Easier alternate route out of La Zona
From Coahuila go South on Nino 1 block.
Turn right at Calle 1.
Turn left on F Martinez.
Turn left on calle 2 to the border.
This area has local shops and enough traffic that you can blend in and are less likely targeted. Even if they stop me, I can mange not to let them steal my money.
[QUOTE=MikeyOC;1874523]Well, in order to get to Constitution, you still need to drive on Calle Coahuila? The Tijuana's finest got all the routes covered. As far as I can see there is really no easy route out of LZ, especially at night on weekends.
Do not drive on weekends at night in LZ unless your car is a clunker. I used to drive on the street Baja California which is right behind hotel Leyva towards east and then make a left to take Highway 1 then exit at Avenida Negrete towards Calle Juarez, bypassing all the trap points. But even this route is now patrolled by policia. They got it all covered.
Tijuana policia is supposedly the best paid police force in Mexico but these incompetent guys spend more time harassing their own people and tourists than solving the crimes.[/QUOTE]
Don't use Constitucion on weekends
Constitucion is usually blocked off at night by moto cop at bar Malquerida, cannot get to Calle 1.
I tried a new route today. It looks good:
Ninos South to Calle 1 (avoid the swap meet on F Martinez daytime weekends, but street is open at night).
Turn right on Calle 1 go West 1 block.
Turn left on F Martinez go South 1 block.
Turn left on Calle 2 go East towards I 5 at the border.
This route has a lot of stores and local traffic. If you get stopped by policias, they are less likely to rob you.
[QUOTE=ScatManDoo;1874448]Captain: The next north-south street west of Nino Heroes is named "Martinez". However auto traffic is limited on weekends on Martinez because of a large outdoor swap-meet on that street.
I was thinking of using good-old Constitution Avenue on my next driving exit from La Zona. In the past that couldn't be done, but now that Constitution handles traffic in both directions, it may be my next path to 2nd street out of LZ.
It would be nice to waive 'adios' to the paraditas as QW & I head north after the weekend.[/QUOTE]
Crossing back on Wednesday morning
I left hotel Cascada at 9:11 in the morning, taking a new route via F Martinez then calle 2, to get to the border.
Traffic on Calle 2 to the few Ready Lanes backed up to Via Rapida, probably 2 to 3 hours wait.
Traffic on 9 Sentri lanes backed up to big ad TV and cross over foot bridge. My total time from hotel to CBP was 27 minutes.
The pedestrian line backed up to the park near the foot bridge. CBP was letting groups of 10 to go through the turn stile gate, probably 1 hour wait.
Alternate egress routes from La Zona de Combate
Exiting la Zona at night after a mission is no less exciting then driving a F-15 Strike Eagle, egressing a target after dropping your loads of bombs, jinxing your ways out in the sky full of bursting flaks, exploding SAMs and creepy MIG -29's crawling up your asses. Hehe.
The street North of hotel Leyva and the North part of Revolucion have been undergoing construction, sometimes they are blocked off, difficult to navigate and way too dark and deserted. You can easily become bait to the dumb policias.
It's safest way is to go West on Coahuila, South on F Martinez, then East on Calle 2 to I5, where there are people and lighted stores, making it harder for policias to shake you down.
Alternately, go West on Coahuila towards PLaya for 2 blocks, turn right on Ave Cinco de Mayo, go North 3 blocks you will run into the expressway Via International (Tijuana Ensenada road), exit at O Campo then turn left at Calle 2. This Northern zone is pretty dark and less likely staked out by policias, but you still have to deal with the robbing fuckers hanging out on o Campo and Calle 2. This route is dark, farther, less direct, and may confuse the less experienced drivers.
Despite spending most of their life shaking down tourists, Tijuana policias are amazingly fast in arresting shooting criminals. One theory has it that they just quickly nap the stupidest guys near the crime scene and beat the shit out of them for signed confessions. Hehe.
[QUOTE=MikeyOC;1874523]Do not drive on weekends at night in LZ unless your car is a clunker. I used to drive on the street Baja California which is right behind hotel Leyva towards east and then make a left to take Highway 1 then exit at Avenida Negrete towards Calle Juarez, bypassing all the trap points. But even this route is now patrolled by policia. They got it all covered.
Tijuana policia is supposedly the best paid police force in Mexico but these incompetent guys spend more time harassing their own people and tourists than solving the crimes.[/QUOTE][QUOTE=Jackie888;1874856]How about first going West towards la playas before finding an exit route?[/QUOTE]
Driving is far safer and quicker
Amen! Your advise is logical and solid.
I keep telling the bros it's far more risky walking outside of La Zona at any time, day or night (unless you want to count on your obese escorts for protection hehe).
There are far many more Policias patrol on foot. They stop, search and rob pedestrians all the time, if they look suspicious, or drunk in public. If you stagger walking back, you give them excuse to search you for being drunk in public. In addition on foot you can easily be choke held by cholos, robbed of wallets, pants, shoes etc. You'd would look seriously funny, waiting a long time in line at the border butt naked with your dick sticking out in the wind. Hehe.
Driving your own cars is still far safer, quicker and less work than walking through Mexican customs and take cabs. They don't even look at or stamp passports when you cross the border in cars. It usually takes me 10 to 15 minutes driving from the last exit in US to HK parking. Just go slow, 20-25 MPH, blend in with local traffic, obey all traffic signs, avoid the big pot holes that can bend your axles. If stopped by policias assholes, act normal and confident, and insist you did not break any laws. The worst that could happen is a small cerveza propina, a small cost for the convenience and safety of driving.
[QUOTE=MikeyOC;1875376]Good advise. Except I am not sure if you want to walk a few blocks outside of Zona at 1:00 AM. The worst that can happen to you is getting picked up by criminal policia impostors.
The irony is that once you are in the Zona, there won't be any real criminals trying to hurt you since the area is patrolled by scores of police cars. Outside of Zona, you are basically on your own. There is a parking place on Calle 2 and Ave Negrete.
But I wouldn't dare walk to Zona and back from there.[/QUOTE]