Maintenance & Restoration

jdtrotter · 02-07-2006, 03:33 PM

This is a true story I took from another forum -- the man who wrote this is staying in an RV park near Mazatlan. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

"It was a typical early evening in the campground on the beach.We sat there watching the remnants of a Mexican sunset as we savoured our rum & cokes & margaritas.

A police car with lights flashing burst through the main gates, luckily they were open! The two officers jumped out and started yelling in Spanish. Like deer caught in the headlights we all rather foolishly ran towards them.

With only enough Spanish between the lot of us to barely be able to order "dos cervezas", we managed to get that were saying something like "other car". So they were chasing a car full of banditos, and they thought they came in here. "No banditos aquis" someone managed. NO No, they meant a police car. Holy smoke they were chasing another police car! Probably full of corrupt, bribe taking, Mazatlan cops!

The cops appeared frustrated, one motioned a noose around his neck. Oh No, they were going to hang someone right there! Either the corrupt cops or us for not handing them over. All those stories about the Mexican police were true, we were going to witness a hanging! Some of the survivors would be on Larry King tomorrow!

Finally a dictionary was produced. They wanted a rope to tow a broken down police car!
One was quickly found, they were getting ready to leave, Mrs Orion went to take a picture of the car. NO NO NO, one of the cops yelled, and started to go into the car, obviously to get his M16.No, actually he put his red & white lights on to make a better picture!

When they returned later with the rope, our friend asked if we could take a picture of her next to the police car. They insisted that she actually drive the police car around the campground, while the rest took pictures! We declined this, and compromised with them acting out putting her in the rear seat, with his hand on the prisoners head.

They left laughing, as was the entire campground, as we settled back to our happy hour in the warm evening. "

Diane

Ron N · 02-07-2006, 05:35 PM

I admire your courage to venture into Mexican Territory!! When I was in the Navy, many, many years ago, on my way to Viet Nam, we were all told that if we got stopped by the Mexican police, the U.S. government couldn't do anything to help us. I have visited 13 foreign countries, all but one Canadian province, and all states but Alaska, but... I have never been to Mexico. Even though I've lived in Oregon 26 years, I've never even thought I'd take the risk of even flying into Mexico let alone pulling a trailer. All because of some Navy officer's speech when I was 22 years old. Pretty sad, huh?

Susan Tiller · 02-07-2006, 05:45 PM

Brings back old, not too found, memories of a Cancun, Mexico trip. I took a taxi to a deserted beach to be by myself and catch some rays. A what appeared to be a nice man approched me and wanted to sell me something???? My limited Spanish only allowed me to figure out the part where he wanted me to buy something. I politely declined several times and he was on his way.
A very short time later, the Mexican police came "hot footing it" down the beach and over to me. He was harder to understand than the other man, but I finally got him to see that I did not make a purchase from the other man. This was only after dumping my beach bag, standing in my "itsy bitsy bikini" so he could see I had nothing to hide. I descided I had had enough peace and quite and quickly went back to the hotel.

**Frederick L. Simson** · 02-07-2006, 06:32 PM

I have worked in Mexico, when my company provided calibration services to the international maqulidoras in Tijuana, Tecate, Mexicali, and Ensenada. I must have had a guardian angel, for I never got into serious trouble there, but I have had a few misunderstandings.

Back in the early 1980's I used to cross the border "without papers" but Governor Pete Wilson's proposition 187 (to deny California services to illegal Mexican immigrants) put a stop to that. Right after that passed, the dormant Mexican Immigration office got real busy and found that Honeywell's Tijuana assembly plant employed over 100 illegal Americans. They made an example of Honeywell, deported the gringos and fined the company $5000.00 per employee. This happened the day before I showed up to perform my Quarterly Calibration Service. The QA manager refused my entry to the property and explained the situation. He advised me to secure my legal status and get a proper Visa to work in Mexico, which I did.

I held proper doccumentation as a guest worker in Mexico for about 6 years. In December of 2004 my company discontinued servicing customers in Mexico. Not enough volume to justify the expense and bureaucracy of the permit process.

I learned during my time there how to drive in Mexico. And how to fend for myself. Mexican citizens are really like citizens everywhere, just trying to live their lives in the circumstances they find themselves in. I still think that the drive on the toll road between Tijuana and Ensenada is most enjoyable for the views of the coast; as good or better than Big Sur in California <norte>.

jdtrotter · 02-07-2006, 06:41 PM

Quote:

I admire your courage to venture into Mexican Territory!! When I was in the Navy, many, many years ago, on my way to Viet Nam, we were all told that if we got stopped by the Mexican police, the U.S. government couldn't do anything to help us. I have visited 13 foreign countries, all but one Canadian province, and all states but Alaska, but... I have never been to Mexico. Even though I've lived in Oregon 26 years, I've never even thought I'd take the risk of even flying into Mexico let alone pulling a trailer. All because of some Navy officer's speech when I was 22 years old. Pretty sad, huh?

Mexico is a GREAT place to travel---we always find something new to enjoy both in Baja and on the Mainland. If you don't believe me, just ask the thousands of Canadian snowbirds who are there now, and the thousands of Europeans who travel there during the summer. It seems that the people in the US are the main ones who have fears---fears that are mostly created by sensational media and the picky political government battles. We have traveled in every state in Mexico---even during the recent "revolution".

However, your military officer was probably correct in creating fear at that time. The ones who are apt to get in trouble are young people looking in the wrong places for a good time, and many often leave all common sense at the border and think that anything goes in Mexico--not to imply that you and your buddys might have fit into that category.

Diane

Travel in Baja is well, this was one of our hard days there last year

Gina D. · 02-07-2006, 06:50 PM

Also being a frequent worker in Mexico (A real Mexican green card holder, yep) I learned very quickly when I started going down there that 99.9% of the stories you have heard are old husbands tales and plain not true.

The country is poorer than ours, and looks run down in most areas, but this is no reflection on the actual character of the Mexican people.

I have been treated poorly in affluent European countries, and like a family member among complete strangers in Mexico.

Driving is indeed an aquired skill there, but I'll tell ya, I would rather drive thousands of miles in Mexico than 10 blocks in London!