Anyone work/live in Mexico City ...
 

could you shoot me a pm?

20M ppl seems more my speed than Frankfurt's 2.5M.

anyone have an idea about bike commuting there?

No, apparently nobody lives or works in Mexico City. Sorry.

N/m

just taking a chance with BF as it's the largest bicycle forum on the net. i wanted to check out some neighborhoods in a commutable distance to UNAM.

also, would give me a chance to use my Spanish, rather than my craptastic German, Swedish or Danish.

Living in texas, we get some limited cycling news from Mexico. Mexico City is huge, traffic congested, and polluted. All the more reason for more folks to start riding bikes. The government in Mexico City has been starting to push cycling in the central city. There are many parks w/ MUP's. Mexico City has also been holding "Cyclovias", where they close down major inner city streets to automotive traffic, in order to showcase cyclists, their newer culture, their rights, etc...... I remember reading about a large cyclovia in Mexico City not too long ago.

Still, having traveled there, I can't imagine that the cycling infrastructure and/or cycling culture could possibly compare to parts of Europe or the US. Particularly around recreational cycling and commuting. There are some very fast road racers out of Mexico City.

I have visited there but it was a long time ago, when I was a kid. UNAM is in an older part of DF so I bet cycling there would be relatively nice.

It's great, but only if your bike is packed with the latest technology, such as rim brakes and dynamo hubs. Well unless it's a Cannondale, everyone knows those bikes lack any kind of providence and thus are crap.

?

I'd have a new German trekking bike fitted, hand-welded and shipped to the uni to avoid customs ... don't you have something better to do than troll my thread ... like locate some stolen maple syrup or something?

No, it was recovered. Phew, right?

Oh I forgot, drop bars are like, sucide in Mexico City. You don't use those, do you?

I definitely think UNAM deserves credit for having a unique architecture and I would love it if it was in the older part of DF, which is quite nice. I'm giving their offer serious consideration after living in Europe for 6+ years as I think that Central/South America are going to start heavily investing in science/R&D, while it's on the decline in NA/Europe (austerity). Seoul and Singapore have recently undergone this transition and it would be nice be located in country when the transition happens. Plus, I like the sound of Spanish much better than German.



http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=305446

I don't live in the country with a strategic reserve of maple syrup, so I can't elaborate on whether it's a big deal or not?

?

Most of the planet doesn't use drop bars, why would I?

You're not making much sense ... have you hit the bottle early today?

You know, reading over my posts, you're right. What a load of complete and utter idiocy. Apologies to the forum for spreading such manure.

Quote:

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shipped to the uni to avoid customs

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a duty free school zone ? what a concept..

Why would leave frankfurt to go to DF?

If you were leaving Caracas and going to DF I could understand but leaving frankfurt to go to DF? :twitchy:

Do you know about the safety issues in Mexico? specially the big cities. And if you say, well I am a tough guy and can protect myself, or wont leave my apartment to stay safe, what about your partner?

my .02

There have been significant improvements in bike infrastructure in the DF.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-16833168

Its still a relatively dangerous place to bike, walk, or drive near other motor traffic. Not a Turkey on the danger scale but maybe something like Southern Italy.

A move there makes perfect sense to me. I personally find DF to be more alive, multi-cultural, interesting, and fun than Frankfurt (or most northern european cities).

^^^^^^

+1

it's really a global city.

i'd put it in the same realm at NYC, London and São Paulo in the West and Istanbul, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Seoul-or-Tokyo in the East.

i've heard that it feels much larger than a Paris.

pros:
interesting
cheap on a global level (can buy an apartment in cash quite easily)
large
good public transport
cultural access to Central/South America

cons:
cheap on a global level (difficult to travel or invest elsewhere)
quality of family support (compared to UK/Germany/Scandiland)
not as safe as Europe (probably similar to certain cities in the US)
cycling/walking/stroller or pram infrastructure
far from Europe and other urban areas of Central/South America
rail transport between urban areas (Bogotá for exmaple) not possible, which is easier with a family

??

most places over here have a VAT exemption for universities, which usually helps with customs.

Ok, I see your points. It can be interesting to live in a second world country. As long as you stay on the "good" side of society, things are quite easy.

There is LOTS of bribing going on too, so that could be used to your advantage.

I should note that I don't hate Europe (I actually see it as the pinnacle of Western society and feel that other countries will move toward this model as time goes on).

Actually, I have an interview for a tenured prof position in Germany in a few weeks, but I do find the DF/MC idea very interesting if nothing comes through in Europe. Getting a tenured prof position in Europe is very challenging as the number of students/research scientists/professors/universities is strictly controlled by the federal government unlike in the US where any private university can be founded if it's determined to be economically feasible (i.e. student tuition/grants/endowments exceed, or at least equal, the cost of operation) which just isn't really possible in Europe.

I don't think the bribing in DF/MC is that big of deal, unlike, say, in India. However, I do think that lack of transparency will be a serious issue.

I lived 1 year in Mexico City and loved it, around 2000-2001. I did not had a bicycle so did not cycle there, the traffic was chaotic.
I studied Spanish at the UNAM.

Iwork and live 15 miles away from Mexico city in a town called Texcoco, if I can help you tell me.

By the way Unam university city has lots of ciclovias, and the neighborhood is full of rich people ( look for El pedregal or San Angel or Coyoacan ) and lots of foreigners.

southern Mexico City (UNAM university city ) is a high rent place to live.

Sweet!

What's coming out of UNAM is quite impressive, however, DF does have a, possibly undeserved, negative reputation.

Yes, as another big city, IMO The UNAM sorroundings are quite safe, cultural life and so, the centro Historico (downtown ) is good also, I'd avoid the eastearn suburbs though high crime rates over there.

the weather the best, always like spring season.