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john w

Nov 15, 2002, 5:26 AM

Post #1 of 11 (11209 views)

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Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico? What about Tazers or similar non-lethal self-defense tools? Will you get hassled by the police if you are driving along and you “just happen” to have a big kitchen knife on the seat of your car that you are using to slice the bread for your sandwich?

Explanation: My wife (Mexican citizen) has relatives in the DF who she hasn’t seen in 7 years and she wants to drive down at Christmas to see them. However, her own relatives are telling her that it is too dangerous. They say that a late-model vehicle with USA license plates would be a prime target for carjackers and/or kidnappers. (And these are not paranoid gringo tourists talking; these are lifelong, Mexican residents of the DF, so I need to take their opinions seriously!)

Related question: I was sort of thinking that the best solution might be to find a hotel in Puebla with a good, enclosed parking lot and then “commute” to the DF via Express Bus. Does anybody have comments on the practicality of that idea??

TIA ( jwallacq AT hotmail DOT com ) john w

pathall

Nov 15, 2002, 8:51 AM

Post #2 of 11 (11038 views)

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Re: [john w] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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I used to live in Puebla and regularly took a bus to DF. It's a fast, easy ride that doesn't take too long. I'd rather do that than try driving around DF. Just watch out in taxis or have your relatives pick you up at the bus terminal.
Pat

keith

Nov 15, 2002, 10:10 AM

Post #3 of 11 (11040 views)

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Re: [pathall] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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I have a phobia about big cities in general, and about Mexico City in particular, so you idea about commuting by bus makes sense to me. Plus, I understand that DF has an every-other-day-depending-on-if-your-license-plate-#-is-odd-or-even rule that = a big fine if you happen to arrive (or have to drive) on a day that doesn't correspond to your license #.

About the pepper spray: I know the cops in the small town I spend most of my time in Northern Mexico all have it. I just did a yahoo search just now (pepper spray Mexico) and find that many sites mention it in connection with Mexico, and that someone offers a course in Mexico city on how to use it, so I guess it is probably legal to have some.

About having a big ugly butcher knife in the front seat of your car: I don't believe there is anything against the law in this. I've travelled with one of these in the map pocket on the door of my car. A word of caution: there is no use carrying such a thing unless you are ready and willing to use it.

El Japonese

Nov 15, 2002, 10:01 PM

Post #4 of 11 (10943 views)

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Re: [keith] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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"A word of caution: there is no use carrying such a thing unless you are ready and willing to use it".
I'd also add "or have it used against you".
Anyone who has the kind of intentions that require the use of a knife to dissuade them also has the wherewithal to use what's to hand to achieve their goal.
Consider carefully....

alex .

Nov 17, 2002, 7:14 AM

Post #5 of 11 (10879 views)

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Re: [keith] trumping the knife

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Its like the guy who has taken 50 Karate lessons and feels pretty confident, until he comes across someone who has had 51 lessons. or worse :

Alex

Brad.

Nov 18, 2002, 12:57 PM

Post #6 of 11 (10805 views)

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Re: [john w] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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I posed your question to someone I thought would be know and it got the response below. I have been told by others that a knife with a blade less 4" in length is ok, such as a pocketknife, but in certain circumstances you may still get hassled. Anything longer and you could find yourself in an ugly situation.

Besides, carjackers and kidnappers will probably have a firearm and resisting is a good way to get killed. If the car gets ripped off that's what insurance is for. You can always buy another.

"Mi estimado Brad, casi nadie piensa en defenderse con armas blancas, el inciso i) del Art. 11 de la LFAFyE dice que estan estrictamente prohibidas las lanzas, sables y bayonetas, los códigos penales de todas las entidades federativas dicen que son armas prohibidas todos los instrumentos punzocortantes (navajas, verdugillos, machetes, cuchillos etc.)y de impacto (garrotes, macanas, manoplas), y que su portación esta estrictamente prohibida, se permite su transportacion solo en los casos que sean instrumentos de trabajo (machetes por ejemplo) o de algun deporte (un sable samurai si eres practicante de las artes marciales) en un vehiculo, de tu casa al lugar de trabajo y viceversa, jamas portandola tu, asi que te puedes meter en un gran problema si las autoridades locales te agarran con un "tool-kit" de esos que traen navaja, pinzas, desarmador y otras chacharas mas (dependera del juez calificador si es un arma prohibida o no)..."

jennifer rose

Nov 18, 2002, 1:38 PM

Post #7 of 11 (10805 views)

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Re: [Brad Smith] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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Brad and others have given you some excellent advice.

It's really not a good idea to drive around Mexico armed to the teeth.

I really wouldn't worry that much about driving in Mexico City. First, determine the car's "Hoy No Circula" day, because the car's going to have to stay off the streets during that day. Then, plan your route carefully. Enter the city during daylight hours, having planned ahead where you plan to stay. Read the road map carefully, so that you know where you're going. Follow all of the usual defensive driving rules, including keeping the car doors locked, windows shut, body parts within the confines of the car, not picking up hitchikers or taking candy from strangers. Drive as you would in Detroit or LA. Act confident, and act like you know what you're doing.

john w

Nov 20, 2002, 9:31 AM

Post #8 of 11 (10748 views)

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Re: [Brad Smith] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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Brad Smith wrote: … Besides, carjackers and kidnappers will probably have a firearm and resisting is a good way to get killed. If the car gets ripped off that's what insurance is for. You can always buy another. …
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
[ “Mas vale morir de pie que vivir de rodillas” -- Emiliano Zapata. ] I really do appreciate your advice (and everybody else’s also) and I don’t mean to politicize the list. However, I do feel obligated to point out that NOT resisting violent criminals is ALSO a good way to get killed. This defeatist attitude on the part of good, honest people is one of the main reasons why violent criminals have succeeded in taking over some parts of the world (including even some parts of the USA). Personally, I don’t even like to drive in Houston after dark without my .38 snubnose -- let alone Mexico City. And that’s why we don’t have much of a problem here with carjackings and such: The criminals know that *they* are the ones who will likely get killed.

Anyhow, I think my wife and I have simply decided not to go to Mexico City. The rest of the country doesn’t worry me at all (except maybe for that empty stretch of highway between Villahermosa and Champoton).

Thanks again for all the advice!

john w

Erianerson

Aug 12, 2018, 10:35 PM

Post #9 of 11 (4320 views)

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Re: [john w] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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I read that you could legally carry and use pepper spray for the purpose of self defense only. I also read that at one time you could buy it at the Oxxo stores but not sure if that is still the case. This is information that I pulled off the Internet and not sure how reliable the source is.

tonyburton

Aug 13, 2018, 7:41 AM

Post #10 of 11 (4315 views)

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Re: [Erianerson] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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You have responded to a thread that is 16 years old, so don't expect original posters to respond!

Erianerson

Aug 22, 2018, 7:10 PM

Post #11 of 11 (4164 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Is Pepper Spray legal in Mexico?

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oh i did'nt know that !
knuckles