Is Mexico dangerous?
 

My wife and I are travelling across the USA and plan to head down through Mexico to South America. On our trip through the US, every American we've come across, from Connecticut to Texas, has said they wouldn't go to Mexico, due to drug wars and kidnapping. We at first thought that perhaps the people here are a little over cautious due to media hype, but as we near the Mexican border there is an abundance of Police and Texans who use to go to Mexico warning us off. What is the situation here? If all these people say that its dangerous, but I still go, and put my wife and myself in danger, who's really the idiot here? Anyone recently go through Mexico? Which route did you take?

Here's a post on the same subject from 3 weeks ago:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...h-mexico-57177

Having just returned to the U.S. I find the level of irrational fear in society here astonishing. As a tourist I believe you're statistically more at risk visiting New Orleans, Chicago or Los Angeles than you are by visiting Mexico. Mexican violence is real, however the biggest risk to your safety is caused by "topes", animals on the road, and poor driving standards. Avoid the obvious border hotspots, cross the border in the morning, push on into Mexico, and apply the normal precautions you would when visiting any other country and you'll be fine. You'll also be rewarded with the diverse culture and latin warmth that awaits you.

I would add that after 3 years in the saddle and 80,000 miles on the road I've had my first accident; I was driven into by a cell phone wielding driver in Louisiana. I was recently threatened for the first time on my trip too; in Tennessee. Neither incident has put me off enjoying what the U.S. has to offer so please don't let innuendo deter you from enjoying Mexico. I'm certain you'll get more feedback from motorcyclists enjoying the region who'll be happy to share first hand experiences of their travels.

I agree with the previous post. Danger is everywhere. When you get to Mexico everyone will tell you not to go to Guatemala because it is very dangerous.
You're riding a motorcycle which is obviously a dangerous thing to do but you have evaluated the risk and decided to take it. It is up to you to do the same with any contry you visit
I have lived in Mexico for over 30 years and heve driven cars and ridden motorcycles all over Mexico without serios incidents.
If you make it to Mexico and want to visit Mexico City you are welcome to stay with us. We will put you up and show you around. Many many people will tell you to avoid Mexico City but it is a great place and there is a lot to see.
Whatever you decide to do use common sense and enjoy yourself.

That sums it up nicely :thumbup1:

Thank you everyone. We are looking forward to heading down south of the US.

No. But lack of common sense will getcha every time.

While I agree with most of the above posters, there are areas that are much more dangerous than they were a couple years ago. I don't know your route, but I would avoid the state of Tamaulipas entirely, and cross the border at Laredo or upriver from there. Travel south during the middle of the day for a couple days and then relax a little. As stated above, and as you are finding in Texas, the locals will always tell you the people over the next hill are the bad ones. Usually they are wrong, but sometimes they are right, but it's hard to tell when.

I live in San Antonio and work with a lot of Mexicans, most of them won't go back to visit family now, due to the narco violence. I don't want to tell you not to go, as I think you would have to be very unlucky to have any trouble. I love travelling in Mexico and plan to go back myself this fall, but this thread sounds a little one sided to me.

I rode solo through Mexico in the spring of 2010 on my Central America trip. In fact I drove through twice since it was a return trip. Aside from the "driving style" that's customary down there I came across exactly zero problems. There's no doubt that there is a lot of drug violence going on but as others have pointed out you'd have to be extremely unlucky to get caught in the crossfire. My experiences were all positive and I encountered nothing but friendly, helpful and hospitable people including the military and police. Nasty people do exist in abundance in Mexico as well as the USA, Canada, Britain, etc, etc.

If we made our travel decisions based on media reports then pretty much the entire globe would be off limits. Just Google crime reports for a "peaceful" little city like Vancouver, for example. Hockey riots with looting and torched vehicles, drug shootouts, break-ins, vehicle thefts, etc, etc. But would we avoid Vancouver as a result? Most likely not.

