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Driving from the US Border to Ajijic


kamytoo

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I have Canadian friends who spend 6 months in the winter in Texas.  They would love to come here to visit us, but are afraid to drive in Mexico.  Does anyone know of such a person who takes a bus from Ajijic to the US Texas border by bus, meets the people who want to come here,  and drives them in their own car here to Ajijic?  They would like to have their car here with them, but are afraid to drive in Mexico.  Would appreciate help with this.

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37 minutes ago, kamytoo said:

I have Canadian friends who spend 6 months in the winter in Texas.  They would love to come here to visit us, but are afraid to drive in Mexico.  Does anyone know of such a person who takes a bus from Ajijic to the US Texas border by bus, meets the people who want to come here,  and drives them in their own car here to Ajijic?  They would like to have their car here with them, but are afraid to drive in Mexico.  Would appreciate help with this.

Ahhh.....they do realize Ajijic is IN  Mexico?  

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Since they are afraid to drive in Mexico, which they will definitely be doing in Ajijic, maybe they could take a bus here and hire taxis or a driver to take them wherever they want to go. If they bring their own car, they will need foreign insurance, need to learn stop lights are sometimes just a suggestion and a litany of other things that could make their visit unpleasant.  Just a thought...

Or, maybe you can find others coming this way the same time and they can arrange to switch drivers etc. They can figure that part out somehow.

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Only the bravest of the brave dare to drive into Mexico, race through the dangerous border zones and climb into the mountains, scanning constantly for sicarios, drogadictos, cartelistas and assorted banditos, before running headlong into the megapolitan gridlock & confusion of the country‘s second largest city, where putas en puertas may be encountered at a wrong turn, certain to frighten any proper tourist on the first venture into .......the other....... But, upon arrival, they are certain to meet at least some of the survivors of the very same adventure; all duped, doped or otherwise persuaded to utter nonchalance about the trip, bragging that little old ladies do it alone all the time; the trip, that is.......

So, go get them, Kamy.  We did that once for some Manitobans wintering in Texas, but they were so frightened of Mexico‘s wild mountains and shoulderless roads that they feared to leave the house in Ajijic.  We put them on a northbound bus and have never heard from them since.  Which kind are your friends????

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Come on folks, it's OK if the people are not comfortable driving in Mexico just because we all are!  No need to get snide with them.

Yes, there are folks who do/have provided this service. Can someone remember their names?  I can't other than maybe the Miramonte family. 

P.S.  Playaboy no longer lives in the area, having moved back over to the Yucatan.

 

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The OP's friends have good reason for being concerned about driving here.  Accident rates are much higher here, that is not some myth.  Just compare Canada to Mexico in this table.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

The truck accident rate is 50 percent higher than the U.S. according to SCT data. 

For the most part, traffic enforcement doesn't exist here or is mainly about extorting money as opposed to punishing dangerous drivers.  Something approaching half the drivers don't have licenses, and vehicle safety inspection is nonexistent.  At least in the 9 years we've lived here the condition of the roads other than those pricey toll roads has gone steadily downhill at least here in Jalisco.  A recent SCT report confirms this.

http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/highways-in-decline-no-money-for-upkeep/

Neither the roads nor the drivers here compare to NOB when it comes to condition and safety.  That is reality.  The flip side is that because everything is so convenient we find ourselves driving a lot less for routine shopping than we did NOB.

I have now driven or ridden moto for at least 40K miles here in Mexico, 25K by car, 15K by moto.  It is not the same as driving on the safer, better maintained roads NOB and it is nonsense and a disservice to tell newbies that it is or sneer at them for being concerned.  Even with all that experience, it is always a relief on road trips north to arrive at the far better and safer roads of the U.S.

For someone just visiting who has no experience driving here by far the best option is to leave the car in Texas and use the cheap round trip air option from Texas.  As noted, there are numerous ways to get around here that do not require a car.  If they decide to try it after arriving, easy enough to rent something locally.

 

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