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Every Zona Norte "newbee" and first time visitor asks the same question, "Is the place safe to fist?" The second question always asked by "newbees" is, "What about crooked cops who take bribes?" I've been visiting "The Zone" since 1970, and I've been around it's blocks a few times, so I think I can say a few things about safety, and tips for gringos as what to do, and most importantly, what not to do. Maybe seasoned veterans can even pick up a little new information... The key to your personal safety in Tijuana's Zona Norte, or for that matter, your safety in any large city consists of two simple concepts: 1) Situational Awareness, and 2) Common Sense. Actually, Situational Awareness and Common Sense go hand-in-hand, as they are very similar concepts.
Photo: This motorcycle officer takes a break from directing traffic along Calle Articulo 123, just east of Av. Constitución, in the Zona Norte. This was a risky photo to take, but the officer wasn't looking, and I was about a hundred feet away, using my 10x optical zoom lens. What is situational awareness? Simply put, its being aware of your surroundings, in all directions. It reminds me of the proper way to drive a vehicle on a crowded street, in that you eyes are constantly moving in all directions, and you're aware of what's happening around you. Your eyes scan way ahead of you, then glance at your instrument panel (are you speeding?...) then you check your rearview mirror, your left mirror, then your right mirror. Your mind moves like a computer, assimilating all of the data of your current environment. You plan an escape route in case something happens, and you're acutely aware of what the other vehicles around you are doing. You do a complete scan of your surroundings every few seconds... that is situational awareness. How does that apply when you're trolling the streets of Zona Norte, looking for a pretty girl to party with? You want to be aware of your surrounding and the people around you. Since Tijuana is a border town, there are a lot of down-and-out-types attempting to sneak illegally into the United States, and many of them seem to like to hang out in "The Zone," since its only a few blocks south of the border. I avoid any unkempt, scruffy types that I may encounter, and I also avoid groups of individuals, especially young men. I keep aware of the environment around me, and I always have an escape route in mind. However, maybe I'm being paranoid, as I have never had a problem with any of the locals, except one time when I was unknowingly taking illegal photos of hookers in "The Zone." Maybe I've never had any trouble because I practice Situational Awareness... Common Sense is quite another matter, as it's a bit more complex and conclusive. For starters, you're a guest in a foreign country, so you need to respect the culture of the country. Mexican culture is very different than that of the United States, and although you're within a mile of the U.S. border, you're a world apart. I'm sure you noticed the startling differences when you crossed the border... In general, Mexican culture is much more conservative that U.S. culture, especially in the way people dress. Speaking of dress, you can always spot gringos when you explore the streets of Tijuana, as practically anybody who sports short pants is sure to be a gringo, as it's extremely rare to see a Mexican man wearing short pants in public. In Tijuana, and Baja California in general, you'll NEVER see Mexican women wearing bathing suits, except at the beach or a pool, and then you'll almost never see a bikini, as the bathing suits worn by Mexican women tend to be very conservative. If you want to see Mexican women wearing bikinis, you'd better take a trip to the beaches of Acapulco or Cancun, and then, most of the skimpy bathing suits will be worn by gringo tourists. Since there are many bars and liquor stores in La Zona Norte, booze flows freely. As in the U.S., you can only drink alcoholic beverages in bars and designated outdoor seating of certain restaurants. If you're "out of bounds" and you're drinking booze, it's a sure-fire ticket to a date with the judge. Since bars, booze and hookers fit together well, it's the custom for many visitors to "The Zone" to indulge to excess in beer and spirits. DON'T! If you leave the bar, and you're drunk and walking as such, you're a sure-fire target for the pickpockets, the occasional mugger, and the cops. As in the U.S., public intoxication is against the law, but the Tijuana police are less tolerant of the behavior than their counterparts north of the border. If you leave a club and you're drunk, you'd be wise to immediately jump into one of the many waiting cabs and get out of Dodge. If you don't, you may be in for a nasty experience.
