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Started By
Message
TUba's serious advice for travel to Mexico
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:37 am
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:37 am
TUba's serious advice for travel to Mexico
1) Know when you're in Mexico. Some parts of the border are easy to accidentally cross. If you're near the border - know where you are going.
2) If you look up and don't see any Gringos around - you are basically asking for trouble. Get your arse back to the tourist district. 99% of all of Mexicans are wonderful people and great to be around - the 1% will kidnap you and shake you down for money and might leave you dead. If there are no other tourists around you increase the chances this will happen.
3) If you find yourself in trouble - and are asked to pay a bribe - frickING PAY IT. That is the way of life in Mexico. If you don't have what they are asking - they will likely be willing to negotiate. They aren't really looking for exact dollar amounts - what they really want is the most they can extract from you in the amount of time they are willing to keep you.
4) If you find yourself in trouble - and aren't asked to pay a bribe - you should OFFER one, preferably before getting to the jail. Once you are booked the bribe amount goes up substantially (the italicised part of #3 doesn't apply in jail) You shouldn't be too worried about them saying "bribe? no way! You're going to prison even longer!" - as I said, bribery is the way of life there - but you should try to ask in a round-a-bout way, like "is there anything I can do to help myself?"
5) The distinction between police officers working for the government and Cartel and other organized crime members is largely irrelevant.
we were never able to figure out if the guys who arrested/kidnapped us were cops or criminals - it doesn't really matter, its all basically the same fricking thing in Mexico.
EDIT-
Oh yes, and the most important one:
6) GUNS AND AMMO OF ANY KIND ARE ILLEGAL TO BRING INTO MEXICO. If you own guns - I would seriously recommend scouring your car or truck for that dropped round you might have missed. It might be worth the best years of your life, literally.
edit- of course if you secure the right documents from the Mexican government - you can bring a gun into Mexico, but your U.S. gun registration is worthless.
I say this from experience. I was held in a Ford Bronco for several hours in 2001 by Mexican police in Matamores awaiting a wire transfer for bribe funds. My step-father and mother also live there and I've spent a bit of time in the country.
1) Know when you're in Mexico. Some parts of the border are easy to accidentally cross. If you're near the border - know where you are going.
2) If you look up and don't see any Gringos around - you are basically asking for trouble. Get your arse back to the tourist district. 99% of all of Mexicans are wonderful people and great to be around - the 1% will kidnap you and shake you down for money and might leave you dead. If there are no other tourists around you increase the chances this will happen.
3) If you find yourself in trouble - and are asked to pay a bribe - frickING PAY IT. That is the way of life in Mexico. If you don't have what they are asking - they will likely be willing to negotiate. They aren't really looking for exact dollar amounts - what they really want is the most they can extract from you in the amount of time they are willing to keep you.
4) If you find yourself in trouble - and aren't asked to pay a bribe - you should OFFER one, preferably before getting to the jail. Once you are booked the bribe amount goes up substantially (the italicised part of #3 doesn't apply in jail) You shouldn't be too worried about them saying "bribe? no way! You're going to prison even longer!" - as I said, bribery is the way of life there - but you should try to ask in a round-a-bout way, like "is there anything I can do to help myself?"
5) The distinction between police officers working for the government and Cartel and other organized crime members is largely irrelevant.
we were never able to figure out if the guys who arrested/kidnapped us were cops or criminals - it doesn't really matter, its all basically the same fricking thing in Mexico.
EDIT-
Oh yes, and the most important one:
6) GUNS AND AMMO OF ANY KIND ARE ILLEGAL TO BRING INTO MEXICO. If you own guns - I would seriously recommend scouring your car or truck for that dropped round you might have missed. It might be worth the best years of your life, literally.
edit- of course if you secure the right documents from the Mexican government - you can bring a gun into Mexico, but your U.S. gun registration is worthless.
I say this from experience. I was held in a Ford Bronco for several hours in 2001 by Mexican police in Matamores awaiting a wire transfer for bribe funds. My step-father and mother also live there and I've spent a bit of time in the country.
