is mexico city safe?
Jun 26, 2006, 6:14 am
#16
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Ransom insurance is not really necessary unless you are going around with someone who himself would be a target. The targets of kidnappings in Mexico are locals whose habits are well known. Once a person's daily habits are known, if the person is known to have some means, then the person is a potential target. Joe or Jane Average Tourist are not kidnap targets unless the do something stupid like walk alone at night or hail street cabs. IMHO, telling the average tourist to get kidnap insurance is alarmist. Their efforts are far better spent in taking basic preventive measures as described in this thread. I know a bit about this subject, a client and friend of mine was kidnapped in Mexico. He is well known, well established and for that reason he was an easy target. Frankly I am in far more danger when I go out with him than I am when I am alone.
Jun 26, 2006, 10:10 am
#17
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
IMHO, this is way exaggerated.
Why in the H&LL did you choose Mexico City for a vacation for the boys??
Wish I could see your expression and you swoop in out of the clouds into the smog...get close enough to the ground to see the tin sheds and OVERWHELMING poverty and pollution.
But, hey, the chicas are pretty.
Jun 26, 2006, 12:08 pm
#18
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Originally Posted by MIA-SAT
Ransom insurance is not really necessary unless you are going around with someone who himself would be a target. The targets of kidnappings in Mexico are locals whose habits are well known. Once a person's daily habits are known, if the person is known to have some means, then the person is a potential target. Joe or Jane Average Tourist are not kidnap targets unless the do something stupid like walk alone at night or hail street cabs. IMHO, telling the average tourist to get kidnap insurance is alarmist. Their efforts are far better spent in taking basic preventive measures as described in this thread. I know a bit about this subject, a client and friend of mine was kidnapped in Mexico. He is well known, well established and for that reason he was an easy target. Frankly I am in far more danger when I go out with him than I am when I am alone.
Last edited by CO 1E; Jun 26, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Jun 26, 2006, 12:12 pm
#19
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Originally Posted by CO 1E
In any event, wouldn't K & R insurance be so expensive that it would defeat the purpose of an impromptu, relatively low-priced Z fare-style trip to MEX? If it's like $300 a person, it might be worth it; if not, the OP would be better off not going unless he was willing to take the risk of being kidnapped while uninsured.
Jun 26, 2006, 12:13 pm
#20
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Originally Posted by IndyMan
This is not exaggerated. Mexico City is a polluted crime filled toilet. If you have never been there, be ready to see something completely 3rd world. I hope you enjoy gagging smog and having your bowels scream for mercy after drinking polluted water and rotten meats.
Why in the H&LL did you choose Mexico City for a vacation for the boys??
Wish I could see your expression and you swoop in out of the clouds into the smog...get close enough to the ground to see the tin sheds and OVERWHELMING poverty and pollution.
But, hey, the chicas are pretty.
Why in the H&LL did you choose Mexico City for a vacation for the boys??
Wish I could see your expression and you swoop in out of the clouds into the smog...get close enough to the ground to see the tin sheds and OVERWHELMING poverty and pollution.
But, hey, the chicas are pretty.
Jun 26, 2006, 12:47 pm
#21
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
As someone that considers Mexico a second home, I find your comments inappropriate and insulting.
He asked a question, he gets an honest answer. Especially about his personal safety regarding one of the most crime ridden cities in the world.
I wouldn't recommend walking around the ghettos of Detroit also, if that makes you feel better about it.
Jun 26, 2006, 12:51 pm
#22
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Originally Posted by IndyMan
Great. Let it be insulting and inappropriate. I guess I'm less interested in saving your feelings than I am preventing this poor soul from getting shot in the head for $20.
He asked a question, he gets an honest answer. Especially about his personal safety regarding one of the most crime ridden cities in the world.
I wouldn't recommend walking around the ghettos of Detroit also, if that makes you feel better about it.
He asked a question, he gets an honest answer. Especially about his personal safety regarding one of the most crime ridden cities in the world.
I wouldn't recommend walking around the ghettos of Detroit also, if that makes you feel better about it.
Jun 26, 2006, 12:59 pm
#23
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
Like Detroit, MEX is perfectly safe if you take the precautions recommended in this thread.
This is straight from the US State Department website.
CRIME: Crime in Mexico continues at high levels, and it is often violent, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, and the state of Sinaloa. Other metropolitan areas have lower, but still serious, levels of crime. Low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals contribute to the high crime rate. Travelers should always leave valuables and irreplaceable items in a safe place, or not bring them. All visitors are encouraged to make use of hotel safes when available, avoid wearing obviously expensive jewelry or designer clothing, and carry only the cash or credit cards that will be needed on each outing. There are a significant number of pick-pocketing incidents, purse snatchings and hotel-room thefts. Public transportation is a particularly popular place for pickpockets. U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are encouraged to report the incident to the nearest police headquarters and to the nearest U.S. consular office.
