into Mexico. The people who have incorrect notions based on rumors, hearsay and sensational journalism will not be convinced themselves. I am posting to present a different and correct viewpoint in order that others will not be deprived of a good experience by people trying to convince you they know what is happening in the entire country based on a few hundred square miles along the border and Pacific coast.


A Maximum of 2 Rifles or Shotguns per hunter is allowed, guns may be accompanied by no more than 2 boxes of American Shells per gun (50 shells per gun). With the proper hunting permit, additional shells may be purchased in Mexico through various Licensed Sporting Goods Dealers. Only .22 caliber bullets and 12, 20 and .410-guage shotgun cartridges are available. Cost is somewhat expensive, but when measured with the risk of going to prison for smuggling shotgun shells into Mexico to save a few lousy dollars, the cost is cheap.

So all you hunters consider Mexico as a great place for duck and whitetail.

[MickBrennan]

Originally Posted by Vegasdan

Mick, I avoid all big cities, I might have to drive through on my way but don't stop and only find campgrounds in small towns. Not that I'm paranoid, I just don't like traffic anymore or unfriendly folks. I also carry multiple. If you like Mexico, by all means go south, I feel there is alot of this country I haven't seen yet.

Thank you! That is exactly what to do at the border (except smuggle guns) just drive through. That is the point. Parts of Mexico are very nice! Some places not so much. This beach is 2 miles from a campground.

[RustyJC]

This is from the U.S. State Department's latest travel warning regarding travel into Mexico:

Continued concerns regarding road safety along the Mexican border have prompted the U.S. Mission in Mexico to impose certain restrictions on U.S. government employees transiting the area. Effective July 15, 2010, Mission employees and their families may not travel by vehicle across the U.S.-Mexico border to or from any post in the interior of Mexico. This policy also applies to employees and their families transiting Mexico to and from Central American posts. This policy does not apply to employees and their family members assigned to border posts (Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, and Matamoros), although they may not drive to interior posts as outlined above. Travel is permitted between Hermosillo and Nogales, but not permitted from Hermosillo to any other interior posts.

The entire travel warning can be found on the U.S. Department of State's website HERE. Is that a neutral enough information source?

Rusty

[MickBrennan]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

This is from the U.S. State Department's latest travel warning regarding travel into Mexico:

The entire travel warning can be found on the U.S. Department of State's website HERE. Is that a neutral enough information source?

Rusty

From the same website:

Crime in Cancun, Acapulco, and Other Resort Areas: Rape and sexual assault continue to be serious problems in Cancun and other resort areas. Many of these occur at night or during the early morning hours, in hotel rooms, or on deserted beaches. Acquaintance rape is a serious problem. Hotel workers, taxi drivers, and security personnel have been implicated in many cases. ...

Drug-related violence, including shootings and kidnappings, has increased in Acapulco. Although this violence is not targeted at foreign residents or tourists, some of the violence has occurred in areas frequented by tourists and U.S. citizens in these areas should be vigilant in their personal safety.

The border sucks, everybody knows that. The entire country isn't the same. Do you have any experience in the area of Mexico to which I refer?

[RustyJC]

The point you seem to be conveniently missing is that, if one is to travel by RV to these "paradise on earth" spots you keep describing, one is going to have to cross the border and drive there through the areas that U.S. Department of State employees are forbidden to take a vehicle through, right? From my cite above:

Effective July 15, 2010, Mission employees and their families may not travel by vehicle across the U.S.-Mexico border to or from any post in the interior of Mexico.

Rusty

[MickBrennan]

Okay friend. Granted, I would NOT want to be a government official (with a red passport), a member of any law enforcement agency, upper management of a huge multinational corporation nor a politician in that situation. That said, it is a bad idea to; wear a lot of jewelry, flash huge wads of cash around and act important enough to kidnap and be held for ransom.

Neither you nor I would want to spend any time hanging around in a dangerous neighborhood anywhere.

The point you seem to be missing is that beyond that nasty border there are some real nice destinations. It is possible to drive through that area! Why bash the whole country and characterize the entire population as gangsters and thieves. That is preaching bigotry and racism.

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by MickBrennan

That is preaching bigotry and racism.

