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El Potrero Chico and Driving
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Hi all, I think this is a new question that I am asking after having talked to some people and reading the online beta. Hopefully someone who has been in the area can help me with some beta. I heard that some locals around Hildago do not drive at night. My question is: I was wondering how safe people would feel driving at night from the airport to Monterey. Our plan was to rent a car and stay for a day half day in Monterey before heading to El Potrero, but out flight arrives at night. Is this a bad idea to get a rental car and drive from the airport to Monterey? Thoughts? YGD? Thank you all for your help! Will |
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Searching for "Driving at night in Mexico" yields a lot of articles and websites that recommend against driving at night in Mexico. This topic may have been discussed on Supertopo - I recall thta it was, but perhaps I'm mistaken. |
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Sorry Anonymous user, I understand that driving from Texas to El Portrero Chico has been discussed to death on supertopo and MP, but that is not what I am asking about. Should I clarify? There are some areas of Mexico that are safer to drive at night. There are many areas that are not. My question was whether it is sketchy between the airport and the city of Monterey. I just want to know the answer from someone that has been in the area even if it is a stupid question. Thanks, Will |
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Just back from two weeks in EPC. The taxi and shuttle drivers seem to have no problem driving from the airport to EPC at night. People do avoid driving from the border to Monterrey at night. If I wanted to spend some time in Monterrey I would take a taxi from the airport to your Monterrey hotel then a taxi or shuttle to EPC the next day. Unless you want to explore other destinations there is really no point to renting a car if you are climbing at EPC. Lots of shuttle drivers advertise their services on the EPC Facebook group. Your accommodations can usually help arrange shuttles too. |
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Hi Mike, thanks for answering. |
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Driving between Monterrey, EPC, and the airport at night is not sketchy at all. I did 2 trips there last year, and spend 2.5mo-ish total. We call stayed in the city (San Pedro) and drove back and forth to EPC every other day, nearly always at night. It’s not sketch at all and fairly busy. A word of warning tho, Google Maps barely works over there. The maps are correct, but the verbal directions are often very wrong (it’ll tell you exit left when it really means exit right, etc). You kinda need to visually drive with the map, almost like driving in a video game lol. I’d recommend a suction mount for the phone. You get used to it after a bit. |
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My aged parents live in Monterrey, and I'd say the only sketch is city traffic. If you're unfamiliar with city driving in Mexico, I'd pass on the rental and take taxis--not for bandit danger, but for other drivers, including my own dad....I avoid driving in Mexican cities myself. And in Boston, for that matter. I think the real dangers are between there and the Border, where "montachoques" will stage an accident to scam you for money. |
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Sketchiest part for me was the half passing lanes. I'm not sure if I can explain it very well but it's your basic 2 lane road in the US w a middle yellow turn lane. People will use the middle lane to overtake slower vehicles, buses that stop to pick up/drop off passengers, etc... no rules (as far as i could discern) other than if no one is in the middle lane, go for it. If you're worried about cartel activity, I agree that it was pretty safe/fairly busy. Don't run out of gas & don't get lost. |
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I spent some time driving my personal car in Mexico and here’s what I found. Border towns are sketch, I wouldn’t drive around there at night, if you can make it to the toll roads though, those are very safe. Monterey and surrounding areas also felt pretty safe, even at night. Hidalgo at night is awesome. People will be driving pimped out side by sides with loads of lights; it feels more like a resort beach town. Just use general caution and you’ll (probably) be fine |
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Driving from the Airport to Hidalgo is pretty safe any time of day or night. Driving yourself around Monterrey at night is more dangerous and confusing but doable. As you probably know, infrastructure, traffic laws and sobriety aren’t nearly as sacred in Mexico. |
M1 H1 wrote: Dude anonymous user chill out, happy holidays. |
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fair enough, doin my best. Happy holidays to you too |
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Facebook has multiple pages all 100% Potrero Chico. Lots of campgrounds and hostels and every single one of them offer to pick you up at the Aeropuerto and quickly navigate you to where you're staying. All offer to stop at the really good grocery store on the way for the important sundries you'll want while there. |
Hank Caylor wrote: Again, the OP is asking about "...driving at night from the airport to Monterey." Not EPC. He wants to spend a ~day in Monterey. |
M1 H1 wrote: Um, there are 10K 'anonymous' users' on MP:  |
Marc801 C wrote: Youre all misreading my admittedly poorly communicated comment. I have zero problems with anonymous users. I am one, as is Willf. He refered to a commenter as ‘anonymous user’ (WF WF51) in what i took as a very passive agressive manner, when given the advice to look it up on supertopo. I chose to put the agression out in the open. direct your anonymous user comments to willf |
