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Bajamatic
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Tickets and Fines
David K Mentioned that going to the station and paying the fine is cheap - is it really? What are you experiences (or one). I got nailed for $250 in
ensenada for speeding (paid 60 on the spot and was released with most of my pride and cash intact).
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David K
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Who told you the fine was $250 (is that in dollars or pesos)???
IF it was the cop, then you just lost $60 as he made you feel good bribing him that much.
Who wants to tell Bajamatic what a speeding ticket costs (at the police station)?
Were you speeding? Do you feel good (what really matters)?
[Edited on 9-1-2006 by David K]
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Bajamatic
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indeed. He said I was above the speed limit, AND above the school zone limit, both of which are true. Oh - and I did not feel so good. Would have
felt better if I did not get caught.
[Edited on 9-1-2006 by Bajamatic]
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David K
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Did he even offer you to follw him to the station?
IF not, then he broke the law... officers can not accept money (legally).
If you were scared then it probably fealt good to pay him off and not fear anything worse.
Just that if you did go to the station, your fine would probably be $40 or less. I am asking Ensenada Nomads to confirm this, however.
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thebajarunner
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Guilty of driving a Porsche in Mexico
My crime was driving my 911S on the free road into TJ near La Gloria.
This was about 20 years ago.
I demanded that we go to the station.
An elderly man at the station was mopping the floor.
We walked in, he parked the mop, put on an official cop hat and wrote me out a receipt for my fine, which was $10 U.S.
I am sure inflation would take this to about $40 by now, but that should be it.
And yes, it was a very interesting experience, one which was worth every penny of the fine and the half hour I spent doing it!!!
(I got stopped in Mexico City once- said everyone went through the red light but I was the only one that stopped when he put on the lights.... yeah,
right!!! Like I was the only one he lighted up. Anyway, he had an official looking book, on the back was a schedule of fines, and then there was at
the very end one fine which, as best I could translate, said "really bad behavior" and it said the equivalent of $500 US. I took it as a joke and
demanded we go to the station, after a lot of haggling I gave him $5 and went back to running red lights with everyone else)
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Bajamatic
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He did offer to take us to the station. I knew he was inflating the cost, especially when he asked us "what we did for a living" (my default response
for that is now "police officer"). We had just left a supermarket and had cash in our pockets. I know better then to carry more then 40 in my
pockets, but got caught with my fly down, so to speak. I'm just curious to know what the actual fine might have been so next time I can weigh the
cost of my time.... I think next time I'll take a trip to the station.
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elgatoloco
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I have never been issued a ticket for speeding even though I have been pulled over three times so I can not vouch for the amount of the fine.
I was issued a ticket in La Paz for going the wrong way down a one way street and the fine at the station was USD $11.62.
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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bajaguy
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Default Response....
Bajamatic....please, please post what happens to you AFTER you tell them that what you do for a living is "Police Officer"....I'm sure that we would
like to know....especially those of us who are Police Officers
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MrBillM
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Ticket Rates
I have no idea what the legitimate fines are since I have always been guilty of the offense and have been able to arrive at a settlement that was
acceptable to myself and the officer. The most I've ever paid was $30. Depending on geography, it would have to be at least double that before I
would "consider" doing the Legal thing.
"Pay and Go" works fine for me.
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Royosbaja
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Pay-and-Go....
5:20 am... Doing 80 mph, (not he 80 kph that was posted), heading south just before the first toll and the lights come on. Officer told me I was
speeding and that I needed to go downtown with him. I asked him if there was a way to settle this here and now. He stated that $80, (American),
should cover it but he did not have his "receipt" book with him.
I explained that my father and I were just starting our trip and we did not have that amount of cash to "spare." He looked at my truck, said I had a
broken taillight, and that would be $40, ($20 for each officer I guess since there were two of them).
I said "thank you, officer," paid the gentlemen and was on my way.
I know it is not the "preferred" thing to do but the way I look at it is:
1- 5:20 am in Mexico
2- Not familiar with downtown Tj and although I am sure I could have followed them, getting back to where I wanted to be could have been a nightmare.
