General Reports

[ParallaxView]

To each his own, I guess. I personally like to minimize my interaction with law enforcement LOL. I'm personally not interested in playing games with MTS enforcement over a $5 round trip fare but if you are comfortable with that then more power to you. Agree that it's highly likely you can avoid paying fares by doing as you suggest but at the same time you never know if / when MTS decides one day to more strictly enforce ticket purchases (and they may end up having no choice but to do that in the future when they realize a lot of people aren't actually paying). You also never know when you might run into a prick officer who decides to write up a ticket for you anyway, if for example he's having a bad day.

My thought on it is, in a world of ever-increasing inflation and jacked up pricing, free parking and a $5 round-trip trolley fare is an excellent deal so don't see the reason to skimp on it. $5 is miniscule when we're in Tijuana spending hundreds on these chicas anyway. But again, to each his own.

Interesting. Like I wrote, just having the Pronto app and money preloaded already minimizes any type of law enforcement risk, so I'm not clear what the risk is. No power to me really as it seems pretty failsafe. One click and you've bought the ticket. Seems awfully painless, quick and easy. There are a lot of more significant things to me to worry about. But again, I guess that's me.

I also am skeptical about all of these people supposedly not paying. Unless I see reputable statistics showing that, I'll figure it is just a myth and nothing to take seriously outside of individual anecdotes and opinions which don't mean a whole lot to me.

[BrotherMouzone]

I'm not really sure what isn't worth it. Just have the Pronto app on your phone and put some money on it when needed, but don't actually buy a ticket. When (or, more likely, if) confronted for a ticket by a transit officer, just plead ignorance and buy a ticket. I don't see any downside on skimping on the trolley ticket. I highly doubt anything negative would ever happen as long as you buy the ticket when asked for proof of purchase by a transit officer.

That said, I've done two round trips (not many, admittedly) on Saturday and then returning Sunday morning, and did not get asked for a ticket either time.

While I think it is wise to simply buy the ticket to support the trolley, I'm not sure MTS can do much to ensure fares are being purchased.

To each his own, I guess. I personally like to minimize my interaction with law enforcement LOL. I'm personally not interested in playing games with MTS enforcement over a $5 round trip fare but if you are comfortable with that then more power to you. Agree that it's highly likely you can avoid paying fares by doing as you suggest but at the same time you never know if / when MTS decides one day to more strictly enforce ticket purchases (and they may end up having no choice but to do that in the future when they realize a lot of people aren't actually paying). You also never know when you might run into a prick officer who decides to write up a ticket for you anyway, if for example he's having a bad day.

My thought on it is, in a world of ever-increasing inflation and jacked up pricing, free parking and a $5 round-trip trolley fare is an excellent deal so don't see the reason to skimp on it. $5 is miniscule when we're in Tijuana spending hundreds on these chicas anyway. But again, to each his own.

[BrotherMouzone]

I do that any time I'm walking in, but there is one thing to be aware of: Parking at the trolley stations is, in theory, limited to 24 hours. I have never seen this enforced, but I've never tested it, either.

This all works fine for me, because if I'm going for more than 24 hours, I drive in. But I don't recommend that for most people.

I've tested it several times for 2-3 days with no issues. So 2-3 days I probably wouldn't worry about it. Honestly, I don't think they even care. The rule I think is only in place to prevent people from taking complete advantage of it by having their cars parked there several days (ie a week or more) at a time as the lots weren't intended for that. If leaving your car there for that long they probably would ticket or tow.

[Captain Solo]

Yep. There is $10 for 24 HR parking behind the shoes store.

Last week I was waiting there for the bros to cross in pedestrian lane, a guy ran out from the lot, screaming at the attendants. He said his car had been broken into and he could not restart engine. Cars parked along the rail track are broken into frequently. Any parking near the border carries higher risks.

Palm Ave trolley station seems pretty safe. Find a spot near the platform where cameras are looking, would be safer.

[Dogers69]

From past discussions on the GE it will allow you to use the Sentri but I'm not sure the process would be any faster. Have you been trying to contact anyone for an idea on why so long? I seem to remember others posting here recently that it o my took a matter of weeks and this was during COVID. You might have some questionable things in your past that is making it more difficult for them to approve you.

Never apply for sentri if you qualify for global entry. Its the same thing for the Mexican border. Global entry took me 3 weeks, start to catdcin my hand, in middle of covid. You need to stay on top of it, read how to get next day appointment, don't pay any service, then jump in the car and drive to that city for that appointment. For me it was driving to LOS Angeles from san Diego. Putting the car on it takes a little longer I just needed the pass to walk across the border.

[Sol12]

Has anyone tried either of these place recently? Seems like both may be owned by the HK group, but I suspect prices may be lower.

All the girls know what the price is and just because they are at a smaller bar they aren't going for much cheaper. Even in HK you have a 5 asking for what a 8 gets. They figure they are doing the same thing and should be paid the same.