Let's not degenerate into name calling. We can debate the subject until the cows come home without getting personal. I am neither a bigot nor a racist and I strongly resent your implication otherwise. Drop it right there!!

Rusty

[azloafer]

I was going to say that this law couldn't exist because I used to go into Mexico for dental work for at least five years. I quit in the past year because of street shootings there. If things would change I would go again. We live 40 miles from the border. There are huge signs at the border saying "no guns". BUT I did google the subject and found this just as you said:

"SEMARNAP hunting permits come in six types:
Type I-Waterfowl, Type II-Doves, Type III-other birds, Type IV-mammals, Type V-limited, Type VI-special.

Permits are issued from a Government Licensed Dealer in Mexico.

In addition to the SEMARNAP hunting permit, foreign hunters need a consulate certificate, special visa, and military gun permit. The consulate certificate may be obtained from any Mexican embassy or consulate upon presentation of a letter from the hunter's local police or sheriff's office (on original police letterhead) verifying that the hunter has no criminal record. This certificate is also necessary for obtaining the military gun permits, which is issued by the army garrison in the major border town in the Mexican State in which you are going to hunt.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship is required. This document, must have your picture on it (i.e. Passport) if not, your voter's registration card accompanied by a photocopy of your Drivers License will suffice. Additionally, 8 passport size pictures are usually required with each gun permit and hunting license issued and the final number of pictures depends on the State you are hunting. Finally, a new regulation requires that all foreign hunters be accompanied by a licensed Mexican hunting guide. Your Hunting License agent can advise you on this requirement. Hunting License Cost is approx. $450 U.S. and includes Gun Permit.

The whole process of obtaining, on your own, the required permits and license is very time consuming, frustrating and discouraging for the average U.S. hunter. Even if you speak perfect Spanish, your better off arranging the license and permits through a U.S. broker or a licensed Mexican Outfitter, which specializes in the State that you are hunting. This assures you that a qualified agent is looking out for your interest, and that the job will be done in a manner which is acceptable to the State Agency for which you are hunting. A list of Licensed Outfitters can be requested from any Mexican Consulate in the State you are going to hunt."

This really took me by surprise as the border signs do not say anything about a gun permit, at least the signs that I saw. I still would not want to take a valuable RV across. The shootings I referred to took place on a street that I have to cross to get to the dentist. Dental work is so inexpensive, by US standards, and I would still be going there, but my wife begged me not to. She was afraid that I would get caught in the crossfire. Joe

[kalynzoo]

We used to visit the border communities in Mexico all the time, the last trip being 3 years ago...used to is the definitive phrase. Until the violence by the Cartels is eliminated and the polica are again in control we will refrain from visits across the border. Just one tourist's opinion.

[azloafer]

If we hear gun shots aren't we just supposed to "drop and roll?"
Oh wait... that's if we are on fire. Maybe duck and run? Happy travels, Joe

[jackrobinryan]

Originally Posted by MickBrennan

Murder rates per 100,000 people.
Mexico 15.3
Houston 18.0

So statistically and by the reasoning so many have promoted here everybody should avoid Texas and not take a chance driving through Houston to get anywhere.

Right?

Sorce

Maybe we can get a more recent set of stats to back up the logic. These seem a bit dated. The latest I found in reading the "sorce" is 2002 or 3, quite a long time ago and definitely before the recent and obvious uptick in violence we are all hearing about. I don't think Texas' or Houston's numbers have risen as much as Mexico's.

(In fact, down in the article he states " Texas, the state with the highest number of executions, dropped from being the state with the second highest murder rate to the 15th in the 1990s after beginning lethal injection in 1982. Thousands of murders are committed yearly by murderers released from prison -- a problem which could be eliminated by ensuring that convicted murderers are never released from prison.")

Now there is something I can agree with!

Regardless, I Hope and pray you have a very safe and enjoyable visit south of the border. I look forward to doing the same, at a later date.

jack

[rebelone]

Question? As I am Canadian going to Brownsville Texas, with my rv, will stay in rv park Feb. 2011. I will want to go again as I did last year to Progresso Mexico for more dental work. Anyone been there [ Progresso Mexico] in the last couple of months? I always park at border and walk over.
Thanks
Rebel