The chaotic waiting lane times to cross to San Ysidro are turning into hardships for some from Tijuana. Such as for Lilian, who on top of the four to six hours wait, got harassed and intimidated by two homeless people who were paid by another driver to block her and cut the waiting line. 
 
“Two men appeared out of nowhere stood in front of my car. I didn’t know what was happening. Then a saw a car trying to cut the line and they got under my car, under the tire to stop me. Suddenly the man in the car next to me showed me a baseball bat and told me to use it to beat them up, but wouldn’t be able to of course, I’m a mother.”

Lilian used to live in Chula Vista, but came to live in Tijuana to be with her husband, who can’t cross to the U.S., and their baby. She became a mother recently but hasn’t spent too much time with her family because of the time it takes to cross, work, and come back home every day. 

“I work in the airport. That day I started waiting in line at 12 midnight to be at 4 am in my work, as always. I had waited two hours already when this happened. Five cars sneaked in front of me, and it could have been more if it weren't for the driver behind me got out of the car and threatened the persons who were blocking me.”    

 

Lilian didn’t see any police patrol around until several yards after the point where the gaviotones, as people call them, usually attempt to cut the line, in front of the municipal hall. She didn’t tell them about the incident, because she thought they wouldn’t have taken her seriously. 

Most of these people leave their houses early in the morning and return late at night, so it’s difficult for them to report these kinds of accidents immediately to the police. 

“At that moment I just wanted to cross to the U.S., I didn’t want to injure or kill  those persons. When I came back home that day, I was still crumbling and scared. Last week I had to stay in Chula Vista to avoid these types of situations. I didn’t see my husband and my baby because of that.”

Police officer Alfredo Garcia confirmed that the municipal traffic rules ban the invasion of a Ready Lane tracks without lining up properly. “The fees these persons can earn would be higher if they’re causing congestion in other lines, putting in danger other people by raising the risk of accidents or brawls between citizens.” 

According to him, citizens in these situations must call 911 right away and take as much information about the vehicle in question.  

Lilian highlighted that as a woman thinks that they’re more exposed to be intimidated because of their gender. She didn’t get injured or so, but she has heard that people that won’t let them sneak in the line get their cars damaged.
“We should be all more empathic; we all want to cross to work or do important things on the other side. If we all do our part and line up with time, instead of five hours to cross we would do just two or three hours.”

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