Question for Mexican Trucker

Wow! Where have I been? I've lived down here in Mexico for over 15 years and I've yet to see what you describe. This sounds like "Trucking Bozo's" idea of Mexico!!

1. In the US, violence is always possible and occurs with alarming regularity, more so than in Mexico (not counting cartel activity)

2. Theft of commercial vehicles here is no more routine than in the US, and it ain't the cops doing it. Usually an inside job involving the driver!

3. You are correct about weapons possession in Mexico. Perhaps something the US should look at!

4. Justice system in no more corrupt than in the US and by and large, the merdido is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Want corruption? Look to D.C.? Same thing committed in a different fashion with the same end results!

5. Some of the best roads you'll ever drive on are the cuotas in Mexico and the toll roads. Federal highways are second. You have to get off the beaten path to find the dirt cow trails you suggest are commonplace.

6. Federal Highway Police corrupt? No more than some of the cops in the US, but most are very honest. Bad apples in every crowd.!

7. You would be surprised the number of people who speak English in Mexico if need be. English is a required course in all secondary schools and is taught by law, in Tamaulipas State beginning in the primary grades.

8. You are wrong about rights. You have the same rights as all Mexican citizens protected under the Constitution of the United States of Mexico. You also have rights to Consular services, not that they'll do a ###### thing for you. But in my experience of living here, obey the rules and the law, and you have nothing to worry about.
9. Correct about the searches, the same as in the US, especially in the 100 mile Constitution free zone that extends from both of our borders where Customs and Border Patrol have unlimited rights to search persons and vehicles without probably cause.

10. You'll pay merdida at the local level if stopped, maybe, and the merdido will be more than the fine. In Nuevo Laredo and elsewhere, Transito police are required to take offenders to OXXO convenience stores to pay the fine on the spot. It works. Collections in Nuevo Laredo are up considerably. The fine for speeding is $180.00 pesos, about $15.00, No Seatbelt, $130.00 pesos or $10.00 at the moment. DUI will get your ### in the drunk tank overnight and the fine can be in access of $250.00! If you are stupid enough to pay merdido (which is a crime under Mexican law) then you're on your own!

11. And yes, your US cell phone works just fine in Mexico, if you have a GSM multi band phone and an international calling plan. I use T-Mobile on my Blackberry Curve and Google G1 phone and have service all over the country. Telcel has an exceptional 3G network over 75% of the country, the same as the US.

12. I would challenge you to try and get a stolen vehicle into Mexico now! It's obvious you've no experience on the border, and if you do, probably limited to the nitelife in the zonas.

But thank you so much for your "expert" opinion on something you know absolutely nothing about.

Saludos desde Monterrey NL

 

Last seat belt ticket I got in El Paso County was $300 dollars and I wasn't even driving.

###### trooper threw his Big Mac out the window to chase us down and ticket us!

They're a bargain for us, but for the citizens, that can be a weeks wages. Fines or multas here are calculated on a mean percentage of wages.

Considering the average maquilla worker in Mexico earns between $125-$180 a week, that's a pretty hefty hit!

 

It's la mordida not "merdida"...the literal spanish translation is "the bite" but used as a slang term for a bribe. You would think that you'd have picked up on that since you (supposedly) live down there.

If it's so safe and secure, why won't your insurance company cover you if you take your POV across the border?

What is the body count from the drug cartel war? Bigger than the war in Iraq.

Years ago, I was lucky enough at the San Luis crossing to have a loaded .45 pistol pointed at my head by the Mexican Aduana. I will never step foot in that country again.

But we will have to agree to disagree. Best of luck to you regardless. Hopefully, no severed heads show up on your doorstep courtesy of Juan "El Chapo" Guzman.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090714/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_drug_war
Yes, this is a nice, safe country to do business in.

 

Well Paddington, my insurance company does cover me when I cross the border, within the 26 km commercial corridor (la fronteriza) as do most, but not all, US insurance carriers. I also carry Mexican full coverage policies on all my vehicles, although I have yet to use them.

Yeah, there is cartel violence down here. Not much different than the mafia wars in the 20's, and 60's and the cocaine cowboys in Florida during the 70's. The thing of it is, if you don't involve yourself in their business, you're not going to be involved in the violence.

You'll notice that of the thousands killed, the majority were those involved in one way or the other with the cartels.

 

for 2.5 yrs I worked all over Mexico installing Cell phone sites and up grading the equipments.this time period was 1990 t0 1993. yes, we too had our pockets full of bribe money, and willing to pay off the cops. The interior is nothing like the border region. yes, give respect and you will have 90% of the game won. But,the 10% shadows all the good. Horror stories, my crew was young men and they wanted to party and mess around with the local females. That there caused many problems and harsh feeling with the local males! Drugs were the major problems and their feds really shut some towns we worked in at 5:00 pm and the streets were bare. being on the streets after 5:00pm you could be shot on sight. We hired drivers and security armed guards. Carrying millions of dollars in equipment and test equipment we were a good bribe target, The bribe one time to the Fed cops was $3200.00 green dollars, or every thing was impounded and we would have been hauled of to jail. Mexican Jails are no pleasure trip, if you make it out ""your bribe money and knowing some local higher up's is the only way. Sent to prison, call your Senator, 1/2 a million might get you released. Horror stories ""true"" nothing could be more true! Having no need to be in Mexico """"DON'T CROSS THE BORDER""""! The Mexican's prey on Gringo's! Of choice, I would rather work in the Mid East than Mexico. That's being truthful. Americans are tolerated for their money, every thing else ""your considered fare game for corruption!

 

In Mexico, there are problems like anywhere else in the world. And MexicoTrucker is mostly correct in his observations. Do you know what the #1 cause of injury and death is for Americans in Mexico(besides old age for the half a million retired Americans living peacefully in Mexico)? Getting hit by a car. Yep. Crossing the street and failing to look and/or yield to a vehicle. Motor vehicles have the right of way.

Most crime involving muggings for example are non-violent, even if the perp has a gun or knife as long as you give up your cash, you don't get killed for "fun" like in the US.

Common sense, obeying the law and being aware of what's going on will go a very long way in Mexico.

 

Hey huys new here and there goes my first post.

I have been married to a good Mexican girl and we have two kids, having said that I have never set foot in Mexico neither have my kids, I am a trucker for 24 years and worked all over California for two years, but never did or will go across that border line, I have nothing agains the Mexican people, I do get along with them and think most Mexicans are victims of their own culture, so if you want to go to Mexico weather trucking or on vacation you are a free man go for it.

 

"3. You are correct about weapons possession in Mexico. Perhaps something the US should look at!"

You some kinda commie???