# Dangers in Mexico



## Caseyatbat16

I'm 75, a retired carpenter and have been thinking of moving to Mexico. I have been reading of the war going on in Mexico between the cartels and the government. Can anyone who lives in Mexico tell me what the safe areas of the country are? Also the Mexican police, I have heard are prone to be predators, shaking down tourists and other foreigners. Can someone clear this up for me? Thanks.


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## TundraGreen

First, I have to say there are no guarantees in life. I will give you my opinion. That is all that it is.


Caseyatbat16 said:


> I'm 75, a retired carpenter and have been thinking of moving to Mexico. I have been reading of the war going on in Mexico between the cartels and the government. Can anyone who lives in Mexico tell me what the safe areas of the country are?.


The dangers are exaggerated by the press. As long as you are not involved in drug dealing or usage and do not associate with anyone who is involved, the dangers are really minimal. There is no place in Mexico that I would hesitate to live in based on security. If you are really conservative, you might want to avoid the states of Michoacan and Sinaloa, but I would not hesitate to live even there.



Caseyatbat16 said:


> Also the Mexican police, I have heard are prone to be predators, shaking down tourists and other foreigners. Can someone clear this up for me? Thanks.


Again this is really exaggerated. In more than six years here, the only time I have had any interaction with the police has been when I stopped them to ask a question. In every case they have been friendly and helpful. That is not to imply that they never stop drivers and ask for a kickback. I don't have a car here so I have no personal experience with that, but my impression is that it is rare.


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## citlali

If you do not buy or sell drugs your chances of appearing on the radar are very small . 
We live in Chapala and Chiapas and frankly we do not feel unsafe. We do not travel at night and do not go to nightclubs where you stand more chances of running into iffy situations but otherwise we pretty much whatever we feel like doing and travel a lot by public transportation and by private car.
Some states have better reputation than others so if that is important you can stay away from border areas, Micoacan tierra caliente, Guerrero and I am sure some other areas but frankly you should look at the amenities you need, the type of life you want to live and pick a place according to your needs . The first obvious question is "do you speak Spanish" if you do not think about if you want to live in a place where you will not be able to communicate, if not you need to find a place where they are expat or adjust to life the way it is..

The police is corrupt but sometimes they nicely surprise you. If you allow them to shake you down they might but if you speak the language and stand up to them they usually go away.. Again a lot depends on you. Yes once in a while the police ask for mordida and tries to scare you but it depends on your attitude as well. I have not found it to be a major problems but I am sure other people have another other take on it.


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## Isla Verde

I am a woman in my late sixties living on my own in Mexico City. I speak Spanish fluently and live in a pleasant middle-class neighborhood with almost all Mexican neighbors. I've never had any problems with the police, but then I don't drive and probably remind any police officers I may encounter of their grandmother!


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## Lorij

Honestly I feel safer in Puerto Angel than I do in my small city in Alabama. I walk around the entire city at night, and have never felt to be in any danger at all. However, there are certainly neighborhoods in my city in Alabama I would not even drive through at night much less walk. I suggest visiting some states first and find a place you are comfortable with. But as Citlali stated if you are not involved with drugs, you should be ok. Good Luck!


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## joaquinx

Caseyatbat16 said:


> I'm 75, a retired carpenter and have been thinking of moving to Mexico. I have been reading of the war going on in Mexico between the cartels and the government. Can anyone who lives in Mexico tell me what the safe areas of the country are? Also the Mexican police, I have heard are prone to be predators, shaking down tourists and other foreigners. Can someone clear this up for me? Thanks.


I'll bet that a man who lives in Dallas, won't be walking in South Dallas or West Dallas. Not even Park Lane. I lived in Dallas for 30 years and feel safer here in Xalapa than I ever felt in Dallas.


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## Isla Verde

Lorij said:


> Honestly I feel safer in Puerto Angel than I do in my small city in Alabama. I walk around the entire city at night, and have never felt to be in any danger at all. However, there are certainly neighborhoods in my city in Alabama I would not even drive through at night much less walk. I suggest visiting some states first and find a place you are comfortable with. But as Citlali stated if you are not involved with drugs, you should be ok. Good Luck!


Good observations, Lori. I would add that having at least a functional knowledge of Spanish will help you to avoid iffy situations and people and help you settle into life in Mexico much more comfortably.


