Military Checkpoints in Sonoyta

[thomsonc2010]

Headed through Lukeville today and before crossing the border at 11am, I went through two military checkpoints checking southbound travel in Sonoyta. This doesn't count the one just outside of Puerto Penasco either. One may have been for northbound travel but I couldn't tell as I made a slight detour before one by accident in the vicinity of the collapsed bridge.

I love Puerto Penasco and I will return again for sure on another trip and yes I did feel safe there. However, I cannot help but feel that Puerto Penasco seems to have lost its innocence in a way with what happened there last month. Multiple military checkpoints and Federalis driving around- at least the times I had been before I did not see any of this. Maybe it has happened before in response to another incident, but this was all new to me.

 

[Landshark]

The military checkpoints have been around for many years. I am all for them as I have nothing to hide. I don't think they have anything to do with the incident from last month...just business as usual. As far as Puerto Penasco losing it's innocence over it, I disagree. It's the same friendly peaceful town that it's always been and the individuals that caused the trouble are no longer with us.

 

[wildtoucan]

I go thru 2 on the us side going home..

 

[The Man]

2010....

I go thru two on US side going to VA in the state's.. Got to say the Mex check point is more intense than the US side.

It's just the sign of the times since 9/11, that all countries have to worry about plus drug crimes.

Weather the Mex check point side has anything to due with what happened at RP or not......or the US pushing guns to Mex cartels going south.....I for one am glad that all the check points are there, on both sides of the border!

It's just the times that we are living in. I bet the painter and cops: family in RP wish now that there were more check points, before the deaths!

Now, back to the point that RP is a great place to be at, despite any/all check points!

Wish we were there now, but have to head to jersey, yuk!

The Man

 

[InkaRoads]

I have always thought of check points as a safe place for anybody and they are there to help and keep the general public safe, the only time I felt fear coming to a check point was back in the late 70's when El Generalisimo Francisco Franco past away in Spain and people confused liberty with "libertinaje" and the check points were, well imagine the SS all over again, scarry!!!!

 

[rockyptjoe]

The only time I've been concerned going thru a checkpoint was years ago seeing that several of the soldiers looked like they were hardly 16 years old and had automatic weapons.....and also appeared to be very nervous!!!!

 

[Stuart]

Be glad you're a gringo (an assumption on my part). 99% of the time, the level of your gringo inspection at these checkpoints is cursory and usually just a wave through. If you're a Mexican, well, whole different story. I can't count how many Mexican families I've seen standing outside their vehicles with everything unloaded and the soldiers going through both their vehicle and their belongings with a fine tooth comb. Most recently, a police checkpoint on the coastal highway about 5 miles north of Puerto Lobos. I was surprised it was police and not military, but there were at least a dozen Mexican vehicles and families being searched down to the level they could of found a gnat.

Having driven further south to Mazatlan on occasion, the inspections can get ridiculous. They have pits dug in the ground that you must drive over so the soldiers can inspect the underside of your vehicle, as well as anything in it. And if you're a trucker? Oh my god, I've passed the Benjamin Hill checkpoint south of Santa Ana and clocked northbound semi-trucks lined up for more than 10 miles waiting to get inspected and through.

You do realize, of course, that it's your very tax dollars that fund the majority of these checkpoints? All part of the millions we give to Mexico as part of the war on drugs. Most tourists have no idea. Personally, it's a false sense of security. These checkpoints are more of a deterrent than catching any actual drug shipments, although they do occasionally bust some. The cartels know where they are and either wait it out, or find alternate ways around them.

 

[mondone]

The only time I've been concerned going thru a checkpoint was years ago seeing that several of the soldiers looked like they were hardly 16 years old and had automatic weapons.....and also appeared to be very nervous!!!!

As much as I am glad to see them for the most part, making us feel safer, it has crossed my mind more than once going through them that one of these "kids" with the automatic weapons may get a bit "ansy" and an unfortunate incident might occur.

 

[PintoPoint]

I have always found them friendly, polite and ready to learn a little more english.

Rick
Cholla Bay

 

[Stuart]

"kids" with the automatic weapons may get a bit "ansy" and an unfortunate incident might occur.

Never happen. They give them guns, but don't issue them any bullets. :rofl:

I got pretty perturbed at one military stop in Baja a few years ago. At the time, I had a Tahoe with opening cargo doors. I got out opened the doors and they inspected all our camping gear, no biggie. When finished, the soldier reaches up with his boot and kicks the door shut, leaving a dent in the door. I immediately asked for their superior. The captain could speak English and I explained to him what his soldier had done and showed him the fresh bootmark and dent on my back door. How about a little respect, please? This was uncalled for. He apologized and said he would take care of it. I'm sure that guy got a lot of latrine duty for the next few weeks (or so I'd like to think).

The soldiers also liked to write "messages" in the dust on the back of your vehicle to their compadres down the road that they knew would be checking you in another 100 miles or so. I found a few "interesting" comments inscribed in the dust on the back of the Tahoe with their platoon/ regiment number below.

 

[rockyptjoe]

"kids" with the automatic weapons may get a bit "ansy" and an unfortunate incident might occur.

Never happen. They give them guns, but don't issue them any bullets. :rofl:

Stuart...that may have been the case years ago...but I've seen ammo in those 50 cal on the vehicles.....but, the soldiers also don't look as young as they used to be years ago.

 

[Truck Boss]

It isn't just the Mexicans....there were plenty of us who were once pimple faced 18 year olds with automatic weapons.

 

[mis2810]

It isn't just the Mexicans....there were plenty of us who were once pimple faced 18 year olds with automatic weapons.

Exactly. I'll bet innocent Afghans and Iraquis (and whatever other country we happen to be invading this week) feel the same way about our young soldiers.

 

[playaperro]

Personally I don't care for checkpoints, if you travel in the Yucatan they have pill boxes set up so the ones here are kind of mild, they are looking for the armored vehicles.