Hi everybody. I have been to Cancun twice before and am coming back again in March. Both times I have been there before, I have rented a car to run out to Chichen Itza. And both times, I have been stopped by the police. My driving is fine. :icon_biggrin: Pretty sure that I am being stopped for being a tourist and an easy target. Which is expected in Mexico. The first time, he "fined" me for not having a valid Mexican drivers license. Told me that my Canadian one was no good there. Obviously we both knew what that was all about at that point, so negotiations opened. He wanted 500 pesos which I paid him because I was intimidated and completely new to bribing cops to go away. Last time, I was stopped for "speeding". I know that I wasn't. I am quite conscientious to my driving there and try to drive very similarly to everybody around me, to try to blend in. I think that I was stopped because my girlfriend was taking pictures out the window. So we were obviously picture taking white tourists again. So anyways, I wasn't so foreign this time. He wanted 1000 pesos this time. I got him down to 400. Paid him and we went on our way. So my question is: Is there some sort of common price for these negotiations? I am going to be renting a car again because I really like the freedom of being able to go do what I want to do on my own time. And these cops seem to just want cash, not actually a danger from what I can tell. And the extra $40-50 is probably worth the fun that I have from getting to go where I want. But is the 400-500 pesos reasonable for a cop pulling me over, or how bad am I getting worked over? Thanks.
I don't drive here, and I may never do so; but from reading other posts regarding bribbing the police, you are rewarding bad/illegal behavior. It's almost better to ask for the ticket, cause it seems they don't want to take the time to write them. Make them aware you know their name, and report them if they ask for $ to let you off the hook. I am sure others will chime in with their opinions, but I would never give $. Did you ever look into taking the ADO bus or tours to places? May be cheaper. PDC is less then $4 each way on the ADO. Sounds like renting a car with all the bribes you have to pay can get really expensive.
Why pay at all, Dave? They stop you because they hope you'll pay, not because they think you're doing anything wrong. Come down here with the idea that you're going to have to pay, and you're going to have to pay. If tourists stop paying when they stop them, they'll stop stopping them.
Bravo to you for recognizing the freedom you have when you rent a car here. So many tourists are too spooked to rent a car here. But being free to move around on your own here makes it much more fun imho. Tori is right that the best thing to do is ask for the ticket. The cop will try to convince you that you don't want the ticket, but in reality he doesn't want to write it because he doesn't get a piece of it. There's a VERY good chance that if you push the cop to issue the ticket he WON'T actually do it and will just let you off. But he might write that ticket, and if he does you will have to go find the correct office to pay it in. It will be a pain in the neck. If you decide that getting the actual ticket is too much of a pain for you then I suggest deciding how much you will give him and professing that you have no more money. Put your cop money in your wallet and give your GF the rest of your cash, that way the cop can see your nearly empty wallet. The danger in this is that I've heard of cops accompanying tourists to the ATM to get more bribe money. As a local here, who drives a car with Mexican plates, I insist on the ticket if I get pulled over. And I have yet to have a cop bother to write me a ticket. The last cop that pulled me over hemmm'd and haaah'd and looked over my docs and then looked me in the eye and said "tiene ojos muy bonitos" (you have pretty eyes) and let me go. I do not have a Mexican Driver's License, I have one from the U.S. It's never been a problem at all.
Fair enough. thanks for the posts guys. I also found some on the Cancun Info board about this. I think the reason foriegners pay is because we're conditioned to do what the police tell you. I see your point tho. Maybe the guy with the gun isn't always right.
My daughter was stopped yesterday and given a ticket (one headlight was out and she had not noticed) so he gave her the ticket and it took me exactly five minutes to pay it today- no hassle and the cost of the fine was ........81 pesos !!!! It was easier than going to any bank here and I have to say the police were polite and friendly. (shocked me!) They are notices all over the police station about not paying bribes and if you are asked to then to report the officer in question. Tracey
If you get ticketed in Cancun then it's pretty easy to pay. And the fines are really low. Usually if you pay quickly you pay half the fine. But if you get ticketed when you are halfway to Chichen Itza, for example, it might be a serious pain to figure out where to pay...even for us locals. And all of this is more of a hassle for a tourist who doesn't want to spend their vacation time dealing with Mexican bureaucrats. I still say ask for the ticket and you will stand a high chance of not getting one. But I understand how tourists would not want to deal with having to pay a ticket here. In Wyoming the cops carry credit card machines in their patrol cars and make you pay the ticket while they are standing there. It's pretty efficient for everyone.
I can't really imagine anything too bad happening if you didn't pay your ticket and just went home. Am I wrong about that? The only thing I could think of is that maybe when you came back, the guy stamping passports at the front of the cattle chutes at the airport might have your name and passport # in his computer to get you then, but that seems a little far fetched to me.
Don't pay is the true answer. Why contribute to corruption. The driver's license thing was totally bogus but you already know that. One thing that stops them for me, not that I get stopped that often, is that my car is registered in Florida and in Florida there is no front plate. I calmly point to my Permiso on the window and have my paperwork in order for my car. If they are going to hassle you they will ask for your license but not give it back. When they try that on me, I tell them that it is the property of the US Government and demand that they give it back. If they refuse I start taking pictures of them with my cell phone, asking for ID, asking them to call their supervisor to the scene as there is a serious problem. Pretty quickly they say something bright, like, "I will just give you a warning this time", and they are off to the next, easier sucker. A great suggestion as I always did this when traveling here as a tourist, is to simply peel off the AVIS or whatever stickers from the front and rear bumpers and that way you don't stick out like a sore thumb. All that said, the going rate for bribes is $50 PESOS. Keep a $50 handy so you don't flash your whole roll, but better not to contribute to the corruption. Good luck and drive safely. Seat belts and talking on cell phones are their main deals in the cities.
I agree wholeheartedly with TJ, and my vehicle is also registered in Florida, so I do not have a front plate, either. I would also add that passing on the right will get you stopped as well, although you see people (especially taxis) doing it all the time. The very same thing happened to me with a cop, and he did not want to give my license back. I took down his name and badge number, and also did say that my license was the property of the US gov't. Unfortunately at the time, my cell phone did not have a camera in it, so I whipped out my other digital and fired away. Some tricks that might at least lessen the frequency of being stopped, is to stay in the middle lane of traffic as much as possible, and (obviously) when there are three or more lanes available. Also follow as closely as is safely possible, to the car in front of you. Transitos I think, are most likely to pull over the cars in the inside and outside lanes. If you are in the middle, you can have "tunnel vision" and say you did not see the officer wave you over. Following closely to the vehicle in front of you, might mean he can not see that you either have a rental car (easy prey?) OR that you have no front plate at all; tat is, until it is too late. Canncun is the worst, but by no means the only city in which there are corrupt transitos. FYI, Tampico/Altamira are also bad, as well as Tuxpan. But I have never been stopped in either locale, using the above strategies. I am spoiled here in Veracruz/Boca del Rio, and have never been stopped, even without my seatbelt. Could someone please post the locations of offices where traffic fines can be paid? I will NEVER pay a bribe, so this info would be really helpful. BTW, is this also where you report corrupt transitos? I also wonder if this does any good, although that possibility will not deter me.