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## Longford

Many expats in Mexico act as apologists for the many problems in the nation ... including the security risks, IMO. The "media" is often the bad guy with these people when, in fact, the reporting of the war and often horrific acts of terrorism and violence are under-reported outside of the country and the USA/Mexico border zone. The U.S. Department of State publishes an excellent, fact-based advisory/warning regarding various aspects of traveling/living in Mexico and my advice is that anyone interested in the subject read that material, as well as the wide-range of other materials available on the topic. Rather than asking which areas are safe, or not, I think it's best if someone who's interested in this provides the name of a location/state they're interested in, specifically. Not only are there vast differences in risks depending upon regions and states in the country, such differences exist within cities and colonias within cities. While vast areas of the country are no longer under the control of the federal/state security forces but in the hands of terrorists, I think a majority of the country is free from the terrorist/cartel influences and are relatively safe places to live. As for the police: My opinion is that they are to be considered the enemy, not friends and not persons interested in "serving and protecting" the population and that it's best if we have as little contact with the police as possible because of the endemic corruption.


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## PanamaJack

Longford said:


> Many expats in Mexico act as apologists for the many problems in the nation ... including the security risks, IMO. The "media" is often the bad guy with these people when, in fact, the reporting of the war and often horrific acts of terrorism and violence are under-reported outside of the country and the USA/Mexico border zone. The U.S. Department of State publishes an excellent, fact-based advisory/warning regarding various aspects of traveling/living in Mexico and my advice is that anyone interested in the subject read that material, as well as the wide-range of other materials available on the topic. Rather than asking which areas are safe, or not, I think it's best if someone who's interested in this provides the name of a location/state they're interested in, specifically. Not only are there vast differences in risks depending upon regions and states in the country, such differences exist within cities and colonias within cities. While vast areas of the country are no longer under the control of the federal/state security forces but in the hands of terrorists, I think a majority of the country is free from the terrorist/cartel influences and are relatively safe places to live. As for the police: My opinion is that they are to be considered the enemy, not friends and not persons interested in "serving and protecting" the population and that it's best if we have as little contact with the police as possible because of the endemic corruption.


The vast majority of the country is NOT in the hands of terrorists. The U.S. government always overstates what the truth is on its state department site, I know my dad was a diplomat for years and they prefer to overstate the negative to be on the safe side. Longford, your comment about the police being the enemy is a huge misnomer and should not be believed by any reader or poster on this site. I have lived in this country for over 35 years and consider it more mine than my birthplace, the U.S. Police here are nothing like they were 10, 15 or 20 years ago. The system cannot be changed overnight, but branding them the enemy gives the reader a fear about the police before even arriving in Mexico. Yes, there are rogue police, police looking for hand outs and bribes, but there are also a large majority doing their job. Consider what their pay is and then ask yourself if you would wear the uniform in Mexico and go in harm's way. I would believe your answer would be no. Are you willing to be a police officer and patrol as you say the "vast areas of land in terrorist hands?" You make Mexico out to be a war zone, it is not, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, South Sudan and many other places are war zones but not Mexico.


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## zapfilms

Caseyatbat16 said:


> I'm 75, a retired carpenter and have been thinking of moving to Mexico. I have been reading of the war going on in Mexico between the cartels and the government. Can anyone who lives in Mexico tell me what the safe areas of the country are? Also the Mexican police, I have heard are prone to be predators, shaking down tourists and other foreigners. Can someone clear this up for me? Thanks.


Actually you have heard wrong. Tourists and foreigners are not involved in the drug wars and if anything, have a "hands off". Unlike say North Philadelphia in which anyone can be a vidtim, these are gang wars in which you would be hard put to find a foreign victim, that was not involved in buying or selling drugs.

And that is very insulting your rumors of the cops here. I know and work with lots of cops and that is an ugly lie, they put selves in front of crime and it is racist and copist to state this stuff.


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## joaquinx

zapfilms said:


> And that is very insulting your rumors of the cops here. I know and work with lots of cops and that is an ugly lie, they put selves in front of crime and it is racist and copist to state this stuff.


Remember that there was no corruption involved in the termination of the police officers in Xalapa and Veracruz. Then the replacement of them with the Marines and State Police. This didn't happen in other cities, or did it?


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## dallasteacher

joaquinx said:


> I'll bet that a man who lives in Dallas, won't be walking in South Dallas or West Dallas. Not even Park Lane. I lived in Dallas for 30 years and feel safer here in Xalapa than I ever felt in Dallas.


There are plenty of places in Dallas/Fort Worth I would not step foot in. In the USA certain cities can be very scary. I have family in west Texas who refuse to come to Dallas, because it is tooooo big and scary. 

Mexico for the most part is safe. The two towns I have stayed in for extensive amounts of time were very safe. I would walk around at night and I never had a problem. In Mexico you usually know your neighbors and everyone often looks out for each other. There is a real sense of community there. 

I would agree with most posters as long as you are not involved you should be fine. There are no certainties in life (whether here or there). 