Visitors should be aware of their surroundings at all times, even when in areas generally considered safe. Women traveling alone are especially vulnerable and should exercise caution, particularly at night. Victims, who are almost always unaccompanied, have been raped, robbed of personal property, or abducted and then held while their credit cards were used at various businesses and Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). Armed street crime is a serious problem in all of the major cities. Some bars and nightclubs, especially in resort cities such as Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Acapulco, can be havens for drug dealers and petty criminals. Some establishments may contaminate or drug drinks to gain control over the patron.
U.S. citizens should be very cautious in general when using ATMs in Mexico. If an ATM must be used, it should be accessed only during the business day at large protected facilities (preferably inside commercial establishments, rather than at glass-enclosed, highly visible ATMs on streets). U.S. and Mexican citizens are sometimes accosted on the street and forced to withdraw money from their accounts using their ATM cards.
A number of Americans have been arrested for passing on counterfeit currency they had earlier received in change. If you receive what you believe to be a counterfeit bank note, bring it to the attention of Mexican law enforcement.Kidnapping, including the kidnapping of non-Mexicans, continues at alarming rates. So-called "express" kidnappings, an attempt to get quick cash in exchange for the release of an individual, have occurred in almost all the large cities in Mexico and appear to target not only the wealthy, but also middle class persons. U.S. businesses with offices in Mexico or concerned U.S. citizens may contact the U.S. Embassy or any U.S. consulate to discuss precautions they should take.
Criminal assaults occur on highways throughout Mexico; travelers should exercise extreme caution at all times, avoid traveling at night, and may wish to use toll (“cuota”) roads rather than the less secure “free” (“libre”) roads whenever possible. In addition, U.S. citizens should not hitchhike with, or accept rides from or offer rides to, strangers anywhere in Mexico. Tourists should not hike alone in backcountry areas, nor walk alone on lightly-frequented beaches, ruins or trails.
All bus travel should be during daylight hours and on first-class conveyances. Although there have been several reports of bus hijackings and robberies on toll roads, buses on toll roads have a markedly lower rate of incidents than buses (second and third class) that travel the less secure "free" highways. The Embassy advises caution when traveling by bus from Acapulco toward Ixtapa or Huatulco. Although the police have made some progress in bringing this problem under control, armed robberies of entire busloads of passengers still occur.
In some instances, Americans have become victims of harassment, mistreatment and extortion by Mexican law enforcement and other officials. Mexican authorities have cooperated in investigating such cases, but one must have the officer's name, badge number, and patrol car number to pursue a complaint effectively. Please note this information if you ever have a problem with police or other officials. In addition, tourists should be wary of persons representing themselves as police officers or other officials. When in doubt, ask for identification. Be aware that offering a bribe to a public official to avoid a ticket or other penalty is a crime in Mexico.
It is increasingly common for extortionists to call prospective victims on the telephone, often posing as police officers, and demand payments in return for the release of an arrested family member, or to forestall a kidnapping. Prison inmates using smuggled cellular phones often place these calls. Persons receiving such calls should be extremely skeptical since most such demands or threats are baseless, and should contact the U.S. Embassy or closest U.S. consulate, or the Department of State for assistance.
Jun 26, 2006, 1:05 pm
#24
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Originally Posted by IndyMan
Hey, why take my word and experience on it.
This is straight from the US State Department website.
CRIME: Crime in Mexico continues at high levels, and it is often violent, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, and the state of Sinaloa. Other metropolitan areas have lower, but still serious, levels of crime. Low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals contribute to the high crime rate. Travelers should always leave valuables and irreplaceable items in a safe place, or not bring them. All visitors are encouraged to make use of hotel safes when available, avoid wearing obviously expensive jewelry or designer clothing, and carry only the cash or credit cards that will be needed on each outing. There are a significant number of pick-pocketing incidents, purse snatchings and hotel-room thefts. Public transportation is a particularly popular place for pickpockets. U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are encouraged to report the incident to the nearest police headquarters and to the nearest U.S. consular office.
Visitors should be aware of their surroundings at all times, even when in areas generally considered safe. Women traveling alone are especially vulnerable and should exercise caution, particularly at night. Victims, who are almost always unaccompanied, have been raped, robbed of personal property, or abducted and then held while their credit cards were used at various businesses and Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). Armed street crime is a serious problem in all of the major cities. Some bars and nightclubs, especially in resort cities such as Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Acapulco, can be havens for drug dealers and petty criminals. Some establishments may contaminate or drug drinks to gain control over the patron.