Enjoy your trip, take normal precautions, don't go into known drug backwoods areas.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

Just rode from La Mesilla to Agua Prieta, the entire length of Mexico. Zero issues.

I have been out of the States for the last 2 years so I have not been bombarded by sensational, the world is coming to an end, media reports. I of course know that things in Mexico have heated up wrt to cartel violence but I honestly didnt worry about it affecting me.

Its possible that you could be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the chances of that happening to you in Mexico now is probably greater than in the States, but it is what it is. I still think that its a very, very low probability that you will be affected by the cartel wars.

In addition, I have not heard of cartel members specifically targeting tourists or motorcyclists at this time.

I think if you use the normal precautions, being off the road well before dark, etc, etc, you will be fine.

YMMV I guess.

no
 

hi i spent almost three months in mexico this year starting in Baja, heading south mostly close to the pacific, i went in to Durango, Zacatecas Guadalajara, Morelia, Oaxaca and Chiapas! I spent 1 month in mazatlan which at the moment is one of the more dangerous places, (one night i did here machine gun fire) but in saying that I travelled solo. Sometimes i rode at night (not my plan but it happened) i walked around at night by myself.
I parked my motorcycle on the street some nights (with a cable and lock).

There was never one time where i felt in Danger or nervous in any situations, the traffic was even better than i had expected! Given i did not go to mexico city!!

I just fined by the cops in Acapulco for not wearing a helmet, everyone does it but i got busted.
Just to sum it all up as i am sure hundreds of people have wrote, if you keep out of trouble take the normal precautions, most the violence is between cartels, cops, etc, etc, from my experience and after talking with a lot of back packers you will have more good experiences than bad.

According to these stats, the per capita murder rate in Mexico is roughly 3x that of the USA, and approximately a 12x that of Canada, the UK, or Australia.
List of countries by intentional homicide rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That sounds terrible, but you need to understand that the vast majority of these murders involve people directly connected to the drug trade or law enforcement. You as a tourist passing through on your motorbike don't face anywhere near the same risk as those people.

Mexico
 

Hi guys,

Unfortunately the support vehicle driver following a group of motorcyclists in Mexico last month was kidnapped and everything taken. He was held hostage for several hours but released unharmed. One motorcyclist in the group was also chased. This was on the coast road north of Acapulco.
I have crossed Mexico 3 times in 3 years and it is a much scarier place now. But I agree with all the above. There are much worse dangers in the US!
But please be careful, observe the advice on US government websites, stick to daylight travel and don't be flash. Recently several commercial motorcycle tour companies have suspended their travel to Copper Canyon and the Acapulco and Manzanillo area. Go and look at their websites and do as they do.
But do go.

all good
 

My fiance and I heard the exact same things from everyone in the US before we entered Mexico. "It's dangersous", "Your might get kidnapped/robbed/killed/etc", "Are you insane!?!"
We crossed at Nogales about a month ago and had no probs. The ride south through the desert was boring and uneventful. Yeah, plenty of military and cops about, but if anything, that made the scenery at least a little more interesting. We have traveled all the way through Mexico and are now in Tulum (going too fast, I know). We are also traveling in a Ural sidecar rig, so we tend to draw lots of attention.
To sum things up, we've had no problems at all, except from a couple of dodgy Pemex guys. As people have said before us, most of what you are hearing is US media hype. Don't sweat it and enjoy yourselves.

And by the way, if you do happen to pass through Mexico City, we highly recommend staying with Garry. Him and his wife Ivonne are fantastic hosts!

Thanks for the responses. I must say, its been hard to not get bogged down with all 'danger' hype, but we are about 2 days out from Nogales, and are optimistic about things. Thanks again for all your encouragement. :thumbup1:

Stay well hydrated! If you think it's been hot in the US, wait until you get down here. If you are coming through Veracruz, let me know.