I had an American plated car and they never bothered me. My husband, then boyfriend, did get pulled over once, but they just gave him a warning. There are police officers who ask for money to look the other way. I don't agree with it, but I think it will be awhile before this changes. I think everyone involved is to blame for it to be honest.


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## Hound Dog

[_QUOTE=Lorij;2757618]Honestly I feel safer in Puerto Angel than I do in my small city in Alabama. I walk around the entire city at night, and have never felt to be in any danger at all. However, there are certainly neighborhoods in my city in Alabama I would not even drive through at night much less walk. I suggest visiting some states first and find a place you are comfortable with. But as Citlali stated if you are not involved with drugs, you should be ok. Good Luck![/QUOTE_]

Very insightful, Lorij; as a fellow former Alabamian I get your point clearly. I was born and raised in a small town in South central Alabama and then the large city of Mobile with a Metro Area population of about 500,000 souls and then on to California and Los Angeles (Hermosa Beach and Hollywood), Oakland (Lake Merritt Area) and San Francisco (North Beach) and, as soon as we could get the hell out of the 
United States upon retirement in 2001, I had my foot to the pedal and, except for interludes for rest, never stopped until we crossed into Mexico at Nogales, Sonora where that first hint of Mexican corruption surfaced as Mexican border guards and allied gang members tried to buy our three huge mastiffs (two Bordeaux and one Neopolitan) to fight them in the local dog fighting arenas and there was no chance of that happening but since we had just seen the Mexican movie _Amores Perros _back in California, we became freaked out and asked ourselves why we were moving to this zoo. 

Then we bought a home at Lake Chapala in Ajijic and ,later, in the Chiapas Highlands at San Cristóbal de Las Casas and have spent the last decade plus living here. We spend a lot of time in places such as Guadalajara, Mexico City, Oaxaca City, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Puebla City and other places all over Central and Southern Mexico and there is nothing down here even as remotely scary as the United States despite the endemic corruption here in Mexico which is a real and serious problem. In any big city in the U.S. they´ll cut your throat for the peanuts in your pocket or change the tax code to takeswhatever is left. In Mexico they are, generally, more civil and just request a modest "Little bite".

I woud not, however, if I were so inclined, try to score drugs down here from strangers or, for that matter, friends.


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## PatrickMurtha

You know what is really dangerous in Mexico? The uneven sidewalks! They're killer! Watch your step!

I live in one of the most dangerous cities, Culiacan. I think the minute-by-minute menace can be overstated. I haven't encountered any crime directly in my time here. In fact, there is very LITTLE street crime. The violence is mostly cartel-related, and although I read about it in the papers, I don't frequent the places where it happens. I have seen one murder scene after the fact (a drive-by at a church across the street from the campus where I work). But heck, I might have done the same in a big U.S. city at least once in three years.


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## tijuanahopeful

I moved to Tijuana at the end of September. I still have people asking me if I feel safe, and am I afraid of being murdered?

I just tell them that it's just as safe as living in the US, and you can experience those problems anywhere in the US, also.


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## Isla Verde

PatrickMurtha said:


> You know what is really dangerous in Mexico? The uneven sidewalks! They're killer! Watch your step!


Agreed!


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## Hound Dog

Not that it may matter but, based upon my having been born and raised in the United States and having lived as a retiree in both Jalisco and Chiapas states in Mexico for going on 13 years, I made my decisión as to what civil climate (the U.S., Mexico or France - my three best choices) is most attractive as a place to live in peace in retirement with minimal hassle and that, for me, turned out to be Mexico hands down. Of course the extraordinary climate in the highlands helped sway my decision as well. What the hell, if you´re going to retire , why freeze or sweat your butt off in the process. People do that because they have jobs in those hellholes and need a paycheck.

To the end of staying here in Mexico for good, I , today, visited the Guadalajara offices of the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE), the equivalent in Mexico of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to turn in my papers requesting naturalization and, after paying a fee of $4,111 Pesos, my application was accepted and I was told by the most gracious and accomodating functionary with whom I was dealing that the process of becoming a naturalized Mexican citizen would take up to six months and, in her vernacular as translated by me into English, "Welcome aboard but I suggest improving your Spanish since a Mexican citizen with a Mexican Passport and voting card may prove a puzzling anomaly to a fireman, cop or other service provider on the side of the road when your butt is broken and you don´t speak at least a modicum of Spanish as in _HELP_," OK, so I get it but my brain has retired.