U.S. citizens should be very cautious in general when using ATMs in Mexico. If an ATM must be used, it should be accessed only during the business day at large protected facilities (preferably inside commercial establishments, rather than at glass-enclosed, highly visible ATMs on streets). U.S. and Mexican citizens are sometimes accosted on the street and forced to withdraw money from their accounts using their ATM cards.
A number of Americans have been arrested for passing on counterfeit currency they had earlier received in change. If you receive what you believe to be a counterfeit bank note, bring it to the attention of Mexican law enforcement.Kidnapping, including the kidnapping of non-Mexicans, continues at alarming rates. So-called "express" kidnappings, an attempt to get quick cash in exchange for the release of an individual, have occurred in almost all the large cities in Mexico and appear to target not only the wealthy, but also middle class persons. U.S. businesses with offices in Mexico or concerned U.S. citizens may contact the U.S. Embassy or any U.S. consulate to discuss precautions they should take.
Criminal assaults occur on highways throughout Mexico; travelers should exercise extreme caution at all times, avoid traveling at night, and may wish to use toll (“cuota”) roads rather than the less secure “free” (“libre”) roads whenever possible. In addition, U.S. citizens should not hitchhike with, or accept rides from or offer rides to, strangers anywhere in Mexico. Tourists should not hike alone in backcountry areas, nor walk alone on lightly-frequented beaches, ruins or trails.
All bus travel should be during daylight hours and on first-class conveyances. Although there have been several reports of bus hijackings and robberies on toll roads, buses on toll roads have a markedly lower rate of incidents than buses (second and third class) that travel the less secure "free" highways. The Embassy advises caution when traveling by bus from Acapulco toward Ixtapa or Huatulco. Although the police have made some progress in bringing this problem under control, armed robberies of entire busloads of passengers still occur.
In some instances, Americans have become victims of harassment, mistreatment and extortion by Mexican law enforcement and other officials. Mexican authorities have cooperated in investigating such cases, but one must have the officer's name, badge number, and patrol car number to pursue a complaint effectively. Please note this information if you ever have a problem with police or other officials. In addition, tourists should be wary of persons representing themselves as police officers or other officials. When in doubt, ask for identification. Be aware that offering a bribe to a public official to avoid a ticket or other penalty is a crime in Mexico.
It is increasingly common for extortionists to call prospective victims on the telephone, often posing as police officers, and demand payments in return for the release of an arrested family member, or to forestall a kidnapping. Prison inmates using smuggled cellular phones often place these calls. Persons receiving such calls should be extremely skeptical since most such demands or threats are baseless, and should contact the U.S. Embassy or closest U.S. consulate, or the Department of State for assistance.
This is straight from the US State Department website.
CRIME: Crime in Mexico continues at high levels, and it is often violent, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, and the state of Sinaloa. Other metropolitan areas have lower, but still serious, levels of crime. Low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals contribute to the high crime rate. Travelers should always leave valuables and irreplaceable items in a safe place, or not bring them. All visitors are encouraged to make use of hotel safes when available, avoid wearing obviously expensive jewelry or designer clothing, and carry only the cash or credit cards that will be needed on each outing. There are a significant number of pick-pocketing incidents, purse snatchings and hotel-room thefts. Public transportation is a particularly popular place for pickpockets. U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are encouraged to report the incident to the nearest police headquarters and to the nearest U.S. consular office.
Visitors should be aware of their surroundings at all times, even when in areas generally considered safe. Women traveling alone are especially vulnerable and should exercise caution, particularly at night. Victims, who are almost always unaccompanied, have been raped, robbed of personal property, or abducted and then held while their credit cards were used at various businesses and Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). Armed street crime is a serious problem in all of the major cities. Some bars and nightclubs, especially in resort cities such as Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Acapulco, can be havens for drug dealers and petty criminals. Some establishments may contaminate or drug drinks to gain control over the patron.
U.S. citizens should be very cautious in general when using ATMs in Mexico. If an ATM must be used, it should be accessed only during the business day at large protected facilities (preferably inside commercial establishments, rather than at glass-enclosed, highly visible ATMs on streets). U.S. and Mexican citizens are sometimes accosted on the street and forced to withdraw money from their accounts using their ATM cards.