This is a topic I'm watching closely as I'm hearing a lot of the scarey stories too, and I'm in Ireland!

One comment that I got was that our truck (unimog) would be of great interest to drug runners, and was more likely to be stolen from us that bikes or smaller 4x4's.

Any truth to that?

I'm hoping to be heading from new mexico in March next year.

Merv.

You're truck is going to stick out like a sore thumb and will be of little interest to the drug runners whom you will likely never even get close to.
Most of the "narco" crime is not narco related, most of it now is related to emerging mafias that are into extortion, kidnapping, and local drug sales not international movements. The cartels have been fighting to serve the growing national market and maintaining their routes for international smuggling.
They also control almost all of the illegal immigration at both ends of Mexico.
You'll be fine and will have a great time. I've been living here full time for close to two decades and believe me, travelers have no problems compared to people who live here. There is a huge difference. Think of it like Ireland during your period of the "troubles". Did people stop visiting Ireland because of pub bombings and soldier shootings? It's a similar situation here. The US media likes to blow things out of proportion and the Mexican media never tells the truth anyways.

Just to update this, be aware that the urban area of Veracruz/Boca del Rio has seen a large increase in organized crime related daytime shootouts on major throughfares. Two attacks on Sunday left a half a dozen dead including a tourist injured in a grenade attack. Daytime shootouts on heavily transited routes is becoming more the norm here so be aware as if you are crossing the cities of Veracruz/Boca del Rio, these are the roads you will be on.

Great to read all the feedback and comments. We are currently about 3 weeks away from entering Mexico and are torn between entering Baja and somewhere more central: Douglas has been suggested, for example. Anyone got a recent point of entry and recommendation?

We have since safely negotiated Mexico. It wasnt as dangerous as the USA would have us believe, but still we kept our wits about us and made it out without any bad things happening. People were really nice and the whole country was just amazing. We stayed off the road at night and looked after our stuff, and had a great time. Recommended big time!:thumbup1:

3 week so far
 

I've spent the past three weeks in Mexico following the eastern coast meandering from the Gulf coast to the mountains east of Mexico DF. I'm now in the Yucatan following the coastline and exploring the interior. I have not even once felt unsecured of unsafe. I have met some great people and made new friends. Everything seems pretty chill here even the driving is relaxing with very few aggressive drivers compared to the US. In fact I am dreading returning to the high speed aggressive nightmare that is driving in the USA!

Some will say that the murder rate is higher in Mexico. This may be true but only if you are involved with the cartels.

We criss-crossed Mexico by car, instead of bike or truck: Crisscrossing Mexico by car - including the dangerous North - Gentleman Adventurer

Our subjective impression was that Mexico's crime level is probably a little higher than in the US, however the abusive behavior by security officials is much, much higher in the US.

I would go back to Mexico anytime for pleasure, but limit myself to important business trips when going to the US.

US officials are out of control, and I feel that far too many are on some little Napoleon type power trip.
One interesting thing on the Genteleman Traveller post was the picture of arms seized in Mexico.
Most people in the world don't know that the majority of arms seized in Mexico have come from the US. And the American government says that Mexico is dangerous?:oops2:

I am not talking about American people here, but bureaucrats and officials.
For the most part, the general population of any nation are pretty much the same, they are curious, kind, willing to chat, pass the time of day, etc... and the common thread throughout the regular folks of the world is that we are at the mercy of bully bureaucrats and government officials, not to mention politicians.

Whoa! Do I feel better now!:Beach:

Well said, Mike! :thumbup1:

I've never met more rude and aggressive customs and immigration officers anywhere in the world than the USA and I carry a US passport. I hate returning got the USA because of this...hmmm maybe I just won't come back next time.

I have had many interactions with local, federal and military police in Mexico and never have I felt threatened or that I was treated rudely.

