First time, Driving from Austin to Juarez. SAFE? (El Paso, Howe: rental car, rental)

[Ranger R]

I have to take my son-inlaw to the American Consolates(sp?) office in Juarez. I am staying in a popular hotel, right over the border in Juarez, Mexico...However, since I have never been to Juarez, what should I be aware of??? I will be driving a rental car, with insurance, to cover in Mexico. However, should I park it in El Paso airport and take taxi over? I will be staying for three nights/four days...

Also, I was thinking about traveling in the nightime and arriving Juarez around 6am on Sunday morning...Is this a good idea? I need to be in Juarez by 1PM...

Any thing I need to do to make it safe...My son-inlaw speaks spanish as main language, but I do not....

Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

[Cybersimple]

I live in El Paso. Although I have been in Juarez several times but not to the American Consulate. Juarez is no different than any other tourist city. Everyone is out there to make a quick bucks - vendors, crooked cops, pick pockets, and thieves. Stay alert and take precaustionary measures.

Park your car at the U.S. and walk across the border/bridge when you are not familiar with streets and driving condition in Juarez. There are many attended parking lots availabe just before the border and the fee is reasonable.
Once you walk over to Mexico, take a taxi to your destination - price is fairly cheap. Ask several taxi drivers for the total fare and some drivers will negotiate the taxi fare.
Secure your valuables and take absolutely what you need into Juarez. Separate your money and place them in the different pockets.
Take passport and ensure to have U.S. emergency contact numbers ie., US Embassy, US Custom, US/Mexico Lawyer etc.
Your son-in-law can be helpful but they will know he is a tourist. Somehow they can sense it. If possible, fly into El Paso and stay at the U.S.

[lipbalm]

If I remember correctly there are some decent hotels on Lincon avenue in Juarez, which is very close to the U.S. counsul. But If you and your son in law are not familiar with the area i would suggest you stay in EP and take a taxi down to Juarez.

[KimK]

I don't think you can take a rental car into Mexico. Someone may have sold you insurance but it probably wasn't the rental car agency. Please check that out before you drive over. It was mentioned you could park here and drive over. For that matter, stay in El Paso and take the Border Jumper over there and back.

[Muhnay]

Stay out of Mexico.. no really. People here will tell you its safe, stick to the main streets and the populated areas. Thats just a false since of security. Stay out of Juarez. There are major Drug lords fighting over the turf there, the law is criminal there, and your in another country, it took El Paso many weeks if not months to get 2 of its police officers back from there. I know high school kids who were taken into custody there and not returned unless a ransom was paid by the local police department. There is nothing in Juarez that you need, that you can not get in El Paso. Stay on this side.. trust me on this.

If you really want to goto Mexico, take a cruise ship or charter a boat to take you to the tropical parts, way down south. You would be amazed at how well they speak English in these parts, and cater to American Visitors. Your there income, so they protect you like a million dollar asset in these places. Border towns care less for your safety and often find you to be scum, and would like nothing better than to make an example of the American in Mexico. Stay out of the border towns in Mexico.

[HIGH!Lonesome]

Looks like Juarez has gotten worst since way back when I was a kid and I got beat up by the Juarez cops, they kill people there, seems they kill for the heck of it.

[Muhnay]

Yeah back in the 80's it was the thing to do, in High school.. Go over and drink and dance and party. Not any more. That or Ant Hill on the NE side of the Mountain. =)

[Salmanal]

Not only, Juarez but Mexico is far from crime-free."Crooked Cops?"
Know their salaries? They have families to feed just like
Americans. They get their money any way they can. I'm NOT
saying that their crimes are the answer. Mexico has natural
resources it could do a better job of selling to help the economy.
Instead, drugs or picking a pocket means fast, easy money around the world.

Many here don't sound as if they have seen the world.You have
non-violent crimes in many countries where the inhabitants
are very poor and a person who has a "wealthy" appearance
will be targeted.

When stealing is done by a CEO, it's called "white-collar" we forgive.
In the public school system where I moved here from, more
than 20 different languages were spoken by the students.

I go into Juarez a lot and have a great time. I'm deaf and read lips
in 4 languages. I ride my bike across the bridges and take the Border Jumper, biking is healthier. Drivers in Mexico are as bad as Texas drivers.

[HIGH!Lonesome]

I've been all over the world almost, but you must admit Juarez is dangerous, but yet I've heard of people going there all the time and nothing has ever happened to them, drivers are bad everywhere even more when they started allowing people to yap away on the cell phones while driving, it's worst than driving under the influence, yet no laws to ban this kinda of nusiance behavior from derelict dangerous drivers.

[Muhnay]

Oh your wrong there. There is a law in El Paso at least about talking on your cell phone and driving. Problem is its not being enforced. But I know it is on post.