A number of Americans have been arrested for passing on counterfeit currency they had earlier received in change. If you receive what you believe to be a counterfeit bank note, bring it to the attention of Mexican law enforcement.Kidnapping, including the kidnapping of non-Mexicans, continues at alarming rates. So-called "express" kidnappings, an attempt to get quick cash in exchange for the release of an individual, have occurred in almost all the large cities in Mexico and appear to target not only the wealthy, but also middle class persons. U.S. businesses with offices in Mexico or concerned U.S. citizens may contact the U.S. Embassy or any U.S. consulate to discuss precautions they should take.
Criminal assaults occur on highways throughout Mexico; travelers should exercise extreme caution at all times, avoid traveling at night, and may wish to use toll (“cuota”) roads rather than the less secure “free” (“libre”) roads whenever possible. In addition, U.S. citizens should not hitchhike with, or accept rides from or offer rides to, strangers anywhere in Mexico. Tourists should not hike alone in backcountry areas, nor walk alone on lightly-frequented beaches, ruins or trails.
All bus travel should be during daylight hours and on first-class conveyances. Although there have been several reports of bus hijackings and robberies on toll roads, buses on toll roads have a markedly lower rate of incidents than buses (second and third class) that travel the less secure "free" highways. The Embassy advises caution when traveling by bus from Acapulco toward Ixtapa or Huatulco. Although the police have made some progress in bringing this problem under control, armed robberies of entire busloads of passengers still occur.
In some instances, Americans have become victims of harassment, mistreatment and extortion by Mexican law enforcement and other officials. Mexican authorities have cooperated in investigating such cases, but one must have the officer's name, badge number, and patrol car number to pursue a complaint effectively. Please note this information if you ever have a problem with police or other officials. In addition, tourists should be wary of persons representing themselves as police officers or other officials. When in doubt, ask for identification. Be aware that offering a bribe to a public official to avoid a ticket or other penalty is a crime in Mexico.
It is increasingly common for extortionists to call prospective victims on the telephone, often posing as police officers, and demand payments in return for the release of an arrested family member, or to forestall a kidnapping. Prison inmates using smuggled cellular phones often place these calls. Persons receiving such calls should be extremely skeptical since most such demands or threats are baseless, and should contact the U.S. Embassy or closest U.S. consulate, or the Department of State for assistance.
Jun 26, 2006, 1:14 pm
#26
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
A lot of the same things can be said about the bad areas of US cities. Staying at the beautiful Four Seasons or W, having a private driver and car, going to dinner in Polanco, going to museums, etc, nothing bad is going to happen.
What you are REALLY saying is to for this guy to have the most artificial 'Mexico City Experience' possible by staying away from the locals and pricing his way away from the 'common' citizens there. Essentially, isolate himself away from the 20,000,000 people there that don't have money. Nice.
I've never had to even think about a body guard, private car, being kidnapped, or anything even close to that anywhere in the US.
To compare Mexico City to ANY city in the US is simply ridiculous. Perhaps hard to accept for you, but completely not comparable. Period.
The guy should be ultra-careful and NOT think of it as a dirty Las Vegas. If he and his boys get messed up on booze and lose their wits the consequences in Mexico City can be severe. Period.
Jun 26, 2006, 1:15 pm
#27
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Originally Posted by Falcon20
Forget Mexico and just go to East LA. Same atmosphere but you can use the US Dollar and don't have to clear customs. 
I mean...Mexico City...jesus. Talk about not making my list of places to go for 'fun'.
Jun 26, 2006, 1:17 pm
#28
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Originally Posted by IndyMan
And you won't have to pop pills and sit on the toilet for 4 days trying to get bacteria out of your system.
I mean...Mexico City...jesus. Talk about not making my list of places to go for 'fun'.
I mean...Mexico City...jesus. Talk about not making my list of places to go for 'fun'.
If you open your mind a bit, MEX can be a lot of fun.
Jun 26, 2006, 1:25 pm
#29
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
Wow. You really seem to have some issues with the place. As far as getting sick, just drink bottled watter. I recommend that to travelers traveling in any foreign country.
If you open your mind a bit, MEX can be a lot of fun.
If you open your mind a bit, MEX can be a lot of fun.
I've been there several times and Toluca (worse).
I was shocked at how bad it was and I've been to some other really impoverished places on the planet. Mexico City is only second to a few cities I've been to in mainland China (for pollution) and probably the worst for an overwhelming feeling of not being safe. I'd probably give a tie to Sao Paulo but they are both bad.
I don't know anyone that would go to Mexico City for fun. Go to one of the 'Americanized' (<---read artificial for Yankees/Europeans) like Cancun or Cozumel or whatever if you want to have a good and relatively safe time.
BTW, I've never had to worry about drinking bottled water anywhere in the US either. That should generally tell you something about a place.
