"Mexico Safer than Headlines Indicate"

[ScubaSteve]

I dont wish to upset people but things should be looked at in perspective.

But some people have agenda's to fill and perspective gets in the way. Mexico is dangerous like the US is dangerous and like Canada is dangerous......some areas are safe while other areas are unsafe, good judgement should always be exercised no matter where you are.

 

[Mike]

Are people really staying away from mexico? I was there a few months ago (Playa del carman) and had a great relaxing time, and never once felt unsafe. I didnt even have any dramas about catching buses. My little sister and her boyfriend spent 3 months backpacking around the country four years ago with no worries. Im guessing now but havent more americans been shot in school shootings in the last 10 years than have been killed in mexico?

I dont wish to upset people but things should be looked at in perspective.

American tourist are way down, Canadian tourist are up I believe. Canadians seem to be the new Americans, everywhere I travel I run into them in droves.

Mexico has certainly been feeling the economic pinch, and has recently invested 30 million in an ad campaign designed specifically to combat the distinction they are getting as being an extremely dangerous place to visit. It's called the Mexican taxi project, you can see the commercials here:

Mexico Taxi Project

If you get any travel magazines you've probably noticed the increase in the Mexico ads there too, even Cozumel has a new one.

In regard to perspective if you want some on Mexico -

According to data collected by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the rate of homicides in Mexico per 100,000 people has risen rapidly since 2007, which is the year following President Felipe Calderon’s declared war on drug cartels.
The rate in 2008 stood at 12.7 homicides per 100,000 people and by the end of 2010 had risen to 21.5. In comparison, the rate of homicides for the United States was generally stabilized at five homicides and hit the lowest rate in six years with four homicides per 100,000 people in 2010.

I have friends who have been going to Cozumel on annual trips for a long time who have skipped going, they have small children and the headlines have gotten the best of them.

To me is see it kind of like the correlation to flying, there are a lot of people who are scared to fly and when the headlines are filled with a crash it scares the crap out of the people who are already nervous. The violence in Mexico is the same, it scares the heck out of the tourists who are already nervous. Others of us look at it like the risks of flying and consider the statistical chances and keep on going back. As long as Cozumel stays as safe as it's been the rest of the violence in the country won't keep me from going, but I'm not naive in thinking how it's been is guaranteed to be how it will stay. If things happen we will re-evaluate. As I said I hope Mexico can someday get its act together. It's got so many resources, and so much to offer, to be stuck basically as a 3rd world country is very sad.

 

[Invictys]

For the record, I just got back from a trip to Puerto Morelos a month ago. Like I said, I love Mexico and have been many many times.

But to pretend that the problems exist only in border towns or go by a map published by some newspaper instead of the U.S. State Department is foolish

Also for the record, my wife and I did rent a car and drove to Chichen Itza , we had a fabulous time and stopped in Vallaloid along the way.

However, we did follow the U.S. State Department advisory and traveled on the cuota during the day (meant we couldn't see the light show). Oh well,

I would have liked to take the back route and stop in Coba but oh well. When I was in Turkey I'd have liked to see the Eastern part of the country but it was not advised, when I was in India I would have liked to go to Nepal but it was not advised at the time, when in Thailand I would have liked to go to Burma, etc etc you get the picture


Like I said, I've traveled extensively throughout the world I'm not some sheltered suburbanite just venturing away from the U.S. However, the U.S. State Department does not issue advisories lightly and they are often even too conservative for political reasons. But its the best we have to go on.

Certainly more reliable than some newspaper article or the "official" mexican crime statistics. What a joke, that whole region in the Yucutan has a vested interest in protecting the tourist trade.

Oh and by the way, I "felt" safe the whole time I was there. Of course I'm sure the people taking local roads or libre taxis "felt" safe too until the sh*t hit the fan. Its not about feelings its about mitigating risk.

 

[Invictys]

To those of you who want to attack me - I have thick skin and don't hide behind an internet alias. But I will say now that I am not going to continue to come back and argue with idiots who want to twist and turn my words/post and/or who want to attack me basically for being alive and having an opinion.

I'm sure your heart is in the right place and you clearly love Mexico. But, honestly it seems like half your posts on SB remind me of listening to Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity. No secret what you're going to say or what side you're going to come down on. Not exactly an objective source of information.

That's your right of course but don't expect it not to be noticed.

I know many are envious of those of us who live in this beautiful paradise and I suspect that fuels some of these ridiculous statements towards those of us wanting to defend it against false beliefs SOME have of our island.

Yes we're all just jealous, nice counter argument.

Any of you would do the same thing (I would hope) if your town, company, industry, friends, family came under false attack.

Of course, any of us would make an emotional appeal if we were in the same situation where our loves/livelihoods were being affected. Are you honestly telling us that the U.S. State department is exaggerating?

What did I do that was so awful? Haha! I shared an article and agree that the article does a great job of putting things in perspective, specifically by showing those who are geographically ignorant where the trouble areas are in relation to Cozumel and the Maya Riviera - because SO MANY people blanket the entire country when speaking of the crime without realizing it is a big country!

I couldn't agree more, which is why the U.S. State department website on Mexico has separate sections for those areas. The information I posted applies to ALL OF MEXICO

My point to sharing this article as my original post says (I'll be more precise for those of you with reading comprehension issues and who like selective reading and cannot figure out the intent ), was for those who have family and friends that think Cozumel is a dangerous place to go simply because it is Mexico - share this article with them and show them the map so they can understand how big Mexico is and that it is not the entire country under attack with the drug cartel bloodbaths.

Sure if you're looking for a way to calm your loved ones fears regarding border violence that's great. Its also incomplete as can be expected from a simple newspaper article. Clearly that simplistic viewpoint doesn't bother you (i.e. Yucutan is in the safe zone, therefore, its safe)

I'll continue to take the state department's word for it thanks

Do I have a vested interest and want to protect the islands reputation, of course I do

Ya think?