One of the things we were absolutely required to do to complete the process of applying for Mexican citizenship was to go to Mexico City to drop by the pólice station in Coyocan to acquire a "Constancia De No Antecedentes" or a certification from the federal policing authorities that I had no criminal record and it seemed absurd that I would have to make a special trip to DF for this but it was unavoidable. I had to appear in Coyocan with all of my migratory documents, birth certificate and such to be given this necessary clearance to proceed with naturalization. Well this went off like a charm and was over in, literally, 10 minutes, but I must say we were so taken with Isla Verde´s adopted home town that we couldn´t leave for a few days and had a lot of fun and excellent food from Xochomilco to the Frida Kahlo Museum to Centro. What a fun town. I must now find new reasons to return.


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## Longford

There certainly is no "'hands off" when it comes to tourists being impacted by the terrorism and war. While they may not be specifically targeted, tourists have been harmed, victimized and murdered, innocently - not just along the USA/Mexico border.


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## lagoloo

If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, there is no "don't touch the ******" sign on your body. Watch your own back, anywhere. I can't help but wonder what the person is thinking when I happen to be going home in a car after an event well after dark, and I see a lady out walking her dog, alone, on an unlighted street. Probably not a good idea, anywhere. (Of course, she may be packing a pistol? But still......)


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## Isla Verde

lagoloo said:


> If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, there is no "don't touch the ******" sign on your body. Watch your own back, anywhere. I can't help but wonder what the person is thinking when I happen to be going home in a car after an event well after dark, and I see a lady out walking her dog, alone, on an unlighted street. Probably not a good idea, anywhere. (Of course, she may be packing a pistol? But still......)


I am a lady (well, most of the time ) who is often out at night walking around my neighborhood on streets that are sometimes not very well lit, and I don't feel the need to watch my back. Of course, I don't go out alone after midnight in rough neighborhoods, but I wouldn't do that anywhere, not just in Mexico.


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## lagoloo

Unfortunately, women out walking after dark have been robbed in my neighborhood. This is considered a "good" neighborhood, but in the last year or so, there have been some incidents of serious violence, including a murder.


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## Isla Verde

lagoloo said:


> Unfortunately, women out walking after dark have been robbed in my neighborhood. This is considered a "good" neighborhood, but in the last year or so, there have been some incidents of serious violence, including a murder.


I live in a fairly safe neighborhood in Mexico City, and the day I can't take a walk after dark without worrying about being mugged is the day I leave Mexico!


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## Grumbalina

Isla Verde said:


> I live in a fairly safe neighborhood in Mexico City, and the day I can't take a walk after dark without worrying about being mugged is the day I leave Mexico!


I've lived in Philadelphia for most of my life, and I've lived in or near just about every bad neighborhood. I used to walk and ride my bike all over the city and through some pretty risky neighborhoods day and night, and I've never been mugged or killed! LOL.

What's funny, though, is I lived for a little while in Durham, which is ostensibly safer than Philadelphia and a lot safer than North Philadelphia, and I found myself scared in a few neighborhoods. I think it's all relative -- if you don't know a place and aren't familiar with the neighborhoods, then it's a lot easier to imagine bad things happening. Add to that the language barrier (for those of us who aren't fluent in Spanish), and it makes for an easier scarier experience. 

I think that most people are good and don't want to do anyone else harm. Even in bad neighborhoods. All of this talk about being careful of where you live in Mexico makes me wonder what Mexican's think about when they move to America!


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## citlali

Mexicans think exactly the same thing. Humans are humans .


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## Grumbalina

citlali said:


> Mexicans think exactly the same thing. Humans are humans .


I only made my comment to put things in perspective -- to realize how scary it would be for someone from another country to move to a city or neighborhood in the US and to be having these same exact conversations. To be debating the safety of walking down a street that most people on this board wouldn't think twice about walking down because it's in the US. 

Safety is subjective most of the times.


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## citlali

No safety is not subjective. At one time in my life I ran warehouses in East LA and in Richmond California. All of our employees were Mexicans legal and illegals, A couple of our guys in the Richmond would get assaulted by black gangs on a regular basis and lived in bullet ridden houses and our warehouse in East LA was burned down during the Rodney King riots. 
I was lucky I was in Richmond that day and the police came to escort us out of the neighborhood as black gangs were also on the attack there..I would not call that subjective and all of our employees were giving serious thought about working in that dangerous hell hole.

My remarks were not judgemental I was only stating a fact.


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## lagoloo

I watched Los Angeles burn from my window in upper San Pedro. The firemen were being shot at.
Citlali gave an accurate report of the conditions in the East Bay. 
Safety is relative.


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## conorkilleen

Why are the majority of the posters on the thread comparing Mexico to the US? The OP posted about safety in Mexico, not where you used to live in the US.

Sh*t can happen anywhere. Watch your back and don't think you are invincible...anywhere.


