I have read the thread on people coming down, and I notice a lot of people are concerned about safety, not just in the stadium, but in Mexico City. That's a good thing because you have to be careful. Here is what I tell my friends when they come down. It's a long list, but I would hate to have something happen to you. 1. Leave your personal ATM card at home, unless you have zero alternative. Use a regular credit card that is protected in case of fraud or theft, and use it to withdraw money in small amounts at a time. 2. Use ATM's that are inside malls, banks or hotels, and if something looks "weird" with the card slot of the machine, leave and go to another. Cover your hand when you put in your PIN. 3. There are four kinds of taxi's in Mexico City: Free wandering taxi's called "libres," Taxi's that operate from taxi stands, called "sitio taxi's" and tourist taxi's that are attached to hotels. The fourth kind are airport taxis. NEVER get in ANY taxi with only two doors. EVER. While libre taxi's are the cheapest, they are also the ones most often used to commit violent crimes so they are not recommended for foreigners. If you have no alternative but to take a libre taxi, take one with four doors. Sitio taxis (also called radiotaxis because some you can call for one to pick you up) cost more, but because the drivers all know each other at a given stand it would be rare to have a problem. If you call a radio taxi, they will tell you the number of the taxi sent to get you. Tourist taxi's are big cars, and are usually the "hotel taxi" that operates out of the hotel. They are the most expensive, but they are at the hotel for your use and are seldom a problem. Official airport taxi's have yellow doors with black airplanes painted on them. You can pay dollars or pesos at the window inside the airport, they charge by the zone and give you a two-part ticket. They can only take you from the airport to somewhere. My personal recommendation is to take only that kind of taxi when leaving the airport. Don't let the driver scam you at the end with "you paid for you, not for your suitcase." Yea, right. Threaten to report them to their taxi company if they try it. 4. Most taxi's don't use their meters. Ask how much before you get in. 5. Leave copies of all travel documents and travel plans at home in a place where they can be found. If you have one, a certified copy of your birth record is good to keep in that pile. E tickets are a godsend. 6. Use a hotel room safe if it has one. 7. Jewelry, a watch or ring that looks expensive, whether it is or not, makes you a target. 8. The biggest annoyance on the metro is pickpockets and having to stand. If a scrum of youths jostling playfully start to head your way, try to get out. 9. Most people tip 10 percent. 10. Smile a lot and have fun. Mexico City is awesome, the people are friendly, a little formal, and loads of fun. Just be careful like you would in any city you don't know. Attitude is everything. Remember this is what I tell MY friends. Anyone is welcome to disagree. [end of security briefing] Holy Week is one of THE BEST weeks to come to Mexico City. getting a sitio or tourist taxi to take you from Zona Rosa to Azteca on that day will cost you, because unless it's really early it will be over an hour due to traffic. If you can convince a taxi to take you, it's a nice way to get there. If there are four of you, it's probably worth the money. Metro then Light rail to Azteca is easy as pie, it will just be very crowded. Go good and early and you'll enjoy the grounds outside of Azteca, lots to see at the stands. Be sure you know where you are going, you pay when you get on. Don't wear a big belt buckle to Azteca, they may demand you remove it. US cellphones work if you sign up for an international plan before you leave. Local ones can be rented at the airport, I have no idea how much they cost. Heaven forbid you need one, but ABC Hospital is the one to use. Call home or send email telling your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/mom or whoever that you are fine, you just had too damn much good tequila. You would not believe how many people call in a panic because you have not called in 3 days and "it's just not like him to do that!" Now get to the game.
Good thread. I've only been to Mexico City once for a week, but I would add these: If someone approaches you and offers to lead you somewhere or show you how to get somewhere, give them a polite "no gracias" ("no, thanks"). Do not follow a stranger anywhere. Sometimes you'll see a taxi driver who will want to take you to a hidden flea market somewhere where you can buy jewelry or whatever. That may be the case, or it may be that he wants to take all your money. Sometimes you'll meet someone who offers to show you to your destination. Really what he wants to do is show you to a secluded, empty street so he can take all your money. In fact, if there is any phrase you should memorize, "no, gracias" is the one. It has an amazing dismissing effect over Mexicans who want something from you. I wish beggars here in the US were so easy.
I use a dummy wallet every time I travel in Latin America. Fill it with the lowest denomination local currency, expired library cards ,etc. Keep your real stash hidden under your clothing. If you get jacked, throw them the dummy wallet and run. By the way, I've never had any trouble in my travels.
