Driving in Mexico

[Studio del Sol]

I found this info on the net from a security professional in Mexico. Notice what he says on the last line about the police in Mexico.

If you intend to personally drive a rental or company vehicle while visiting Mexico City, please consider the following recommendations:

A. Obtain a Guia Roji for “Ciudad de México,” an up-to-date detailed map book of the city available in al- most any bookstore and Sanborns Stores in particular. Using the Guia Roji, plot out all routes in advance and consider some alternate routes. Look for the small arrows on some roadways that indicate that the street might be one-way.

B. Ask someone in the hotel, usually the concierge, vehicle rental agency or someone in the office you are visiting for clear directions on how to get where you want to go before you actually leave. Get the address in writing and carry it with you, along with the phone number of the place if available.

Do not stop in mid- travel to ask directions, even if you do get lost. Go to a gas station or a taxi stand and ask for new directions.

Do not seek assistance from the police.

If stopped by the police:

1-Do not leave the vehicle.
2- Do not turn off the motor.
3- Try to identify the uniform, badge and name of the policeman and make a note.
4-Do not unlock your doors or windows and only lower the window no more than two inches if necessary because you have difficulty in hearing what the policeman has to say.
5-Even if you speak Spanish fluently, it is often better to feign ignorance and speak an- other language.
6- Do not turn over any personal identification or vehicle documents to the policeman. Show them to him through the window glass only.
7-. Be courteous, but firm while trying to ascertain the nature of the stop. Do not accept the policeman’s offer of a handshake and do not make insulting remarks to him either, no matter how angry or upset you are about the stop. Note: It is a separate offense to insult a public official acting in the line of his or her duty.
8- Use a mobile phone to contact someone – even if faking it - and pretend to or actual- ly call your embassy, office or family or company lawyer and advise that you are being stopped by a policeman for some unknown reason. If this is a bogus traffic stop on some fabricated or fictitious traffic violation, the police will usually back off if they see the person they stopped is contacting someone in authority.

[hensley]

I don't think this applies to the locals.

I disagree with the handshake, show respect and you can get away with lots.

[bmh]

One good advice is to show them the drivers license or paperwork through the window as they will take your driver license if it is a foreign one and refuse to give it to you until you give them money. Never tries to do it so I do not know if they would bulk at seeing papers through glass but we dit get a license taken away from us and were asked for money ..

The detailled Guia Rojii is a big waste of money unless you have very good eyesight, The first clue is that the book includes a magnifying glass.

You need to get a general map see what the main avenues or arteries are in the area you have to travel and then go by nose and directions given to you. when everything fails pay a cab to show you the way..

I remember being the copilot when we first started crossing Mexico city and seeing lots of street on the maps and none of them on the street and lots of streets with names that did not appear on the map or that I could not find...We would also always get turned around because of road work , desviaciones, and lot of other reasons .

Unless we have to cross the city we take public transportation and cabs when we are there..it is a whole lot less stressful and gets you there faster as a rule.

[Canamex]

Disagree strongly with the remark about feigning ignorance and speaking another language. If you're in a tight spot, speaking Spanish can help you get out of it. And if the person (policeman say) is honest, then speaking Spanish will gain you brownie points, whereas only English will just annoy them ("yet another American who doesn't know the language" etc.)

Maps: I think if you are good with maps, familiarize yourself before leaving and draw and simpler schematic for quick reference. If you have to get off the highway to read a map, you need to know how to get back onto the highway without getting lost.

[KathyTX]

Recently, we were headed NOB. We ran out of gas 30 km outside of Nuevo Laredo, as it was getting dark. As we were calling around, trying to get help, a Federales Police car pulled up behind us. We didn't have a hook for them to pull us and they didn't either. So, they pushed us to the nearest Pemex @ 45-50 mph, in the dark, with their lights flashing. I rode in the front seat of their car and the other officer steered our car, with Bob sitting in the passenger seat.

We helped them look in the back of our car, shook their hands and gave them Cokes! Granted, we weren't anywhere near Mexico City. They were very polite, helpful and did not ask for morditas.

Next time, we will fill up in Monterray, since there is not much between there and Nuevo Laredo!

[Fred Habacht]

Guia Roji maps come in large print. There is a kiosk in Plaza del Sol shopping center sells only their maps...hard cover; plastic pages or paper...nationwide or regional...book or fold out in english, spanish or both. We use the Atlas Turistico.

The ladies who man the kiosk are usually somewhat bi-linqual

[Ezzie]

Costa del Sol?? Do you mean Plaza del Sol on Lopez Mateos?

[bmh]

Barnara Habach I guess you have not purchased the Guia Rojii of Mexico city , it is a thick book and I litereally cannot read most of it.

The Guadalajara one is fine but the DF one has tiny print and is not that easy to use.

[More Liana]

The ladies who man the kiosk are usually somewhat bi-linqual

I think the ladies staff the kiosk...

[lcscats]

Where is plaza del sol?

[lakeside101]

north of periferico between lopez mateos and Otero.