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## Hound Dog

[_QUOTE=lagoloo;2806914]I watched Los Angeles burn from my window in upper San Pedro. The firemen were being shot at.
Citlali gave an accurate report of the conditions in the East Bay. 
Safety is relative.[/QUOTE]_


Yeah. I remember safety in the good old U.S.A. 

There I was, a bank branch manager in Downtown Oakland in the 1980s ´spread-Eagle on the floor of my office with some dude standing over me with a sawed-off shotgun and telling me that if I so much as moved a muscle, he would "Blow (my )MF head off" in an instant) and I believed him absolutely. Dawg did not move a muscle an you can take my word on that.

Back then, and probably now, Banks had silent alarms because the idea was that the pólice did not come in like gangbusters but liked to wait outside to mow down the bank robber creeps when they exited the bank with their loot. To have come sreaming in with sirens blasting would have been reckless behavior.

Later, whn I was interviewing with tth Oakland cops about these creeps who had been caught on videotape, they remarked something to the effect that; Oh, yeah, we know these guys, they are from a large family in East Oakland that are always robbing Banks. You are damed lucky you didnot move when warned not to do so. 

They never did catch any of those guys and for allI know, they never put forth any effort to dso so even to th


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## Caseyatbat16

*But can you trust the Mexican cops?*

I, too have been robbed at gunpoint (on my frontporch) but now take precautions so
(I hope) it won't happen again. 
In 1973 and, before that (in 1965) I drove down to Mexico City. Three times I was shaken down by dirty cops looking to score on a ******. I lost all faith in or respect for Mexican police officers (but not fear).
And the cartels? The War Against Drugs (fueled by billions of American's taxpayer
dollars) - what about this? Have you heard of any shoot-outs between soldiers and
cartel thugs anywhere near the area in which you live?
I can't believe it is safe anywhere in Mexico - it's not here in Dallas County, Texas.
(But at least we don't have to fear and distrust our police)
- Caseyatbat16


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## Caseyatbat16

*...that little bite...*

Yeah, that "little bite" - la mordita I believe they call it. It's really a thrill to pay off
one Mexican cop after another for "transgressions" they fabricate. It's happened to me many times. I made the mistake of marrying one of their little cactus blossoms in
Mexico City back in 1973 and have never stopped regretting it. She was a psychotic drug addict and I caught her in so many lies I stopped believing anything she said.
It seems that lying, like bullfighting and driving on the public roads is one of the most
popular pastimes in Mexico. 
But back to real dangers I read about, daily - in Mexico. Their War On Drugs. Is it
taking place anywhere near where you have lived down there?
Is the local water safe to drink?
Here in Big D we don't have to fear our cops or first boil our tap water before we drink it - but we do have to watch out for the "young bloods" (the brothers). They have ruined Dallas by making it dangerous - I'm afraid this is true all over the United States.


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## Isla Verde

Caseyatbat16 said:


> Yeah, that "little bite" - la mordita I believe they call it. It's really a thrill to pay off
> one Mexican cop after another for "transgressions" they fabricate. It's happened to me many times. I made the mistake of marrying one of their little cactus blossoms in
> Mexico City back in 1973 and have never stopped regretting it. She was a psychotic drug addict and I caught her in so many lies I stopped believing anything she said.
> It seems that lying, like bullfighting and driving on the public roads is one of the most
> popular pastimes in Mexico.
> But back to real dangers I read about, daily - in Mexico. Their War On Drugs. Is it
> taking place anywhere near where you have lived down there?
> Is the local water safe to drink?
> Here in Big D we don't have to fear our cops or first boil our tap water before we drink it - but we do have to watch out for the "young bloods" (the brothers). They have ruined Dallas by making it dangerous - I'm afraid this is true all over the United States.


That's "mordi*d*a", by the way.

I'm sorry that your marriage to a Mexican woman way back in 1973 didn't work out, but that doesn't mean that most Mexicans are liars. I guess this marriage has soured you on Mexico, but to say that "lying, like bullfighting and driving on the public roads is one of the most popular pastimes in Mexico" is completely off the wall. Bullfighting is not that popular in most of Mexico and where else would people drive, if not on the public roads? Yes, there are big problems in some parts of Mexico because of the power the drug cartels have, but that doesn't mean that most of the country is a war zone. I'm sure you're aware that newspapers make money by exaggerating problems in all parts of the world not by stressing how life goes on in the usual way in most places, including Mexico. Most people here drink bottled water, but it's a small price to pay for having the privilege of living in a country with lovely weather, friendly people and lots of interesting things to do and places to visit. I fear your jaundiced vision of my adopted country could make it difficult for you to make a life for yourself here - I hope I'm wrong, of course.


