Since everyone seems to be on the take these days I have decided to change the world, one person at a time. I am tired of paying $50 to avoid the hassle of a ticket, whether deserved or not. If you are speeding, run a light even though every taxi in town does it, talk on your cell while driving, these are infractions and if broken you deserve a ticket. Yesterday I went postal when the following happened: I was driving from Campestre back to town, tooling along in the center lane, not speeding, not on the phone, seat belt on, just minding my own business (that's a change) when a police car pulled to my right and ordered me to pull over. First thing was that there were 3 people in the car. I think this was a training session to show a rookie how to rip people off, especially if you have foreign plates. First thing is that this dude told me that my window tint was too dark. He had his little rule book handy when I argued that point. It says something about the tint cannot impede the vision. Hell, every taxi and Suburban has darker windows than mine. I got out of the car, went to the rear and you could clearly see all the way through to the front. Same thing from looking from one side through to the other. Then he walked around the car and discovered another infraction of no front plate. Cars registered in Florida only have a rear plate. But I had my Importation Permit and all my papers were in order. Finally, he said I had been drinking, that he could smell alcohol on my breath. Hell, I had a damn cough drop in my mouth, stuck out my tongue to show him, and showed him the package it came from. That put me over the edge. I went back to my car and got pen and paper. I demanded to know his name and to see his credentials and wanted the name of his supervisor. i told him this was a bullshit shakedown (I can't say that in Spanish but he got my point) and that he was disrespecting me, foreign residents, himself, his department and his heritage. I may have said something about his mama. He then handed me my license and told me I was getting only a warning. $50 is not a lot of money to avoid the hassle but paying it only contributes to the problem continuing. I am simply not going to put up with it anymore and urge everyone else to argue for your rights not to get ripped off by these characters. It just makes the problem worse. Amen.
Here, here, hallelujah! I have not been pulled over yet (knocking on some serious wood), but I will not fall prey to the bite. I will do the same as you or just ask for the ticket if I really did something wrong. The more people that refuse to make the bribe, the sooner things will change. If people continue to play the games, then nothing will change. Good on ya T.J..
I haven't paid a mordida in many many years. You can never win an argument with the cops as the laws are always subject to interpretation. Take it and pay it within 5 days and it is half price anyway. Now if you are drunk and they want to take your car and put you in jail you may want to think twice!! And $50 pesos is really cheap nowadays for a bribe--most have upped it to $200.
I have some friends (girls) who shed a tear or two immediately when they are stopped. I have been told it works. Personnally I can't. Could you, TJ?
I think that for the most part, people pay bribes when they've done something wrong. Because it's cheaper and is less hassle. If I got stopped for doing nothing wrong, I would not pay a dime. I would do what you did. If I got caught for talking on my cell phone (true story), I would just ask for the ticket and go pay it (true story). Now if I was doing something really bad and didnt' want to go to jail....different story. I don't know....I might just pay the damn bribe! Usually, it's the last issue that contributes to mordidas....People will generally take the easy, stress free way out when they are in a heap of problemas.
Well done TJ! If you've done nothing wrong, then a swift 'Porque me interrogas, guey?' followed by a 'Entonces, da me la pinche multa y vamos a hablar con tu jefe, si?' works wonders for getting out of bullshit tickets. I have been stopped: for not stopping at a junction (where the right of way was mine and there were no stop signs); for having a passenger in the back of the pickup; for not having the 'Servicio Particular' painted on the side of the truck (it's privately registered and not used commercially so the SP isn't needed); for having empty cardboard boxes in the back of the pickup - 'a dangerous load', said the cop...etc etc. The funniest get-out was one occasion when I gave the cop the truck's registration and he asked who the owner was. I told him, my mother-in-law. 'You have a Mexican mother-in-law?', he asks. 'That's right', I say, ' her daughter is my Mexican wife'. 'You may go, señor. You have suffered enough'. says the cop, straight-faced.
(The "new old" Tarjetón Turístico--My suggestion is that they give them to us locals too!) Well, just a day or two after I mention this long lost program, they bring it back. Here is a translation of an article in today's "El Periódico". "There will be no tickets for tourists who break the laws Today the program "Tarjetón Turístico" (Tourist Card" becomes valid, which means that the tourist who rents a car is protected and can avoid getting a ticket for minor transit infractions. Virginia Próspero Starting today they will again be using the "Tarjetón Electrónico" for tourists, domestic as well as foreign that rent a car. With this card they cannot be ticketed in case they committ a minor infraction of the transit regulations. They will only have to turn in the card. This will eliminate that they might be victims of the “mordidas” on the part of the traffic police. The Director of Municipal Tourism, Enrique Zárate Núñez, will present this old but modified program today in Cancun to the Accredited Consuls of the various countries. Nevertheless, the Councilwoman Concepción Colín, President of the Commission of Ecology and Tourism, considers that the law should be applied the same for everyone and not only for the locals, to which the Director of Tourism argues that many of the infractions are producto of visitors not knowing the traffic regulations and what they are looking for is to avoid that they are extorted so as not to be detained. ---------------------------------------Original follows No habrá sanciones para turistas infractores Hoy entra en vigor el Tarjetón Turístico, es decir, el blindaje para que el turista que renta un auto evite infracciones menores de tránsito. Virginia Próspero A partir de hoy estará nuevamente en uso el Tarjetón Electrónico para los turistas, tanto nacionales o extranjeros que renten un automóvil. De esta manera no podrán ser sancionados en caso de cometer una infracción menor al reglamento de Tránsito, únicamente se les retirará el Tarjetón, esto para evitar que sean víctimas de las “mordidas” por parte de los agentes. El director de Turismo Municipal, Enrique Zárate Núñez presentará hoy ante el cuerpo consular acreditado en Cancún, el programa que aunque no es nuevo, sufrió algunas modificaciones. Sin embargo, la regidora Concepción Colín, presidenta de la Comisión de Ecología y Turismo considera que la ley debe aplicarse igual para todos, y no sólo para los locales, a lo que el director de Turismo argumenta, que muchas de las infracciones son producto del desconocimiento del visitantes acerca del reglamento de Tránsito, y lo que se busca es evitar que se les extorsione para evitar ser detenidos.
Booo T.J. Buy not paying the bribe you are trying to disestablish a long standing tradition... how could you! I've been in the vehicle while you drive T.J. you should have paid a double "mordita"! LOL I can imagine you loosing it in front of the policia. Where did you get pulled over at?