How safe/dangerous is Baja these days?

[m21sniper]

Perhaps you should just take your family to S. Central LA. Probably a lot closer.

And perfectly safe!!!

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by ckissick

I talked to at least 5guys who take their Westies down to Baja regularly, and they say it couldn't be safer. And they all have syncros and go to very remote villages. I wouldn't hesitate to take the family. I've driven it before myself, and found it very safe.

Baja Crime stats, 2008 (LYA):

La Cronica (Mexicali, Baja Calif.) , Frontera (Tijuana, Baja Calif.) 5/25/08
1) Both front pages feature the increase in criminality in Baja California and compare two equal periods: Nov. 2006 to April 2007 and Nov. 2007 to April 2008. The results:
- Homicides: 228 vs. 327 ( + 43.4 % )
- Kidnappings: 8 vs. 36 ( + 350 % )
- Bank robberies: 4 vs. 15 (+ 275 % )
- Vehicle theft: 15,688 vs. 18,629 ( + 18.8 % )
- Violent robbery: 3,459 vs. 6,245 (+80.5 % )

In April of this year there were 69 homicides, 15 kidnappings and a daily average of 102 vehicle thefts in Baja California.
The data is from the state's Dep't. of Public Security.

http://www.rightsidenews.com/200805251029/border-and-sovereignty/baja-california-crime-statistics-jump.html

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LOL, it's probably safer than Philly.

[BeyGon]

LOL, it's probably safer than Philly.
__________________
"US Army Snipers. Providing surgical strikes since 1776."

In car video of my 928: YouTube - Porsche 928 in the rain
Modified 83 Porsche 928S

The weather is better, it doesn't snow, the bugs aren't so bad in the summer,
no matter where you go, you can get a cold Pacifico and fish tacos, some places Lobster tacos.
How's that Global Warming going for you in Philly these days?

[m21sniper]

Freaking rainy man. :-/

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Baja Crime stats, 2008 (LYA):

La Cronica (Mexicali, Baja Calif.) , Frontera (Tijuana, Baja Calif.) 5/25/08
1) Both front pages feature the increase in criminality in Baja California and compare two equal periods: Nov. 2006 to April 2007 and Nov. 2007 to April 2008. The results:
- Homicides: 228 vs. 327 ( + 43.4 % )
- Kidnappings: 8 vs. 36 ( + 350 % )
- Bank robberies: 4 vs. 15 (+ 275 % )
- Vehicle theft: 15,688 vs. 18,629 ( + 18.8 % )
- Violent robbery: 3,459 vs. 6,245 (+80.5 % )

In April of this year there were 69 homicides, 15 kidnappings and a daily average of 102 vehicle thefts in Baja California.
The data is from the state's Dep't. of Public Security.

Baja California Crime Statistics Jump | Border & Sovereignty

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LOL, it's probably safer than Philly.

Well everyone does start by saying, "If you just drive right through Tijuana without stopping until you get past Ensenada, it's perfectly safe." Just keep away from TJ. Even so, most violent crimes are drug related and/or involved only Mexicans. It's safer than Philly.

[m21sniper]

Thousands mourn death of Southern Calif. teen - Yahoo! News

Just a simple reminder that nowhere is safe.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by ckissick

Well everyone does start by saying, "If you just drive right through Tijuana without stopping until you get past Ensenada, it's perfectly safe." Just keep away from TJ. Even so, most violent crimes are drug related and/or involved only Mexicans. It's safer than Philly.

Exactly. Anyone who has done a cross-country drive in the U.S. has passed by dangerous parts of large cities on the freeway. If you foolishly decided to exit and sniff around, maybe getting lost in the process, it would be dangerous. Mexico is a dirt-poor country and has always had its perils.

You are also correct in that the staggering crime rate in TJ is pretty much 100% brown-on-brown crime. The rare U.S. victims have all been of Mexican descent. (As far as I've read about). I'm thinking about a straight shot to Rosarito. That's the area that I'm concerned with.

[BeyGon]

I used to think of the old Rosarito Hotel as the album cover for the Eagles featuring Hotel California. It wasn't but I always thought of it that way. We used to stay in the old section. Eat in Pureto Nuevo.