Yes, listen to what Viking said about the street taxis. I lived in DF from 1990-95 and had always taken street taxis. Once the economy started to get worse in the mid crime started to get worse in Mexico City. I went back in the summer of 96 and continued to take street taxis ignoring the warnings of robberies since I had lived there and thought I knew better. Then one night me and my buddy had knives to our throats for two hours in the back seat of a street taxi (actually I had it better, my friend was lying on the floor where the front passenger seat would be in a regular car and they literaly took the shirt off his back). I go back to Mexico when I can but needless to say I have never taken a street taxi there again.
Good information. I just bought my airline and hotel tickets, and it's also good to get advice on personal safety when trddavelling to mexico.
This is a decent way to get yourself killed. The better advice is to not carry anything on you that is worth getting killed over(just keep some cash and ID - leave credit/ATM cards behind if possible). Its very unlikely that you would become a victim of a robbery if you follow Viking's advice, and very few of those robbery victims are killed. However, almost all of the ones that are killed are trying to be heros, its not unheard of for those who resist to be shot in broad daylight.
If you throw an empty wallet at a guy holding a gun to you and then run away with all the money, I think you would be looked at as resisting.
Not much, after I emptied my checking account (all of about $150 at the time), and my buddy gave them his cash a sweater and a baseball cap, we were let go (on the other side of the city). Bank gave me back the $150 after I reported it, so no big deal for me.
Except for the whole knife-at-your-throat thing I'll make sure avoid those cabs if I ever venture into Mexico City. I've been to Guadalajara many times but not to D.F.
Do you consider NYC, DC, or LA Sarajevo or Baghdad? The same thing can happen to you in any of those cities.
Some very close freinds (a couple) were having lunch someplace just outside Mexico City and she set her bag on the table. Someone grabbed it and ran. He ran after the guy. He caught up with him as he was jumping into a car. The guy stuck a gun out the car window and blew his face off. Don't be a hero.
You can safely take a cab - any cab - in NYC. I take livery cabs from Brooklyn to Manhattan all the time. Most if not all ATMs in Delis are safe. And your'e pretty much fine wearing expensive jewelry in most Manhattan neighborhoods. It's the safest large city in the U.S. Mexico City appears to be an entirely different situation.
I'm originally from Brooklyn...Bed-Stuy in fact. You can get jacked in a cab in NYC just like you can in Mexico. May not be as frequent, but it has happened. And I'm sure there are a few neighborhoods in Mexico City as well where one can wear expensive jewelry. And I'm sure there are more Manhattan neighborhoods where you shouldn't wear expensive jewelry than those where you can. Seriously, Mexico City, just like NYC, LA, etc, has its good parts and its bad parts. It's not fair to label all of Mexico City like Sarajevo or Baghdad.
Sarajevo's actually pretty nice these days (well, at least in terms of getting jacked...) Belgrade's even nicer.
Re: Personal Security Briefing: Mexico City -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- what is this place, ********ing sarajevo? baghdad? I would say worse, especially if your an American...hahahaha....good luck
The thing about Mexico City is that it's not about neighborhoods like NY or other US cities. For example in many (and most in the case of foreigners) of the these taxi robberies take place in wealthy neighborhoods like Polanco(the DF equivalent of the upper west side) where you would think based on what we know about crime in the us couldn't happen. In my case I had gotten in that street taxi about 100 yards from the gates of the US embassy and the thieves jumped in the cab at a busy intersection in Polanco.
I am not a fan of Rudolph Giuliani but keep in mind Mexico City hired him a consultant to help with a rampant crime wave. If New York was like Mexico City why would the Mexicans hire him? This is a good thread and I thank the Viking for his thoughts. I have hailed many VM micros on the street and have not been mugged once. But it is good advice to be careful with taxis. If you are out at night and want a cab back, try this. Go to a hotel or resturant and ask the bell captain to hail a cab (NO PELLIGROSO POR FAVOR). These guys know who is hanging around waiting to be awarded a good fare and commissions are often paid. This happens all over the world. Tip the bell captain for his time. The cab drivers who haunt the same places are known to the bell captain and they are safe.
Tom had a lucrative "squeegee" concession by the Holland Tunnel during the Dinkins Administration until Rudy came in and chased him out of there.