| | |  News from Around Banderas Bay 
Mexico Road Safety Update
 Dorothy and Bill Bell - ontheroadin.com
September 26, 2010
| | Dorothy and Bill Bell have travelled to all 31 states over a dozen times and are considered experts on road travel in Mexico. Visit OnTheRoadIn.com to view more photos and articles about road travel in Mexico. | |
American and Canadian snowbirds are making up their minds on whether or not to drive by car or recreational vehicle to their place in the Mexican sun. However, recent travel warnings by both the Canadian and American governments along with negative media reports has generated a tremendous interest and concern over travel safety issues in Mexico.
Response to our first report on Road Safety in Mexico overwhelmed us. It generated over a thousand enquiries and requests for more detailed information on road safety in Mexico. The following is our best assessment and contains answers to many of the questions that have been posed to us.
Our Current Life
By Dorothy Bell
Bill and I live in La Pe๑ita de Jaltemba, Nayarit. It is a small community an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. The town is predominantly populated by Mexicans and with a very large snowbird community that both flies and drives here annually. There are only a few of us expats that live here year round. Our day to day lives continue much as they have done for the last 5 years residing here. We go to the market, restaurants and bank as we have always done, and we feel very safe.
We differ from most locals and tourists in that we travel by road thousands of kilometers a year in Mexico. Most "gringos" and Mexicans do not. We would hate to stop traveling because we were too scared to do so. It has not reached that point although I will say that we are significantly more careful than we have been in the last 20 years of travel in Mexico.
We are retired and make a small income from Mexican Road logs and advertising on our website OnTheRoadIn.com. We would leave Mexico in a moment if we thought our lives were in danger, the risk was too great or the stress was too taxing. We would hate to do this because we love our current life in Mexico; we love the people and culture. Our income is certainly not dependant on Mexico tourism and nothing ties us here except our love for the country and our community.
Why Mexico?
Mexico is enchanting. It's not the cost of living that continues to attract us; rather it's the way of life. We enjoy the warm climate, friends, sand between our toes daily, golfing, fishing and outdoor activities. Our lives are significantly simpler than they were before we retired here seven years ago - less complicated.
We find most Mexicans honest and hardworking. They have a love for family and a love for life. We count many as friends and trusted colleagues. There are bad apples and good apples in any barrel and for the most part there are mostly good in Mexico.
The country is historically intriguing; we cannot get enough of the pyramids and colonial cities; the pageantry of parades or the small and large fiestas and local celebrations. We envy the Mexicans' deep family roots and love our family and kids just that much more through their example.
We feel safer in our little town and in most places we visit here than we do when we travel and visit many cities and towns north of the border. Having said that, we recognize that things have changed in Mexico. The Mexican underworld with all of its horror (and ALL countries have an underworld) is brimming to the surface.
Road Reports
Bill and I have given daily thought on how we should advise people regarding road travel and safety in Mexico. Let me begin by saying while we know a great deal about driving in Mexico, the highway system, rules of the road etc., we are NOT experts in law enforcement. If you think we can guarantee safety, protect you and your loved ones from anything hazardous on the road... well you've come to the wrong people. We can't do that in Canada, the US or Mexico.
We do, however, have common sense and with our Mexican driving experience, can tell you when we think something is fishy... not quite right... or altogether wrong.
If you have travelled before to Mexico, then likely you will not see anything different than your previous visits. We have traveled thousands of kilometers this summer and did not see anything untoward. We go out at night to restaurants and bars but as always stick to the more savory side of town.
We have talked to senior Mexican authorities, those involved in the tourist sector, hotel and RV Parks as well as gas station attendants and friends and family. Everyone has uneasy and trepidation feelings. We are definitely NOT saying no problema... we are saying WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS.
Here is my unabashed, take it or leave it assessment on what is going on in Mexico:
1. Mexico is going through some radical social changes
2. There is indeed a drug war
3. There are car hijackings
4. People are getting killed
5. It is highly unlikely that you will personally experience any of the above
Mexico is going through some radical social changes
Mexico has been a devout Catholic country for centuries. Things are changing rapidly and within one generation. I have many friends who come from families of 12 or more and who themselves only have one or two children. We laugh and say that their parents didn't have TV.
In Mexico City, the capital leads the country on social and law reform. Abortions and same sex marriage have all been liberalized within the last 5 years. In other words, I believe many Mexicans (good or bad) have strayed from their strong religious roots with ties to family and society. There has been a tremendous upheaval of what was once considered normal societal conventions.
Living next to the most powerful and rich nation in the world is tough. Many Mexicans have travelled North in search of a better life and are willing to work illegally at almost any job to put food on the table and to reach for the American dream. Other Mexicans have opted for illegal activities in Mexico including drugs and drug related crime. It is hard to pass up an illegal act when you desperately need money to feed a family or deal with a sick relative. To paraphrase a drug gang's recruitment billboard, "Are you tired of eating rice and beans? Come join us."
There is a drug war
The President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, has declared war on those drug gangs (many who have been recruited from the military) and they in turn are fighting back against police and military forces. They steal cars and trucks with tinted windows that can drive fast, get away quick and, if possible, protect their identity. People are getting killed but generally they have something to do with the drug trade or the fight against the gangs. Some innocent people do get caught being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it is the rare exception.
There is no evidence to show that tourists are being targeted. The reported violence generally takes place in border areas and in isolated spots throughout the country. Yes, some tourists have been caught in the crossfire or wandered onto a horrible situation. As an avid road traveler in Mexico I have never seen a car jacking, phony road block or a murder. We have crossed the Tijuana, Mexicali, Nuevo Laredo and the Nogales borders within the last 3 months. The only difference we can see at the borders is that tourist traffic appears significantly down.
This summer alone we have travelled nearly 10,000 miles without incident.
How many innocent people are we talking about?
It is difficult to know who to believe when it comes to crime and statistics.
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