...but I am not lying or sugarcoating facts with relation to Cozumel - I'm telling it like it is. If I didn't feel that it was a safe place, and/or if I feared leaving my house (BTW I live in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Cozumel - which still doesn't hold a candle to some of the safest areas of Austin or Houston where I spend my life before Cozumel), you can bet that I would be out of here like white on rice. But that simply isn't the case. I still feel safer here any time of day or night by myself than in middle/upper class suburbia Spring, TX when I go home to visit family

I agree, I live in Houston and can't tell you how many times I've been warned not to travel on back roads and take only toll roads at night for fear of criminals making impromptu roadblocks. Yeah right, what world are you living in? You really believe its the same?

Obviously your tiny insulated island doesn't have the same scale of problems but that's not exactly what you seem to be saying. you seem to be saying "My tiny, insulated island and Mayan Riviera seem fine, therefore, its perfectly safe. Y'all come on down!"

those who are not looking for, selling, buying, stealing, hanging out with, venturing into areas they shouldn’t be late at night/early morning have no more risk than any of us have anywhere.

Again, the state department disagrees with your anecdotal 'evidence'

Of course that lowers your risk of running into problems same as it would anywhere in the world. But, there are specific concerns that do not translate to every other city.

That's all I have to say, I already spent way more time than intended "justifying" my post. I need to go get my afternoon boats out! Some people actually do come here to dive!

Here is my original post again – yeh, I don’t see anywhere that I claimed all of Mexico was safe – I used the word reality, which seems to escape some of you!

Ah yes, its us who have the rose colored glasses on.

Best of luck to you and yours, see you in the next mildly critical Mexico thread

 

[WSOPFAN]

Invictys.........very well said......much of the same thing I was thinking........
The "reality" of the situation IMO is the State Dept should be adding many more warnings. This year there were lots of stories of drug cartel violence in the Yucatan. The presence in Cancun and Playa is increasing rapidly and just recently read another story of bribes being demanded in Playa from shop owners. The reason why there are stories constantly in Por Esto with pictures of drug arrests in Cozumel is because they do not want it to get out of control and to show that they are vigorously trying to keep it in check for tourism. For those of you who claim that what is going on in Mexico is nothing out of the ordinary......Really? What town in the U.S. has there been a mass grave found of recently executed people? What news story can you post for a FACT that Police chiefs have been hunted and executed? What story can you post that a drug gang has infiltrated a town so severely that many shop owners have no choice but to pay bribes to the Cartels? The Cartels have overrun some areas of Mexico......and it just keeps getting worse.........Yea that is just like ourtown,USA.........Puhleeeeze...........

 

[annlaur]

Please don't insult people's intelligence and try to contradict the U.S. State Department with your anecdotal 'evidence'.

After reading the France page, I'm surprised tourists keep on visiting Paris.
My two favorite quotes :

Although U.S. citizens have not been specifically targeted in terrorist attacks in France within the past few years, travelers should remain vigilant.

Can someone please inform the all-knowing US State Department that the latest terrorist attack in Paris occurred in 1996 ?

Thieves on motorcycles have reached into moving cars by either opening a door, accessing an open window, or even breaking the window to steal purses and other bags visible inside.

20 years living in Paris, first time I ever hear about this. I'm impressed. Having riden a motorcycle in crazy Parisian traffic for years, I can tell you that would be some serious task-loading. Guess I learned something tonight… or not.

EDIT : forgot the best part :

Pigalle is the “adult entertainment district” of Paris. […] There have also been several violent confrontations between rival gangs in this district. You should avoid this area unless touring with a well-organized tour company.

Crap! Anyone know of a well-organized tour company with cheap long-term rates ? That's where I take the metro and do my grocery shopping every day!

The rest of the stuff I read is not inaccurate, but IMO exagerated. Like those endless warnings on medicine boxes : "Popping that pill can give you diarrhea, high-blood pressure, migraine headache, insomnia or plain kill you". Sure, some of those secundary effects are common, but others are extremely rare, yet still mentionned, possibly for legal reasons. That's how I feel about that website. The advice it gives is just common sense, but worded in a scary way. Kind of like "WARNING! Spilling hot coffee on your lap can cause 10th degree burns to your balls".

 

[Invictys]

Point taken Annlaur, however, comparing travel to a stable first world country with rule of law and a highly educated, trained, and funded law enforcement system to the system existing in Mexico is somewhat apples to oranges.

Also, risk of petty thievery and street gang activity in urban centers hardly give me pause. Risk of kidnapping, murder, assault while minding my own business driving through the countryside? You betcha

one can be easily avoided, the other not so much

 

[annlaur]

I'm not comparing apples and oranges, just saying I wouldn't trust the US State Department website to make my travel choices.

 

[Basscat]

Okay, wonderful, you've made your point and expressed your opinion ad nauseam, congratulations. Don't go to Mexico. I choose differently. C'est la vie.
Christi quoted an article from a San Francisco newspaper. Maybe you should complain to them. Geesh....

Point taken Annlaur, however, comparing travel to a stable first world country with rule of law and a highly educated, trained, and funded law enforcement system to the system existing in Mexico is somewhat apples to oranges.

Also, risk of petty thievery and street gang activity in urban centers hardly give me pause. Risk of kidnapping, murder, assault while minding my own business driving through the countryside? You betcha

one can be easily avoided, the other not so much

 

[Invictys]

You must have missed the part where I clearly said I love Mexico, have been there many times, and just got back from a trip there last month

I simply prefer to travel with eyes wide open and armed with as much information as I can get my hands on

You may prefer to have your head in the sand. As you said, c'est la vie