Is it safe to rent a jeep and cruise around Cancun for a day? Because I have heard bad stories about people getting pulled over by the Mexican police and had to pay like $250 for the hell of it, has anone ever experiened this??
Most of the time you will have no problem. Around Christmas some of the transito cops may be looking to increase their ability to purchase gifts and during spring break enforcement levels rise. I was pulled over the other night for 55 in a 40 zone, got a brief and polite lecture, a refusal of a "monetary inducement" ("Sorry, senor. I don't do that.") and let off with no ticket. I think speaking Spanish and living here helped out a bit, too. The only ticket I've ever received was years ago, right at the end of Kulkulcan, for doiing 90 in a 70 zone. The transito would not accept the bribe, said if I had only been 10 over there would be no problem and wrote me a ticket for roughly 90 dollars. You surrender your license or your license plate as an inducement to pay. If you pay within 5 days, the fine is reduced by 50%. If the ticket is written before noon, you can pay at 4 PM, otherwise it's the next morning. When I went down to pay the following morning I was fifth on line (early riser). In front of me was a Benito Juarez cop paying the same 450 peso discounted ticket. I asked if there was no professional courtesy. He replied that those b *****d transitos would ticket El Presidente if they had the chance. We had a good laugh over that one. In reality, if you drive responsibly, don't have boze in the car and stay at the limit, you're not going to have a problem. The stories of predatory, bribe enriched cops yanking every tourist they can find going 2 kph above the limit are for the most part, urban legends.
I also think if you're strong but polite to them they wouldn't try to do anything underhand. If you be sensible, drive within the speed limits etc and they still stop you then you have the right to be firm. Get their car number, say you'll report them etc. You'll probably find they leave you alone and go off on the hunt for their next victim.
