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David Dodd

David Dodd is a Reader contributor. See staff page for published articles.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

No one should come into Mexico if they feel unsafe doing so. My first two years here were not so pleasant, I didn't understand how this place worked. The last 21 years have been awesome.
— October 11, 2015 8:21 p.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

The U.S. does actually require a travel VISA, I'm unsure of the cost. If you have a passport and wish to visit Mexico, no VISA is required to stay less than a week. It's an unenforceable law for the most part, but some frequent visitors just go ahead and pay the 6-month VISA fee of around $20 U.S., it's reasonable and makes their lives easier. You're right about the wine region along the Baja Coast, it's a great grape-growing area, although I'm not certain they'll ever be able to compete with the Chilean Reds, but I love that they're trying. Also, if you're into microbrew, I highly recommend the offerings from Border Psycho Brewery, impressive stuff. You can buy it by the bottle at a liquor store on the corner of 6ta and Madero, or take your chances in many of the small shops between Revo and Constitución, they sometimes offer that stuff. The alcohol content tends to be rather high, so use good judgement, but the flavors are awesome.
— October 9, 2015 3:35 p.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

Hello, Bouncingbaby, I walked through on Thursday and there was no line at 3:30 PM. If you can avoid crossing in during the time that most people commute back into Tijuana from work, you won't have a wait at all.
— October 9, 2015 5:30 a.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

Yep, I see that as well. Red, White, and Green! I'm not certain exactly where this is going to go, but it will be interesting.
— October 8, 2015 6:54 p.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

"Pedestrians are not scrutinized" should have read, Pedestrians ARE scrutinized. Sorry about that.
— October 8, 2015 12:41 p.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

Once pedestrians enter Tijuana, it is, in fact, not friendly toward disabled folks until they find their way to the bridge over the vehicle entrance into the U.S. The political alignment of the Yellow Cabs actually has a disconnect to what the Federal Government is doing at the borders. They benefit, but there is no actual alliance in place. These changes in the pedestrian border crossings are slated not only in Baja, but in every State in Mexico that features international entrances. This includes International airports and sea ports as well. To what extent they will be controlled remains to be seen, but the money has been allocated by the Federal Government. So far as the mentally-ill/homeless, they still cross somehow. We have one here, his name is David, sleeps on the streets. I heard him this morning on the street below, "You alright? You alright?" His mantra. He's harmless. I would ask him how he continues to cross but I fear I wouldn't get a cognitive answer.
— October 8, 2015 10:52 a.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

It's rare that cars are checked. Pedestrians are not scrutinized. I've been through San Ysidro both ways since the new entry was opened, it's very different now on foot. But, as it was for the last two decades, the vast majority of vehicles are simply waived through.
— October 8, 2015 10:40 a.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

Merrill's show isn't your a-typical KOGO spot. It could actually be entertaining. I reckon we'll see.
— October 8, 2015 10:36 a.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

Also, I'm doing a radio interview today on this, no idea what time it will be on the air. Chris Merrill does an afternoon show in Phoenix on KFYI and is on evenings at KOGO 600 AM. I'm fairly certain I'll be back here in time for his KOGO show, so if I get a time the interview will air, I'll post it here.
— October 8, 2015 7:55 a.m.

Border crossing rules have changed at San Ysidro

I took the bus, the 905, from the Iris Ave. Trolley station to the Otay border crossing on Tuesday. It might have been a decade since I crossed that border on foot, and the bus to get there was unusually crowded. There were a lot of Gringos on it, standing room only. I think it's a safe assumption that they are crossing Otay to avoid San Ysidro. On that bus ride alone I heard tales of woe, apparently a few folks have been detained at San Ysidro for an entire day for attempting to cross repeatedly after not having appropriate travel documents. This is here-say, of course, not something one could write in an article. So far as bribing in order to gain access, that isn't possible in the new port of entry. There are cameras everywhere. I attempted to get some pictures of the new digs, but was told I would have to go through Mexico City to obtain permission since I apparently missed the grand opening. It's impressive, state of the art, old Tijuana is attempting a makeover when you enter. Visduh hit the nail on the head, it seems to be folly when scrutinizing pedestrians while allowing vehicles through without the same rules. Mexico is a lot like the U.S. when it comes to money allocated by the Federal Government - if they get it, they do what they can with it as quickly as they can, lest that money be stripped away and apportioned to other projects. Revo has yet to feel a real crunch from all of this, but I think they eventually will reach the conclusion that it's hurting their business. Immediate impact has been felt in the pedestrian corridor leading to downtown Tijuana. Businesses there are closing. Matingas is correct in the sense that one might be able to talk their way through. I did that a couple of weeks ago. It's entirely helpful if you speak fluent Spanish. Otherwise, I'm not sure how one would negotiate passage into Baja from San Ysidro. And the vast majority of Mexicans I interviewed in Tijuana think this isn't a great idea. Gringo money provides the local economy with liquidity, and that lubrication stopped after 9/11, what little still spills into here is precious. Figuroa and the Federal Government might not care much, but local pressure might sway them to relax their standards for entering a border city because money is really what this is all about here.
— October 8, 2015 7:48 a.m.

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News & Politics Neighborhood News News Ticker Under the Radar

Food & Drink Beverage News Booze News Drinks All Around Feast! San Diego Beer Tin Fork

Movies Big Screen Movie Archives Movie Reviews Movies@Home

Happenings Fishing Report Outdoors Reader Travel Roam-O-Rama Surf Diego Theater Your Week

Music Blurt Classical Music The Gonzo Report Live Five Musician Interviews Of Note Upcoming Shows

Comics Famous Former Neighbors Obermeyer Overheard in San Diego

Archives Reader by issue date Today’s stories All of the latest stories

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

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February 28, 2024

February 21, 2024

February 14, 2024

February 7, 2024

January 31, 2024

See previous issues