Photo: The gentleman in the white shirt, walking up Av. Constitución wears the uniform of a municipal police officer. Although not as concerned about taking illicit photos, he could have busted me for taking this photo. Photo was taken before I was aware that taking such photos can get you in trouble. Crime in the Zone: The bad news? Yes, there is crime, despite the multitude of municipal, state and police patrolling the area. The good news? Most crimes are petty, crimes of opportunity, such as a smash-and-grab from a parked car or picking your pocket. Muggings do happen, albeit rarely, but if you're sober and stay out of dark, secluded areas such as alleys and parking lots, you're safer than you'd be on the streets of most U.S. cities. Crimes such as rape, armed robbery, assault are very rare in "The Zone," if you practice your Situational Awareness, and even if you don't, you're still safer than you are in most U.S. cities. The San Diego Union-Tribune maintains a very good web page about Tijuana, and the current crime situation, so you might want to click on the link before your visit to Tijuana. One thing to keep in mind is you should be very careful when walking back to the U.S. border after dark, as the area around the Tijuana River is home to many bad guys, and you stand a chance of getting robbed or assaulted. What do I do? Stay in well-lit areas, travel with a buddy, if possible, and practice Situational Awareness. If you're not comfortable walking, you can always pay $5.00 to take a cab ride back to the border from one of the many waiting taxis. Many accounts that I've read have said it's a bad idea to walk from Zona Norte to tourist area and shopping Mecca known as Zona Centro, located along Av. Revolución. It could be, if you use the wrong route. Personally, when I've walked from "The Zone" to AvRev, I make sure I head east of Articulo 123 (Calle Primera,) and turn south at the Hotel Nelson, located by the landmark Tijuana arch, as the area is quite crowded and generally well-lit. Once again, I practice Situational Awareness and I've never had any problems. What about the stories about crooked cops and "la mortida," e.g. bribes? It used to be very common, but the practice has been largely eliminated to a fairly recent doubling of the police force's salary, and the fact that the city fathers are determined to root out corruption. It's all about money, as they want to polish the city's image in order to attract more tourists. During visits to Zona Norte in years gone by, I never experienced the bite of "la mortida," but I did hear of others that had. Speaking of police officers, I have a few comments about cops in the Zona Norte, and Tijuana in general. In Mexico, there are several varieties of police officers. Specifically to Tijuana, you have three types: * Regular Tijuana police officers, who look exactly like cops found north of the border, and they sport Glock, .40 caliber sidearms and dark blue uniforms. The only difference you'll note between them and police officers north of the border, is the word "policia" on their cars or motorcycles. In Spanish, "La policia" refers to the police force in general, and "El policia" refers to an individual, male officer. You guessed it, "La policia" is an individual female officer, but I have never seen a female police officer in my travels to Mexico. * Municipal Tijuana officers. These guys are dressed in white shirts and khaki pants, and are sworn officers who sport badges and sidearms. Their primary job is to enforce parking and zoning regulations, but they are on the lookout for drunks, narcotics, and just about any kind of criminal behavior that can occur on the streets. They patrol the streets on foot, as to provide a police presence, and are very much evident in La Zona Norte. These guys have powers of arrest, so if they tell you do something, I'd suggest that you pay attention. I did have a semi-hilarious run-in with a couple of these guys, and I'll share that later. * Cowboy Cops. I've seen these guys in every Mexican town that's more than a dot on the map. They drive around in pickup trucks, armed to the teeth. There are usually three guys to a truck, and the truck is fitted with a camper shell on the back, which has been converted to be a paddy wagon. I've seen these guys armed with shotguns, M-16's, and AK-47's. Their primary job is to haul drunks, druggies and most street criminals to jail, but they have powers of arrest over anybody. They don't wear regular uniforms, so about the only way you can tell them apart from anyone else is the fact that they're totin' a lot of heat, they swagger, and they are riding in the very distinctive pickup truck, paddy wagon. These guys are looking out for drunks, as Mexican law has an extreme taboo on public drunkenness; much less tolerant than society north of the border. If you're staggering the streets in La Zona Norte in a drunken stupor, you're asking for muchas problemas deste la policia. You'll also encounter state and federal police officers, and lots of members of the military, dressed in camo fatigues and carrying M-16 assault rifles. They aren't after hookers, muggers or robbers, or YOU, unless you're involved in the illegal drug trade, or smuggling weapons. Regardless of what "flavor" of police officers you encounter in Zona Norte, you must keep in mind that these guys are police officers, and they're out to protect you. Forget the stereotype about bribing an officer, don't even attempt it, as Tijuana police officers are, well, professional police officers. If you're abiding by the laws of Mexico, or exerting common sense, you have nothing to fear from the police.
Photo: Two motorcycle officer ride together along Av. Revolución. Although this photo wasn't taken in the Zona Norte, it gives you a good idea of how the Tijuana police operate. What are some do's and don'ts to keep in mind during your visit to La Zona Norte? DO... DON'T... Keeping
safe in the Zona Norte is mostly a matter of good taste, avoiding
shady and/or illegal activities, common sense, and common courtesy.
Have an enjoyable and safe time during your visit to Tijuana's
Zona Norte! Copyright(c) 2009 eRench Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. This site has been published on the web since January 19, 2005. Web page design has been created by eRench Productions, Inc., custom photography for any occasion...
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