[Radioactive]

2 Americans and a third victim are killed in Mexico shootings - latimes.com


U. S. Dept of State

Travel Warning


Mexico

[m21sniper]

"Two cars leaving a party come under fire in Ciudad Juarez. A baby in the back seat of one car survives unscathed, but her parents are dead."


The crashed car of a U.S. Consulate employee and her husband sits near the Santa Fe international bridge to El Paso in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, after the two were shot to death. (Associated Press / March 14, 2010)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-mexico-shootings15-2010mar15,0,6043277.story?track=rss

I would call this relevant current event news for you Speeder my friend. I suggest that going anywhere the US State Dept has an active travel warning is probably not a good idea.

"In response to the escalating violence, the State Department on Sunday told employees they could send family members and other dependents home to the U.S. from six northern Mexican cities where Washington maintains consulates. It also updated its existing travel warnings, cautioning Americans about traveling to or within northern Mexican states and strongly cautioning American youth about spending their spring break in Mexico."

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Radioactive

2 Americans and a third victim are killed in Mexico shootings - latimes.com


U. S. Dept of State

Travel Warning


Mexico

Ahh, that was in Juarez. Juarez Mexico makes Baghdad look like Leisure World, in terms of safety. And the victim was a jail guard in neighboring El Paso + his wife who happened to work at the U.S. consulate in Juarez. They were both Mexican. (Descent).

Apples to monkey wrenches but thanks anyways.

[speeder]

I'd be more likely to go to North Korea on vacation than Juarez, MX.

[m21sniper]

"US State dep't is cautioning Americans about traveling to or within northern Mexican states and strongly cautioning American youth about spending their spring break in Mexico."

I'm pretty sure they're talking about your apples too.

[JavaBrewer]

Other than a 4 day trip to Puerto Vallarta with the wife (flew there - was great) in 2008 I stopped venturing over the border nearly 15 years ago. Border towns (that includes Ensenada) are filthy and dangerous, many of the police are on the take, and frankly other than some of the unspoiled beaches there's nothing there that you can't get here for a couple extra $.

Totally not worth the stress IMO.

[vash]

Juarez is my old stomping ground. i spent so many hours in a bar called the Kentucky Club, on the strip. best time ever..if i dont think about the liver infection i got from a taco.. Juarez is ground zero, compared to TJ. myself and another pelican rented a car, and drove to rosarita to kill some lobster. four to our group. we did nothing stupid on the drive, and paid the pennies for the toll road. no issues.

i would never step into juarez until they fumagate that place. sad, you can get diesel for cheap over there. here is the only dangerous thing i saw in baja:

[vash]

opps pic forgotten:

[vash]

and here was the quest:

[ODDJOB UNO]

Originally Posted by Dueller

Just ask ODDJOB to ride shotgun...you'll be fine

the SCORE SAN FELIPE 250 was just held this past weekend. i did NOT ATTEND!



and that my friends IS A BIG DEAL! after the crap with the narcos and the helo crash the last 1000 we attended, and just todays 3 U.S. consulate members killed................

well its just another off road race i missed. big damn deal. like i havent bean to juan ever. crap i can't count how many i have bean to there are so many.


until i see no more MUR-DURRS(REDRUMS) OF U.S CITIZENS............. i'll go to freeking taco bell if i want a taco.


screw them and the horse they rode in on. they want my money(average cash dumpage about $1500-$2000 per trip) then they can clean up their act or ALLOW ME TO PROTECT MYSELF with MY OWN GUN!

[Joeaksa]

Guys, if you want to go to Mexico, avoid the 100 miles around the border. Once you get past this point its reasonable for the most part. I lived in Mexico for years, used to speak the language and been "around the block" for the most part, but still am not allowed "protection" while in the country so not going to go there until things change.

You want to drive there, have fun and hope the car is bulletproof. The consulate car (above) that was just shot up was not and the two adults inside died. Sorry, not my cup of tea so will stay North of the border for now.

[Evans, Marv]

There have been threads about this before, so I'll say what I did before. I've had many Mexican businessmen tell me things are getting bad and worse all the time, and if they lived on this side of the border and didn't have to go there - they wouldn't. I used to go to Mexico all the time years back, but not any more. One thing that I was told is making it worse is that the poor are getting poorer and more desperate. That has nothing to do with the drug cartels.