This post was edited on 7/10/14 at 10:30 am
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:41 am to SpidermanTUba
quote:
I say this from experience. I was held in a Ford Bronco for several hours in 2001 by Mexican police in Matamores awaiting a wire transfer for bribe funds. My step-father and mother also live there and I've spent a bit of time in the country.
Just curious , what crime did they say you allegedly committed?
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:41 am to SpidermanTUba
Darn, Spidey...
I was hoping your advice would be "Go on, go down to Mexico, be your usual selves."
I was hoping your advice would be "Go on, go down to Mexico, be your usual selves."
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:41 am to SpidermanTUba
quote:
I was held in a Ford Bronco for several hours in 2001 by Mexican police in Matamores awaiting a wire transfer for bribe fun
Damn. Whatever happened to a good, old fashioned We-Pay-No-Bribes policy? Would that have been too much to ask for?
This post was edited on 7/10/14 at 9:42 am
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:41 am to SpidermanTUba
Nice. Just think, this wonderful advice will be equally applicable to large portions of the U.S. southwest very soon. Here's to our wonderful immigration policies.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:42 am to SpidermanTUba
I have traveled extensively through Central and South America. I can tell you this information is spot on.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:45 am to fleaux
quote:
Just curious , what crime did they say you allegedly committed?
The crime they told me I would be booked for was one I did not commit - but one which they could easily charge me for, given that - with their help of course - I lacked certain paperwork needed to justify some of the items in my possession.
That's all I will say.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:45 am to SpidermanTUba
quote:
If you find yourself in trouble - and are asked to pay a bribe - frickING PAY IT.
And this is why everyone who goes down there will be asked to pay a bribe.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:47 am to Rex
quote:
I was hoping your advice would be "Go on, go down to Mexico, be your usual selves."
Seriously though I wouldn't wish what I went through on anyone. We weren't physically mistreated in any way - but we had no idea they wouldn't. They were massive prison guard looking dudes and had a pile of guns (literally). It took several hours and the whole time I thought the wire transfer might not come through.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:47 am to SpidermanTUba
quote:
6) GUNS AND AMMO OF ANY KIND ARE ILLEGAL TO BRING INTO MEXICO. If you own guns - I would seriously recommend scouring your car or truck for that dropped round you might have missed. It might be worth the best years of your life, literally.
You can bring a gun to Mexico - you just have to obtain a temporary license pay fees (bribes?) at the border. I've hunted in Mexico a number of times and never had a problem.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:48 am to goatmilker
quote:
Explains the exodus.
Latest influx isn't from Mexico and immigration since 2007 is a net 0.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:48 am to C
quote:
And this is why everyone who goes down there will be asked to pay a bribe.
Tell you what C - if you go down there and are asked to pay a bribe - don't pay it. After your prison sentence is up and Mexico is still a corrupt shite hole - tell us if it was worth it.
This post was edited on 7/10/14 at 9:49 am
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:50 am to SpidermanTUba
I have had them dig through the lent in my pockets claiming it was MJ seeds. It can get crazy real fast there. Also, we used to put our wallets in our mouths when they would pull us over, this way they can't disappear with it. FWIW I have driven from California to South America and was stopped at many checkpoints.
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:50 am to cwill
quote:
You can bring a gun to Mexico - you just have to obtain a temporary license pay fees (bribes?) at the border.
I wouldn't even do that - definitely not in a border town for sure. An official can take your paper work and shred it and then what have you got?
quote:
I've hunted in Mexico a number of times and never had a problem.
Where?
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:51 am to SpidermanTUba
How much was the bribe? Are we talking hundreds, thousands... or like 75 bucks?
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:52 am to Bengalbadguy
quote:
. FWIW I have driven from California to South America and was stopped at many checkpoints.
Checkpoints or "checkpoints" ?
Posted on 7/10/14 at 9:52 am to SSpaniel
In my experience it was usually 25-50 bucks. About what a typical cop makes in a week.
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