The other thing is that it's been years since I went to those bars but I imagine the girls are happy just with fichas and not wanting to go with a few guys everyday.

BTW, last week they had another shooting at La Cueva, now the report was vague and it wasn't in the bar just in the parking lot but for some of you that might be close enough to not want to risk visiting that bar anytime soon.

[Sol12]

Your wrong Counselor.

I imagine that this was to be directed to Dogers, now he does exaggerate on things but many thefts are going by with law enforcement not doing anything to look for them. Just because a law is on the books it doesn't mean anything if the criminals are not going to be prosecuted. So law enforcement knows this and thus has given up on many thefts since it's basically a waste of their time.

[Sol12]

I been waiting for 18 months now for my approval. I hear the pass use to take about 6 weeks before all the COVID stuff happened.

I am talking about the Sentri pass.. Maybe I should apply for Global Entry. Will it allow me to drive in the Sentri lane?

From past discussions on the GE it will allow you to use the Sentri but I'm not sure the process would be any faster. Have you been trying to contact anyone for an idea on why so long? I seem to remember others posting here recently that it o my took a matter of weeks and this was during COVID. You might have some questionable things in your past that is making it more difficult for them to approve you.

[Sol12]

Is this actually happening? I tend to stay overnight and leave after brunch and a couple of quick beers in Chicago, which then lets me use their zona shuttle (which isn't really needed to PedWest), so through by 2 pm is viable if it's less than an hours wait time.

CBP put out the info last week stating it, so unless something has changed without them telling anyone it's suppose to open at 6 am On January 9th. As I write this it's 7:30 am on January 9th and the border wait site I use still shows PedWest as pending. It has PedEast pedestrian line at only 5 minute wait. If you have Facebook you can look at "Como estas la línea hoy" page that is dedicated to live updates of people in line at the border and how long it is. I'm sure if PedWest is open they are talking about it.

[Hargow20]

For some reason the pedestrian lines have been long on Saturday evenings. Crossed back over around 7:30 on Saturday & had to wait just over a hour. Last Saturday crossed back around the same time and had to wait for close to 2 hours.

[Hargow20]

I see people getting tickets. It is not worth taking the chance of getting a ticket. I have been parking downtown & catching the trolley. Makes a lot of sense when considering, gas & traffic.

The do enforce trolley fares (sort of).

I've ridden the trolley about a dozen times in the last year and on three occasions, there were officers checking fares.

And the only time they caught anyone, they just told the offender to "get off the trolley at the next stop.

P. S: Please don't confuse "get off the trolley" with "get the trolley off". The former is a much simpler procedure.

[CurryMonster]

CBP announced Wednesday that PedWest will be opening beginning Jan. 9th. The only difference is that the hours will only be from 6 am till 2 pm. So this won't really help most of you out since I imagine you all go back to the border after 2 pm.

Is this actually happening? I tend to stay overnight and leave after brunch and a couple of quick beers in Chicago, which then lets me use their zona shuttle (which isn't really needed to PedWest), so through by 2 pm is viable if it's less than an hours wait time.

[Hadez]

I used the medical pass to cross the border Sunday 1/8 in my vehicle. The lane opens at 7 AM. I got in at 7:34. I was through the border by 7:45. One of fastest border experiences I have ever had.

Got my pass in Rosarito for $35. Anyone know where to get one in Tijuana?

I know a couple ways to get past the Mexican side of the line now. Each I need to pay for each crossing. Does Mexico have any perm passes? This 18 month wait for the USA side of things has me calling my Congresswoman this next week.

[Hadez]

I been waiting for 18 months now for my approval. I hear the pass use to take about 6 weeks before all the COVID stuff happened.

I am talking about the Sentri pass.. Maybe I should apply for Global Entry. Will it allow me to drive in the Sentri lane?

The Global Entry card, which acts as Sentri if you are walking over the border to the USA side, is simply a must have. I don't know how many on this forum have the Global Entry card, but it is so incredible.

I suppose, if you are coming back at 2 am, which I have sometimes done, it really doesn't matter, as you will glide through the USA border security. But I have stayed overnight just twice in Tijuana and both times I've come back on a Sunday morning. The pedestrian line in the regular line to USA is immense and it doesn't move. With the Global Entry card, I sail right by all of these people in the Sentri lane. I feel like these people are probably going to have to wait at least an hour. And maybe more. But for me, it has taken about 3-5 minutes. And then about another 10-15 to the Palm Avenue blue line station. It is worth every cent to save that much time to me.

I glided through border security on my way back to San Diego today and felt the need to glow about Global Entry because it is just amazing.

[WombatEd2]

Each trolley parking lot has cameras mounted on street lamps. I think someone is watching parked cars.

Good point. OTOH, nowadays, most cameras are recording, and nobody is watching.

So unless your car is somehow implicated in a serious criminal matter, I seriously doubt if anyone ever watches.

But, as I've said before, this is an issue I've never tested. (And I have no intention.).