In a message dated 03/05/2008 10:09:22 P.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

The one 'scam' that we were caught in happened in LaPaz, Baja.  One of  the
local scumbags downtown had a crappy old honda 50 that he would sneak  up and
wedge under tourist's bumpers behind big campers.  He got us  with that
scam..My fault..I watched him pull that same scam about a dozen  times later
that season, sometimes with the police right there, getting  their cut..We
gave the jerk $50 US to "buy a new gas tank" even though the  dented one he
lamented about after we "backed over his moto" was not even  attached to the
un-rideable little honda..  Smart crook, dumb  gringos...but Mexico is a
different culture and sometimes it is best to  'take the hit' rather than try
to fight the scam...It would have been with  that guy, who we saw later often
smoozing wth the local cops...
It's probably like anywhere, the cities have their share of crooks but  out
in the countryside the traveling is safer than the  US.

Benny  Boy, are you reading this !  Sounds just like what happened to you in
Zamora !  Holy Crap !  I told you not to give that kid any money  !   We need
to go back and find him !  Maybe he has a Ducati 900  by now !

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June12 ~ 15,  2008