3- 80 mph in a 48 mph zone = $40, not bad
4- I did not want to spend the time it would take for this to be settled "downtown," I do not even know what time they open up....
On the other hand:
If I did not have anything else to do, had not been breaking the law, it was daylight and I felt confident of finding the toll road again, maybe I
would have taken them up on their offer to "go downtown."
But I doubt it.....
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Bajamatic
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next time
Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Bajamatic....please, please post what happens to you AFTER you tell them that what you do for a living is "Police Officer"....I'm sure that we would
like to know....especially those of us who are Police Officers |
Sorry to have offended you. Maybe I'll change my response to "Security Guard". No, wait, that might offend a secuirty guard. Hmmm. Maybe i'll say
I'm a sarcasm insturctor. No, that might get me into trouble.....
The point is that this particular officer, much like the one who based his fines on the condition of the broken tailights, put weight on what it is I
did for a living, and if that particular industry paid well or not. "Doctor" probably wasnt the best response, especially since we are researchers
and figured "Doctor" would get us more respect. I think Police Man in this instance would have served us better. And you know what he would have
said? "Darn - I was hoping they were doctors"
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Bajamatic
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Ok. I get it.
I'm 10-8.
[Edited on 9-1-2006 by Bajamatic]
yuletide
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Sharksbaja
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Feeling good!
Quote: |
"IF it was the cop, then you just lost $60 as he made you feel good bribing him that much."
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"If you were scared then it probably fealt good to pay him off and not fear anything worse."
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"Were you speeding? Do you feel good (what really matters)?"
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Feel good? Do you feel good anytime you get pulled over....for anything...anytime?:
David it seems you see this issue as black and white. It's a judgement call on your behalf when the situation occurs IMHO.
Considering the scary thought of following a possibly crooked cop somewhere in somewhere, I think some would pay the exit ticket if it wasn't some
huge amount. If it were a huge amount,would you feel comfortable following the cop anywhere?
Hopefully you can save time, money, aggravation bla bla whatever but I can think of a thousand reasons to, as MrBill says "pay and go". If you flash
wads of money be prepared to spend more if you do opt for a qwik exit ticket.
David, maybe can you tell these guys your police experiences in TJ? Did you feel good? Maybe that could shed light on your profound stance and help the new guys understand your point. Which is.....
OK we're 10-99
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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David K
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Sharks... I was trying to find out what motivates someone to pay a cop off to keep from going to the station...
I am sure I have told my stories more than once about being pulled over in both Tijuana and Ensenada...
Thanks to Baja Nomads posting, I now know going to the station is no big deal!
However, back in the 1970's and early 80's, asking the nice officer "if HE could pay the fine for me" seemed the easy way to deal with that situation
(if I was guilty)... Plus, the officer could buy something nice for his wife or child with the bonus income!
1) Tijuana, just inside the border on the cloverleaf... 'speeding' (not) before sunrise in the morning... talked myself out of it... showed him my
Distinguished Visitor sticker and Mexico West travel pass (told him I promoted tourism in my magazine travel articles...
2) Tijuana, going down the steep hill to the toll road... 'speeding' (not much)... talked myself out of a ticket again, being not in a hurry and
polite to the officer. (He wasn't behind me long enough to clock me speeding in my Subaru).
3) Ensenada, near the Naval Base... 'not using turn signal when changing lanes' a m/c cop said (bogus). I turned on my signal and walked back of my
Subaru and showed him that 'they worked fine', and was in no hurry to hand him any dough. He got a call and left...
4) Ensenada, middle of town pulling a friend back from San Felipe where his VW broke down! Pulled over for using a TOW STRAP (instead of the legal tow
bar, in Mexico)!! I tried to explain how I was helping a friend who broke down 150 miles earlier... The officer (now joined by others) asks me HOW
MUCH would this infraction costs in America! I thought I was being smart in saying "maybe $20 dollars?". Being one step smarter, the officer responds
with "Okay, $20 for you AND $20 for the car you are towing"!!!
The best part is that I said "I worry about getting pulled over again, could you please ESCORT us to the toll highway?"
We got a police escort through Ensenada and the officers smiled and waved to us as we got onto the highway... well worth the money!!!
