Tijuana help...
Sportsfan333
Nevada
So I have a trip planned for this Friday, maybe just for the day or staying overnight at Cascadas until Saturday morning. I’ve been to Tijuana many years ago but do not remember to much as I didn’t even know you could go arriba back then. I’ve been doing a ton of research this past month and was all psyched to go. However I might have done too much research and kinda scared myself after reading all these stories of corrupt police and robberies.
I was planning to take a cab straight to Hong Kong. After check in I want to stop by the OXXO just to grab a few things then hang out in HK in the afternoon and when it gets too busy go check out Adelitas and Chicago Club probably in the evening and then straight back to Cascadas. In the morning I would check out and head back to the border.
What has me concerned is some of the stories I have read.
1) cab drivers and Uber drivers possibly working with police to rob you
2) police harassing you as soon as you step out of the clubs.
3) police harassing/targeting you as you return to border and get out of your taxi
Anyone have experiences like these? I guess the most vulnerable I would be is when walking into Mexico, the cab ride, going to OXXO in daytime, walking from club to club at night time, and cab ride back to border and the rest of the way. About me I’m a early 30s Asian guy that would be traveling alone. I know that makes me a target but do I need to be extra cautious in trying to avoid police?
I also read a couple stories that said if you are being stopped by police call 066 or 078 for the police hotline to patch you to a bilingual attorney with state tourism dept. Also you should carry the phone number for “sindicatura” 011-52-664-973-7273 (TJ police internal affairs) somewhere in your wallet so the police see it. This should scare the police so they leave you alone.
Any help from you experienced mongers would be greatly appreciated.
I was planning to take a cab straight to Hong Kong. After check in I want to stop by the OXXO just to grab a few things then hang out in HK in the afternoon and when it gets too busy go check out Adelitas and Chicago Club probably in the evening and then straight back to Cascadas. In the morning I would check out and head back to the border.
What has me concerned is some of the stories I have read.
1) cab drivers and Uber drivers possibly working with police to rob you
2) police harassing you as soon as you step out of the clubs.
3) police harassing/targeting you as you return to border and get out of your taxi
Anyone have experiences like these? I guess the most vulnerable I would be is when walking into Mexico, the cab ride, going to OXXO in daytime, walking from club to club at night time, and cab ride back to border and the rest of the way. About me I’m a early 30s Asian guy that would be traveling alone. I know that makes me a target but do I need to be extra cautious in trying to avoid police?
I also read a couple stories that said if you are being stopped by police call 066 or 078 for the police hotline to patch you to a bilingual attorney with state tourism dept. Also you should carry the phone number for “sindicatura” 011-52-664-973-7273 (TJ police internal affairs) somewhere in your wallet so the police see it. This should scare the police so they leave you alone.
Any help from you experienced mongers would be greatly appreciated.
Got something to say?
Start your own discussion
16 comments
Of all my visits to TJ, I am harassed more by the maseros than police.
I would be worried about a bargirl not giving me a great time than a cab driver trying to rip me off.
I'm also planning my first trip to TJ within the next few weeks, and I have also had some of the same concerns as you. I have been given the same or similar advice as above from experienced TJ visitors, so not much else I can tell you as I haven't been there myself yet. I had not heard about the phone numbers you mentioned, and appreciate that info, so thank you.
I don't think there's any reason for concern as long you're diligent. A lot of guys go solo.
Also, there are a lot of Asian men that frequent Hong Kong, so it's not like you would stick out like a sore thumb. Also interesting that some of the ladies have an East Asian look to them, but they are Latin and speak only Spanish, not Chinese. Not sure what the story is behind that.
taxi $5. do NOT tip. he’s allready getting twice as much as a local would pay.
i feel safer in tj zona norte than i do in LA.
I wasn’t worried about the $5 cab ride. I was more worried that cabs/Uber’s were working with police because some guys have mysteriously been pulled over a few minutes into the ride and shaken down by police.
So marines patrol the streets also? How do you tell the difference from regular cops?
JAprufrock - those Asian looking girls might be love children from mongers in the 90s. Haha. Hmmm...some might even be related then? I hope not!
So no one has been shaken down by police lately? If so where, when, and how did you get out of it?
I've have not yet been harassed and if you keep a low profile, dress normally, and walk with a purpose you shouldn't encounter any trouble from the popo.
I can appreciate being nervous, I was nervous going by myself the first time too.
Now I walk there from the border during the day, I walk around the block in the early morning, I eat at different places, stop by different bars, and talk to SGs.
Going on three years of near-monthly visits to the Zona. One encounter with the police. He asked me a few questions about where I was staying and that was the end of it. Didn't get frisked. Didn't get accused of any wrong doing.
Hong Kong limo will pick you up and drop you off at the border. Most recently I was exiting Mexican Customs at the new border and a man shouted to me, "going to Hong Kong?" I ignore most anyone who tries to talk to me (and you should do the same for anyone outside the clubs), but he was dressed in a black suit, typical of the Hong Kong limo staff. I said yes, and he walked me to the Hong Kong limo stand.
Like many "news" reports, nobody is interested in the good news; bad news pays the bills. So figure one out of ten good events are described in the forums. Two out of one bad events are submitted. How do you get more postings for bad events than actually bad events? Some posters describe the same bad experience over-and-over. Some posters do something completely stupid, but spin it like they are the victim, such as buying drugs, being drunk in public, walking down streets that are clearly dangerous (don't worry as they are fairly obvious), disrespecting the locals.
Fucking retard.