I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve been asked if AAA covers Mexico. Uh…no…it’s the American Automobile Association, you know. Some still look at me blankly, as if it’s really the North American Automobile Association (which, come to think of it, is a great idea!)

However, I always hasten to add, we may not have Triple A, but we do have our “Los Angeles Verdes,” which is a close second. The "Green Angels" provide free assistance for vehicle breakdowns or roadside emergencies on all major toll highways in Mexico. The mechanics drive an average of more than 200 miles a day, patrolling more than 80% of Mexico's highways. If you have an emergency while driving, you can call the Ministry of Tourism’s hotline or 01-555-250-8221 to obtain their help. The Green Angles Corporation has a fleet of dark green, radio-dispatched trucks with bilingual crews. On the side of the trucks are the words “free service” in Spanish and English. The back reads: “Mexico is a country with angels.”

Services include protection, medical first aid, mechanical aid for your car and basic supplies. The Green Angels carry spare gas, oil and can do minor repairs. You will not be charged for services, only for parts, gas and oil. However, it doesn't hurt to tip them. After all, they’ve probably soiled their clothes and strained a few muscles changing your tire. It’s a nice thing to do! And, while you’re at it, if you want to give them an ice-cold soft drink and/or sandwich while they work, I’m sure they’ll be very appreciative. The Green Angels patrol daily, from dawn until sunset. If you are unable to call them, pull off the road and lift the hood of your car; chances are good they will find you.

The Tourism Offices in Mexico feel it is very important that every tourist, who travels by road through Mexico, becomes a promoter not only of the history, culture, values, natural wonders and tourist attractions of the country, but also the hospitality. Their campaign is working…the quality and quantity of the information, assistance and tourist help provided is topnotch, and a lot of it has to do with the Green Angels. The Mexican government started the roadside service in September 1960 to counter negative perceptions about driving in Mexico. The Green Angels, which operate on an annual budget of $13.3 million, provided mechanical assistance to more than 115,000 motorists last year.

Los Angeles Verdes, who work part-time, earn about $400 a month plus tips, which requires most of them to hold second jobs. Still, they take pride in helping distressed travelers. One calls it therapy. More than a few say it is addictive. Orlando Esquivel, who has been a Green Angel for 12 years, says he would rather be on Mexico's highways than anywhere else in the world.

Our own experience with the Green Angels was quite recent. We drove to the States during the rainy season this July. While going through the Sierra Madre mountains, we encountered torrential rainstorms that prevented us from seeing too far in front of our car. We pulled off the road at one of the restaurants available for travelers in Mexico and sat in our car, hoping for a break in the weather. We felt justified when we saw a Green Angel pull in a short time later. After all, if they’re having problems, we weren’t quite the big chickens we thought we were! When the weather lifted enough for the Green Angel to leave, we decided to follow shortly thereafter. In the distance, we saw these bright lights on a slow-moving vehicle. As we got closer, we realized it was the Green Angel with these bright, moving lights on the top of his cab. It was our beacon of help in an almost-sightless world on the top of a very big mountain! We followed our “angel” through the mountains until the rain lifted enough for us to be on our way. As we passed him. we waved, and he raised his hand to us in acknowledgment of the service he had provided two gringos in one of the scariest driving experiences of their lives.

These wonderful green-clad mechanics got their name after a Canadian family whose vehicle had broken down in southern Baja told them they were like angels who had dropped out of the sky to help. We’re glad the name stuck.