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## Caseyatbat16

*I stand corrected...*

Isla Verde: Thank you for replying.
- Caseyatbat16


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## GARYJ65

Caseyatbat16 said:


> Yeah, that "little bite" - la mordita I believe they call it. It's really a thrill to pay off one Mexican cop after another for "transgressions" they fabricate. It's happened to me many times. I made the mistake of marrying one of their little cactus blossoms in Mexico City back in 1973 and have never stopped regretting it. She was a psychotic drug addict and I caught her in so many lies I stopped believing anything she said. It seems that lying, like bullfighting and driving on the public roads is one of the most popular pastimes in Mexico. But back to real dangers I read about, daily - in Mexico. Their War On Drugs. Is it taking place anywhere near where you have lived down there? Is the local water safe to drink? Here in Big D we don't have to fear our cops or first boil our tap water before we drink it - but we do have to watch out for the "young bloods" (the brothers). They have ruined Dallas by making it dangerous - I'm afraid this is true all over the United States.


You are not thinking about living in Mexico are you?


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## Isla Verde

GARYJ65 said:


> You are not thinking about living in Mexico are you?


According to the OPs first post on this thread, and despite his bleak view of life in Mexico, that appears to be his plan.


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## citlali

May be at 75 you will stay away from Cactus bossoms or roses that are doing drugs, that would be a major step towards not getting in trouble..
We live in Mexico and we feel safe enough to enjoy our life but at 67 and 72 respectively if something bad happen we will have had a nice life and will will die sometimes so it is not worth worrying about it. At 75 you are in the same boat as we are. 
Mordida does not kill anybody and if you stay away from drugs and mind your own business you probably will be ok. There is no guaranty in life .
I you do not like the driving or the mordida stay in Texas because mordida and ways of driving are not going to improve in your life time.


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## lagoloo

Been here over ten years. Never had to pay mordida, nor was even asked for it. Got one ticket, well deserved, and paid the reduced fine in town. Frankly, I don't know what makes some folks seem to be ticket magnets. Could it be the way they drive? Huh? Huh?


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## GARYJ65

Isla Verde said:


> According to the OPs first post on this thread, and despite his bleak view of life in Mexico, that appears to be his plan.


I hope not, bad attitude


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## Isla Verde

GARYJ65 said:


> I hope not, bad attitude


Maybe some of the positive comments on this thread will help to change his attitude!


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## Hound Dog

[_QUOTE=Caseyatbat16;2808986]I, too have been robbed at gunpoint (on my frontporch) but now take precautions so
(I hope) it won't happen again. 
In 1973 and, before that (in 1965) I drove down to Mexico City. Three times I was shaken down by dirty cops looking to score on a ******. I lost all faith in or respect for Mexican police officers (but not fear).
And the cartels? The War Against Drugs (fueled by billions of American's taxpayer
dollars) - what about this? Have you heard of any shoot-outs between soldiers and
cartel thugs anywhere near the area in which you live?
I can't believe it is safe anywhere in Mexico - it's not here in Dallas County, Texas.
(*But at least we don't have to fear and distrust our police)*
- Caseyatbat16[/QUOTE]_

What could be less feared than a Dallas cop.

Back in the 1950s, there was nothing less feared than a South Alabama cop as long as you were white and had the appropriate accent. Those African American guys native to Alabama who went north to Chicago and Detroit and such places to find work in the Midwestern sweat mills drove those fancy Lincolns and Cadillacs back to South Alabama with those Illiniois and Michigan license plates and they were like swallows to owls when it came to those two-bit cops patrolling the roads there. Easy red meat. They couldn´t even turn on the ignition without getting a ticket for just having so done.
Then there was the corrupt cop in Hermosa Beach, California who, in 1966, told me (shortly after the Watts riots), "Don´t worry, if some N....r tries to drive into Hermosa Beach from South Central L.A. we´ll kick their asses back to where they belong." This was uttered by this moron without inquiríy by me,

Mexican corrupt cops are amateurs.


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## JoanneR2

Isla Verde said:


> Maybe some of the positive comments on this thread will help to change his attitude!


OK here goes. Before I arrived here 2 years ago I had the standard safety briefing about the dangers of Mexico. This was followed up by a presentation on not taking the same route to work each day, not stopping in the outside lanes on roads at traffic lights, not stopping at traffic lights at night, not posting my phone number in the white book because of threats to abduct my children (who by the way are safe and sound in London NOT), not wearing jewelry, carrying anything of value etc. etc. etc.

Two years on
My life is in my handbag
I get the metrobus to work every day, same route, same people (hugs gratis)
I drive around the city unable to not obey traffic lights (something to do with a very ingrained UK culture I think)
They are welcome to my children if they can find them
I walk around my barrio night and day
And I love it here. I feel as safe here as I do in my small market town in the UK. I know that something awful could happen but it could happen anywhere to be honest and I haven't regretted the move to Mexico for a moment.


