I know there is more crime around the border in northern Mexico, but sometimes I'm a little worried. I'm planning to move to Playa del Carmen with my partner and our daughter. Is it very safe? How it is during the evenings? I'm from Montreal and I feel very safe in my city, even when I'm alone at night. Also, I will be the only driver as my boyfriend don't drive at all (he doesn't have a driving license). Please share your thoughts.
There are others who may have something more specific to say about this but I'll offer my impressions. Almost anywhere you go, outside Canada, will be more dangerous, whether it's from traffic accidents, lack of readily available/affordable medical care, or crime. That said, I put this environment on a par with the U.S., which means you're relatively safe, but as you would there, avoid bad neighborhoods, late hours out on the streets, and putting yourself in dangerous situations. You, and your family, will be fine.
I, personally, feel safer here than in the states, but, of course, that also depends on where in the states one lives. Like V said, don't be where you shouldn't be at a time that you shouldn't be. Unfortunately, Cancun isn't near as safe as it was ten years ago. You want "safe", move to Cuba. Then again, Cuba isn't as safe as it was ten years ago, either, but, comparatively, it's great.
Fairly "simple" if you ask me: If you want trouble, its one of the easiest places to find it in where I have ever lived. Do as you would do anywhere in the world, in any city: Avoid bad areas, avoid shortcuts that "might save me 5 mins" if the option is a well lit street with people, traffic etc. Ive never felt unsafe here, with the exception of a few drunks(my dog takes care of them, effectively and quickly...) and some rotten cops looking for pocket change Ps. Stockholm, in a radius of 20 km from my old suburb, has had 43 killings in the last 8 months... Guns (39) and knives (3) being the main weapons. That should give you a interesting comparison, especially considering our reputation back home...
Thanks Rawkus. I've been travelling a lot, as I said in my previous thread, in 12 countries. I'm always very cautious. But living in another country, it looks different. I heard that drug cartels are coming in Quintana Roe. I just don't wanna go shopping somewhere with my daughter and being shot by being in the wrong place LOL I know it can happen everywhere (it happens in Montreal) but it looks more scary in Mexico. Also, I'm afraid of corrupted cops.
Castor, how really safe and secure do you feel at home? No place you go in the world will be as safe. Mexico is more dangerous, simple as that. But, not all of Mexico is more dangerous. The next state over from us, the Yucatan, has one of the lowest murder rates in the world, for example. Simply changing your focus, but still choosing Mexico, is a possibility, if personal safety is to be the criteria.
The short imo is that no Q.Roo is not really dangerous. Bear in mind Cancun and Playa are in Mexico, but in general I would think Mexicans are in general nicer than people stateside in general. Now bear in mind that petty crime seems more common, me myself both suffering a 13000 dollar theft as well as someone picking up a hundred or so off me in another occasion, beecause it was left somewhere, even though one was a locker and the other was about 20 feet from me. Bear in mind that there are also a lot of tourists, not all tourists are loaded, and not all rich tourists are ethical. Poverty can be extreme in Mexico with the poor being poor, and unemployment rates being relatively high from past years. There are murders, aka, executions, but in general most major cities in the world have their share of murders. In general these things seem to be attached to organized 'crime' such as the drug trade or other 'cartel' type activities. Mexico however is quite proactive in establishing governmental responses, including check points with scans, vehicle searches, regular patrols, and spot checks. there is a very visible policing presence that surpasses the anglo world. I feel more secure in Mexico than I do in Canada, imo, the cops are more respectful, although the law is much more providing to cops in mexico, but I feel like I have a higher probability of petty crime in Mexico, but only because I frequent high risk areas. Using a little bit of common sense the risk of danger is low, and is nothing close to other parts of the world that have real civil disorder, terrorism and other forms of extremism. There are risks but mexicans of all walks of life are friendly, or usually in a worst case reserved in their interactions. Some will walk right up to you with their trade, others will help you. Just be aware in any city there are places and times that are best to exercise caution with, and exercise caution with your belongings, people will steal, but bear in mind in some cases it is driven by abject poverty, or potentially greed. Some mexicans are patriots and apply exclusive identity to being mexican, that is there are mexicans and then there are extranjeos, not all mexicans think that way but you need to be careful around them because its a bit like how americans can act with us or them. When you add alchohol drugs and criminal mindedness things can get dead quick, there are commonalities with what some people could call low class american thugs either rascist white trash, or racial supremecists of all walks. National extremists are just one group you need to be careful around, but I can't be clear enough to say that 99.9% of Mexicans are great, and a large chunk of them are just a small chat away from showing you a great big smile. I live between two native reserves, in Ontario, where natives are often seen as a social problem by some, I get along fine with them, and I get along fine with mexicans, even ones with substance abuse issues. What do you expect in a city with such contrasted social class divisions? It is social stratefied, but if you are respectful except with extreme prejudice you should be fine. but don't be stupid and don't flaunt wealth to the extremely impoverished. Lots of mexicans make less in a year than a well to do american makes in a month or shorter. Were all just people, but we all have our own interests, concerns, and way of surviving. |Be mindful of who you are exposing yourself to and you should be just fine in your life. This is just common sense in Mexico or timbuktu. Bear in mind in the weeks leading up to returniing to Mexico in Canada, I was exposed to fraud, public exposure, potential sexual assault, numerous public intoxication, utter threats, and extortion. So far in Mexico this time 0 crimes by mexicans - there are the protests though, which is refreshing as the police were respectful of the protests I saw. There are just different types of crimes in different areas.. you get crime everywhere. Frankly I think foreigners are just as likely to commit crimes as mexicans are, and there are a lot of tourists... lots and lots of drug crimes but they arn't always crimes here.. bear that in mind. A lot of would be criminal behaviour here isn't really criminal. You just need to stay within your limit and not expose yourself to risks, think about where you are going, who you will encounter etc.. just going out and getting drunk then wondering why you were sexually assaulted by a transvestite you can't really blame the transvestite, its your own fault for getting drunk then stumbling around in the red light in the middle of the morning. You need to apply common sense, and take your experiences with a grain of salt, chances are you were just not too bright and it is in large part open season. Just be glad your wallet wasn't stolen, and that you realized they had an adams apple in your intoxicated state. None the less no mexico isn't dangerous, but don't be stupid.