I couldn't agree more about the comments related to U.S. officials. I actually tried to cross the border in Brownsville / Matamoros this morning (planning to stop in Tampico and Veracruz during my route down to South America), realized that the vehicle registration office in Mexico was closed on Sunday, so had to turn around and go back through U.S. passport control. After a rude interrogation, they scared the crap out of me about Mexico, citing several recent brutal massacres and kidnappings. So I am going to try to cross again tomorrow morning, but I am a little nervous. I have spent all day on the HUBB researching Mexico, and you guys are making me feel much more comfortable. I have heard so many different stories over the past several weeks as I have conducted my research, but many of them are unrelated to the type of travel that we do. I understand the situation with drug cartels, kidnappings, road blocks, even petty theft. But has anyone heard of any serious crimes committed recently against a tourist on a motorcycle? Tourist on a motorcycle being the key phrase there...I'm trying to compare apples to apples. A grenade set off in a casino does not concern me nearly as much as a gringo bike-jacking along a major east coast highway for example. Anyone hear of any trouble like this lately?

Thanks,

Ryan

Ryan, I am in Veracruz if you need anything.

I live and ride here and have done so for almost 20 years full time and since my first time in 1978.
There have been no bike hijackings on coast roads.
American customs and immigration officers are more often than not: heavy handed, rude, and for the most part, out of control.
I wish American people understood how poorly this reflects on their country and that they should not tolerate this
kind of chronic behaviour on the part of these officials.

Thanks for the reply Mike, I decided to delay another day, but I plan to cross tomorrow and will keep you posted on how things go.

You've got a fairly good two day window of weather for today (Tuesday) and tomorrow. I recommend that if you cross at Brownsville/Matamoros, do it first thing in the morning with all your paperwork in order and then get to Tampico your first day or Tuxpan if you are able to. The next day will be a breeze and you can take advantage of a little detour to see the majesty of the ruins at El Tajin and ride one of the best roads in these parts which is Tlapacoyan up to the 16th century city of Teziutlan just across the Veracruz-Puebla state line (the right hand route). Let me know if you need routing or maps.

Thanks Mike, I arrived in Tampico safely today...no safety issues or concerns during any point of the trip. I see Teziutlan on the map and can see how to take main roads to get there, but it is a few hours out of the way (since I have limited time for my trip, I'm kind of bee-lining for Chile, which is a bit of a shame, but reality never the less). How good is the drive? Worth the detour?

Also, would you recommend a good area or a fun hotel to stay at in Veracruz? Any guidance would be much appreciated as my current plan consists of showing up and walking in to the first hotel that looks like a fit.

Thanks!

I think it is worth the drive because you will see something different than the very boring coast highway Mex #180 but hey, if you are in a rush, skip that and then do the coast ride down to Catemaco instead of through the Tuxtlas as it only makes about an hour difference from Veracruz. The Tuxtlas are fun for 15 minutes or less if you are in heavy traffic which is normal. The other coast road is more fun, let me know if you want the details.
Hotels?
I can recommend the Nu Hotel which is right behind the main bus terminal and is a budget hotel that is fairly new (Nu get it??) it also has a good coffee shop and limited secure parking at the side. The Rivoli Select Hotel is more expensive but has secure underground parking, great restaurant, and is well located near the beaches on the boulevard Ruiz Cortines. Either one will see you having a good stay. I am booked solid tomorrow or I would offer to ride to Catemaco with you. Let me know if you need a map.
Have fun and ride safe.

Awesome, sorry for not getting back to you, but I have not had Internet access for two days. I ended up zig zagging around, getting lost a bit, but heading south for the most part haha. I am currently in Villahermosa, drove through Veracruz today. Thanks for the info, and sorry I could not get to a computer to leverage it, but that said, I'm having a blast, and these little detours I'm taking are leading me to some very interesting conversations and experiences. Thanks again Mike!!!

traveltotheendoftheearth.wordpress.com

Anytime. You've got a decent weather window still happening, no really heavy rains coming, not yet, anyways. Have fun!