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I know this is a useless rant, but every once in a while topes really get to me. This rant was triggered by the appearance of new "metal bump" topes either side of the Pemex far west of Ajijic. As far as I can tell the only purpose is to try to get more customers into the station. I have questions: is any approval required from anyone too install topes in the middle of the night? If so, is there any way to find out who gave the approval? Is there any way to protest and request their removal?

Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with topes installed for safety reasons e.g in accident black spots such as La Canacinta. But it seems that many these days are purely for business enhancement purposes.

That's it. End of rant. No solution expected.

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I am also bothered by these new topes. They are horrible. One way to have  them removed if all of us, every single person, would drive into the gas station, and tell them that we will not ever buy gas there until they remove those topes. And then leave. Without getting gas. If enough do that, perhaps they will think about it?

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14 minutes ago, Constance said:

I am also bothered by these new topes. They are horrible. One way to have  them removed if all of us, every single person, would drive into the gas station, and tell them that we will not ever buy gas there until they remove those topes. And then leave. Without getting gas. If enough do that, perhaps they will think about it?

That's funny! How long have you been here?

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/study-offers-another-reason-to-hate-topes/

Topes_viales_02.jpg

https://youtu.be/9-aZzSO3f0s

 

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Unfortunately the alternative seems to be cops with radar guns on every corner writing very expensive tickets.  That's what they do up north.  It's quite the little government racket.  Set stupidly low speed limits and then sit out there and write $300 tickets.

Just standardizing and having uniform criteria for their use would go a long way here.  There is a growing realization that the overuse of the things causes air pollution, traffic jams and vehicle damage.  Long way to go on this though.

 

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I read not too long ago that Mexico City is actually removing topes. Their studies showed that there was far more exhaust pollution (something Mexico City really can't afford to have more of) caused by topes, as everyone has to slow way down to drive over them- the longer it takes to get somewhere, the more smog produced.

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31 minutes ago, suegarn said:

Unfortunately, I think we need all those topes out in West Ajijic.  When the the young tapatios come on the weekends, they drive like maniacs out in that area, because they have a clear line of sight and a straight road.  

Exactly. Brake lights do not slow them down and only occasionally do flashers which I have learned to use often. And if they manage to pass, they come too close to clipping the front end of my vehicle when returning to the lane  I prefer to live, thank you, and if it takes topes to slow them down, so be it.

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I totally agree with the poster. When I saw them "sprout" like mushrooms over night I was very amazed . Like wise I do not understand why all the other "cats eyes" were place around that gas station. The station seems to have gone through 2/3 administration changes, could it be that some one from the Transportation Dept owns the Station??

If they have spare topes, I could recommend  better places to use them along the Ajijic- Joco highway where there are people /villages that would benefit from slowing down the traffic 

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It is possible that these topes were placed by the station owner, not by city hall. Happens, and unless someone goes to complain, they will stay. If illegal, no one knows who placed them, but they will come up, if complained about.

 

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1 hour ago, mudgirl said:

I read not too long ago that Mexico City is actually removing topes. Their studies showed that there was far more exhaust pollution (something Mexico City really can't afford to have more of) caused by topes, as everyone has to slow way down to drive over them- the longer it takes to get somewhere, the more smog produced.

Doesn't take much intelligence, or much study, to know that those things cause a lot more pollution. Not synchronizing traffic lights causes a lot also. I find this a lot here in big cities.

You can't tell Mexicans there is a better way, as they are always correct. :D

 

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At he same time they put in the topes they put a lot of purple lights in the pavement. At night it looks like a circus. I'm sure the owner did it to just to attract business. It is one of the larger gas stations around but it has very little business.

 

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17 hours ago, barcelonaman said:

Brake lights seem to be an additional extra here which most dont seem to take up. Indicators as well. And dont get me started on cyclists without lights in the dark. Madness. 

 

Much as stop signs, one way street signs, red lights...brake lights headlights, turn signals, etc. are merely suggestions in Mexico. My Mexican friend says he doesn't use turn signals because it's nobody's business what he is going to do next!

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39 minutes ago, HANDFAF said:

If we had a police FORCE and not a police FARCE things would be different. 

Apparently the folks who pay them, the cartels, think they are doing just fine. They keep the way open for drugs, people, etc. and all you need do is go to the border to see that business is booming. Everybody needs to feed their family and the appetite for drugs and cheap labor NOB has to be taken care of.

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On 6/13/2019 at 2:26 PM, Curmudgeon said:

17 years. But my low tope tolerance is not improving, and the topes seem to be reproducing nightly at an increasing rate.

"The Secret Sex Lives of Mexican Topes"  Didn't I see that on the back shelves of a bookstore? I understand that they will mail it to you in a plain paper cover.

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On 6/14/2019 at 2:08 PM, HANDFAF said:

If we had a police FORCE and not a police FARCE things would be different. 

Do you REALLY want to pay a lot more on your pitifully small property taxes (or perhaps other new taxes) to raise the funds to pay all the new cops and the vehicles they would need? Do you REALLY want a lot more transit police on the streets, pulling you over for all your intentional and unintentional infractions? The beauty of topes is that they are cheap, they are easy to obtain, and they exact punishment for excessive speed every time and the punishment is immediate. I really don't have a lot of problems with topes because they make the lead-footed Mexicans and Gringos slow down. There are probably a lot more people and animals alive because of them.

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