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## Isla Verde

JoanneR2 said:


> OK here goes. Before I arrived here 2 years ago I had the standard safety briefing about the dangers of Mexico. This was followed up by a presentation on not taking the same route to work each day, not stopping in the outside lanes on roads at traffic lights, not stopping at traffic lights at night, not posting my phone number in the white book because of threats to abduct my children (who by the way are safe and sound in London NOT), not wearing jewelry, carrying anything of value etc. etc. etc.
> 
> Two years on
> My life is in my handbag
> I get the metrobus to work every day, same route, same people (hugs gratis)
> I drive around the city unable to not obey traffic lights (something to do with a very ingrained UK culture I think)
> They are welcome to my children if they can find them
> I walk around my barrio night and day
> And I love it here. I feel as safe here as I do in my small market town in the UK. I know that something awful could happen but it could happen anywhere to be honest and I haven't regretted the move to Mexico for a moment.


Now that you know what life is really like in Mexico City (I assume that's where you are since you take the Metrobús to work), maybe you should be the one to give safety briefings for your company!


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## PanamaJack

Caseyatbat16 said:


> Yeah, that "little bite" - la mordita I believe they call it. It's really a thrill to pay off
> one Mexican cop after another for "transgressions" they fabricate. It's happened to me many times. I made the mistake of marrying one of their little cactus blossoms in
> Mexico City back in 1973 and have never stopped regretting it. She was a psychotic drug addict and I caught her in so many lies I stopped believing anything she said.
> It seems that lying, like bullfighting and driving on the public roads is one of the most
> popular pastimes in Mexico.
> But back to real dangers I read about, daily - in Mexico. Their War On Drugs. Is it
> taking place anywhere near where you have lived down there?
> Is the local water safe to drink?
> Here in Big D we don't have to fear our cops or first boil our tap water before we drink it - but we do have to watch out for the "young bloods" (the brothers). They have ruined Dallas by making it dangerous - I'm afraid this is true all over the United States.


I have lived here for 30 plus years. I would not change that decision for the world. I suggest one of two things.
1. stay in Texas since Mexico does not need any more people living here that are against the way Mexico is. If you do not like the country why complain about it, rip it apart, but then say you want to live here?
2. stay in Texas buy a piece of property, build a 50 ft high wall around the property, order everything on internet and become estranged from society since your neighborhood there is so unsafe. Sounds to me like between your neighborhood and Mexico in your mind you are looking for the lesser of two evils....
Too bad because in my humble opinion Mexico is a paradise with its problems but a paradise nonetheless.


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## Isla Verde

PanamaJack said:


> 1. stay in Texas since Mexico does not need any more people living here that are against the way Mexico is. If you do not like the country why complain about it, rip it apart, but then say you want to live here?


I was wondering the same thing myself . . .


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## GARYJ65

Isla Verde said:


> I was wondering the same thing myself . . .


Maybe the OP just wanted to talk bad about Mexico and this was a good forum to do it!
God forbid that that kind of people come to Mexico 
Really, we do not need them
In fact, I propose to make a campaign to tell them how awful it is living in Mexico!


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## terrybahena

Caseyatbat16 said:


> Yeah, that "little bite" - la mordita I believe they call it. It's really a thrill to pay off
> one Mexican cop after another for "transgressions" they fabricate. It's happened to me many times. I made the mistake of marrying one of their little cactus blossoms in
> Mexico City back in 1973 and have never stopped regretting it. She was a psychotic drug addict and I caught her in so many lies I stopped believing anything she said.
> It seems that lying, like bullfighting and driving on the public roads is one of the most
> popular pastimes in Mexico.
> But back to real dangers I read about, daily - in Mexico. Their War On Drugs. Is it
> taking place anywhere near where you have lived down there?
> Is the local water safe to drink?
> Here in Big D we don't have to fear our cops or first boil our tap water before we drink it - but we do have to watch out for the "young bloods" (the brothers). They have ruined Dallas by making it dangerous - I'm afraid this is true all over the United States.


I don't think you would like Mexico- first- it's full of Mexicans and it doesn't sound like you like Mexicans- even though you were comparing a drug addict to the rest of the population. And the war on drugs? Who do you think all those drugs are being delivered to? I am married to Mexican man and he, his family, and many many many other people I have met in my time here are actually: regular human beings!....now some of them might be "brothers" though so I don't know, you don't care for Mexico or the US, maybe you should try Canada???

