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Snowbirds heading home face delays at border


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20 minutes ago, oregontochapala said:

In the grand scheme of things, snowbirds having to wait should be the least of our worries. The disruption of commerce between the two countries and the inability of people living and working on opposite sides of the border to get to work should concern people in both countries. Should he-whose-name-I -do-not-use close the border, the monetary damages will run into the billions of dollars and pesos. We will all be affected and there's a good possibility that the sudden rise of the peso vs. the USD could be due at least in part to what's happening on the border this week.

I agree with you, oregontochapala.  The only reason I put that title on the post was to give a heads up to all the snowbirds that are leaving this month.

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6 minutes ago, SunFan said:

Just heard from a close friend who crossed the border at Laredo Weds nite around 6:00 PM.

Took him 13 minutes he said.

SunFan

Going north?  I presume... since that is what this conversation is about.  That's amazing for 6PM as that is usually a very long wait if for no other reason than folks going home from Nuevo Laredo to Laredo.

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It might help to use crossings not normally frequented by trucks.  Progreso, east of Pharr, comes to mind.  I believe there's also a lightly used crossing east of Laredo, Eagle Pass?  A couple years ago I crossed at Del Rio to very light traffic.  Returned by way of Douglas AZ, basically no one there at all.

Over 100,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended at the U.S. border in March alone.  That takes a lot of manpower.  Meanwhile another massive caravan is getting ready to head north, causing both countries a lot of expense and grief.  Someone is using these caravans to the detriment of both countries.

In the face of a few thousand of the same, Canada is toughening its border policies.  Maybe they also can see the handwriting on the wall.

Perhaps if Mexico enforced its own southern border this crisis wouldn't exist?  Polling here shows the Mexican people want this stopped too.  Of course Mexico is being damaged but they could put a stop to this if they chose to do so.

Meanwhile another massive caravan is getting ready to head north, causing both countries a lot of expense and grief.  Someone is using these caravans to the detriment of both countries.

I'm very curious, given the very considerable resources needed to feed and transport these caravans, just who is paying for this and why.  What is the real agenda here?

A country that has no borders isn't a country at all, whether it be the U.S. or Mexico.  

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If you want a truly non-busy crossing, go to Naco.  It's a winding road (Route 2, you peel off near Imuris instead of going to Nogales).  Cross at Naco and spend the night in Historic Old Bisbee before you continue north to Tucson/PHX.  However there is no Naco office to turn in your TIP, if needed.  

Douglas crossing can back up, especially weekends as many families have members who live on either side of border....even lunch times can be busy at Douglas!  When we lived in AZ, it was not uncommon to have 30 to 40 minute delays at Douglas coming in from Mexico (never a backup going into Mexico).

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Don,t you be worrying about Canada. They have lots of room, and lots of jobs-it you have any skills at all. I always remember a photo of a so called success immigrant story for a man who had immigrated from equatorial Africa to Quebec. His skill was that he spoke both French and English, he got a job as a doorman for a fancy hotel. He tried to smile, looking magnificent in his brass buttoned uniform and hat. But you could see the terror in his eyes as the first breath of an arctic winter peeked over the hill.

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1 hour ago, jonnyintrouble said:

In place of TJ use Otay.  It's also in TJ but East a tad, not far from the airport.

If I were going to BC I wouldn't even touch Texas, or Arizona, or New Mexico.  I'd go to Topolobampo, ferry West, North on 1 to Otay (through about 1/2 on the Baja peninsula) then on I1 or the scenicless I5.  As you approach TJ follow signs to the airport. Then signs to Otay.  It's pretty close.

Note:  Approaching the border between BCN and BCS there is a stretch that takes you from the East coast to the West.  It's called, The Devils Backbone, el espinazo del diablo .  Caution!  Tight curves, no safety railing, 2-300-foot drop, semis riding your a$$.   A true nightmare.  Be awake, be sober.  

 

http://www.bajaferries.com/

The free road is now bypassed by a toll road and the trucks went over there.  The free road is very popular with both Mexican and other country riders some of whom travel considerable distances to ride it.  I've ridden it 4 times myself and loved every minute.  Almost no traffic on it since the toll road opened but still well maintained pavement.  It runs between Mazatlan and Durango, not sure why one would use it to go to the border.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Mainecoons said:

.......... It might help to use crossings not normally frequented by trucks.  Progreso, east of Pharr, comes to mind.  I believe there's also a lightly used crossing east of Laredo, Eagle Pass?  A couple years ago I crossed at Del Rio to very light traffic.  Returned by way of Douglas AZ, basically no one there at all.

 

The only problem is that personnel have been pulled from these small crossings (Eagle Pass and Del Rio I know for sure) by the Orange one and what was true 'a couple of years ago' is not true in today's world. Last week there were huge backups at these smaller crossings when normally there is very little wait at most times of the day.  🙁

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On 4/11/2019 at 11:09 AM, oregontochapala said:

In the grand scheme of things, snowbirds having to wait should be the least of our worries. The disruption of commerce between the two countries and the inability of people living and working on opposite sides of the border to get to work should concern people in both countries. Should he-whose-name-I -do-not-use close the border, the monetary damages will run into the billions of dollars and pesos. We will all be affected and there's a good possibility that the sudden rise of the peso vs. the USD could be due at least in part to what's happening on the border this week.

You said: a good possibility that the sudden rise of the peso vs. the USD could be due at least in part to what's happening on the border this week.

I  doubt it. It is neither the highest or lowest I've seen.

USD MXN - Historical Annual Data
Year Average Closing Price Year Low
2014 13.31 12.84
2013 12.76 11.97
2012 13.15

12.55

Chart info here

 

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A report from another Board.....  crossed at Laredo Bridge II (main bridge) late afternoon and the wait for US Customs was about an hour. That doesn't sound too bad.  Also, road construction along highway 57 (somewhere north of San Luis Potosi but no more specific than that) added another hour loss to trip. YMMV

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MX.57 north of SLP is being resurfaced one lane at a time both sides since last year sometime. Now inbetween Matehuala and SLP.If it is heavy traffic the bottleneck to pass the about 1 km. area can be about a 30 minute delay usually. The trucks seem to be used to it and keep up well with the other vehicles. Going south the delay is probably longer because the trucks like to convoy going south and I have passed about 30 trucks in one convoy a couple of times.

 

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