I realize I am being negatively sarcastic, but OP really, re read what you wrote- do you really want to make your home somewhere that you have some pretty strong negative feelings about? Just sayin'


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## Maddalena

I believe the hype put out by the US State Dept regarding BAD, DANGEROUS Mexico is really untrue. 

However, I would like to ask you why you want to move to Mexico? Have you ever been anywhere in Mexico that "grabs" you? Do you speak Spanish? Do you fulfill the immigration requirements of Mexico?

I'm saying this because moving to a different country is not something to do on a whim. Especially at 75 years old. What about your medical etc?

I'm not being a naysayer..I have lived in different countries. I just am curious as to your motivation, because I'm always curious about things that


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## RVGRINGO

I think he has gone silent on us. Good! Perhaps he was just a troll.


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## Isla Verde

RVGRINGO said:


> I think he has gone silent on us. Good! Perhaps he was just a troll.


Or a malcontent! Or is "malcontent" just a fancy word for troll?


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## alectejas

Hello, I'm new here and glad to find this great forum. I have some experience with the "Mexico danger issue". My wife is mexican and her family live in Reynosa, Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey. I've been to Veracruz, Mexico City, Monterrey, Guanajato and Reynosa. Here are my thoughts.
The Good:
I love Mexico love to travel there. In DF we use the buses and subway without a second thought and I have to say that the level of danger seems comprable to any large city. We have taken our three young kids to Monterry and DF multiple times. 
The Bad: It's hard to ignore the violence that is present under the surface in Mexico. Here are three examples. A young cousin of my wife was tortured, murdered and had is head cut off!!! This happened 2 years ago in Nuevo Laredo. After the murder his family were prevented from picking up the body from the funeral home by armed narcos in the street. They were told that they would all be killed if they returned to their house. I never met the kid and I'm sure that he was mixed up in drugs but still... 
My suegro lives in Reynosa. He has gotten a number of anonymous phone calls claiming that one of his three daughters have been kidnapped. The caller demands a ransom each time, the caller knows their names. My suegro knows that they are all OK because they live on the US side, but it's still a very unpleasant thing to have to to through.
Some relatives of my wife live in Veracruz, when we were there visiting them the subject of crime came up. They own a beauty salon near the downtown area. They have had masked men come into the salon armed with machetes demanding protection money.
Overall: Mexico is not the US or Europe. I still love the country and will continue to travel there. Is it safe? I think it depends where you are and who you are and your luck. It reminds me of the motorcycle safety debate. People who love bikes will tell you that they are not that dangerous and that all you need to do is to take precautions. They tend to be the ones who have not fallen off yet. They may never have an accident but that does not make riding a motorcyle a safe activity. It's the same for mexico. Its a great experience but whether its worth the risk is a personal decision.


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## Longford

alectejas said:


> Hello, I'm new here and glad to find this great forum.


:welcome: to the Mexico Forum, alectejas.


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## Hound Dog

_


Longford said:



:welcome: to the Mexico Forum, alectejas.

Click to expand...

_I welcome you as well, alectejas. This fórum, with its widely varied constituency, has the potential to become a fórum constructively discussing issues regarding immigration to Mexico and the peripheral legal issues involving those wishing to immigrate here . I used to post on a few forums typically concentrated on issues involving local communities but this one is accepting of nationwide commentaries. I have abandoned those parochial fórums for this one because I expect a higher and more varied input from contributors. Feel free to add to that mix and do not be put off by occasional rancor from others. Rise to the challenge.


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## Isla Verde

Hound Dog said:


> I welcome you as well, alectejas. This fórum, with its widely varied constituency, has the potential to become a fórum constructively discussing issues regarding immigration to Mexico and the peripheral legal issues involving those wishing to immigrate here . I used to post on a few forums typically concentrated on issues involving local communities but this one is accepting of nationwide commentaries. I have abandoned those parochial fórums for this one because I expect a higher and more varied input from contributors. Feel free to add to that mix and do not be put off by occasional rancor from others. Rise to the challenge.


Rancor, Hound Dog? Surely you jest! The may happen only when a forum member has gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, before having a morning cup of delicious Mexican coffee. :ranger:

Anyway, a hearty _bienvenido_ to the forum to you, alectejas!


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## Hound Dog

_


Isla Verde said:



Rancor, Hound Dog? Surely you jest! The may happen only when a forum member has gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, before having a morning cup of delicious Mexican coffee. :ranger:

Anyway, a hearty bienvenido to the forum to you, alectejas!

Click to expand...

_OK, Isla. Substitute _dyspepsia_ for _rancor._ Then add a shot of tequila to that delicious Mexican coffee and you are set to take on the world for a while until drowsiness overcomes your exuberance sometime around noon..


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