[Edited on 9-1-2006 by David K]
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
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Bajamatic
Baja Guy is correct.
Guess everybody know I am a retired cop--believe me kid that will not fly unless you can speak the lingo that all cops understand---To paraphase
David--Got Donuts!
Okay, just kidding but if he got you before you knew what you were doing you were not watching your surroundings and without knowing what is going on
around you you put yourself in jeopardy for much more than a ticket.
Enjoy Baja, but pay attention--you will see more, enjoy more and be safer.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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bajapablo
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Got pulled over for running a stop sign in San Felipe. Followed the cop to the station paid the 25.00 fine. Later that day my buddy got pulled out
of the line at the border in San luis for cutting in line. We were told that the ticket was 50.00 and that we could follow him to the station and pay
it. We were at the border on a Sunday afternoon at 1pm and had to be to work in the a.m. and we were still 12 hours away (including 2 hour wait from
the end of the line). We told him this and he said we could pay him this one time right there. We paid him cash on the spot and got home at 1 am
instead of 4. Well worth it.
\"changes it lattitudes, changes in attitudes\"
J.Buffet
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Bajamatic
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Quote: | Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Baja Guy is correct.
Guess everybody know I am a retired cop--believe me kid that will not fly unless you can speak the lingo that all cops understand
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10-4 good buddy. I got the whole cop thing. You obviously didn't get the joke.
Now. What do you plead Mr. Officer? Guilty or not guilt of being pulled over? And how much did you fork over? Have you been to the station? Don't
make me cuff you and toss you in the pokey for obstruction. Code 4.
yuletide
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Sharksbaja
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Wha??
Quote: | Originally posted by Bajamatic
Quote: | Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Baja Guy is correct.
Guess everybody know I am a retired cop--believe me kid that will not fly unless you can speak the lingo that all cops understand
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10-4 good buddy. I got the whole cop thing. You obviously didn't get the joke.
Now. What do you plead Mr. Officer? Guilty or not guilt of being pulled over? And how much did you fork over? Have you been to the station? Don't
make me cuff you and toss you in the pokey for obstruction. Code 4. |
Quote: |
4) Ensenada, middle of town pulling a friend back from San Felipe where his VW broke down! Pulled over for using a TOW STRAP (instead of the legal tow
bar, in Mexico)!! I tried to explain how I was helping a friend who broke down 150 miles earlier... The officer (now joined by others) asks me HOW
MUCH would this infraction costs in America! I thought I was being smart in saying "maybe $20 dollars?". Being one step smarter, the officer responds
with "Okay, $20 for you AND $20 for the car you are towing"!!!We got a police escort through Ensenada and the officers smiled and waved to us as we
got onto the highway... well worth the money!!!
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David, did you just infer you paid a mordida of $40 ?
Matic you were probably just 10-11
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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jeffg
Nomad
Posts: 175
Registered: 11-25-2004
Location: Vista, CA
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Quote: | Originally posted by Bajamatic
David K Mentioned that going to the station and paying the fine is cheap - is it really? What are you experiences (or one). I got nailed for $250 in
ensenada for speeding (paid 60 on the spot and was released with most of my pride and cash intact). |
I don't know about speeding, but about 5-6 years ago I was pulled over in Ensenada for running a yellow light. Apparently that's illegal, if so I was
guilty. (I thought yellow meant "Hurry up"). The cop said to follow him to the station, first he told me "the fine for this is very expensive, but
to you it will seem cheap". That had me a little worried. We followed him to the station, after a bit the man in charge there gave us the fine
amount, I forget exactly but it was about 18.00 I asked "dollars?" nope, it was pesos. So the total fine was about $1.75. Cheap enough I guess for
the dastardly crime of running a yellow.
Jeff
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David K
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Location: San Diego County
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Quote: | Originally posted by Sharksbaja
Quote: | Originally posted by Bajamatic
Quote: | Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Baja Guy is correct.
Guess everybody know I am a retired cop--believe me kid that will not fly unless you can speak the lingo that all cops understand
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10-4 good buddy. I got the whole cop thing. You obviously didn't get the joke.
Now. What do you plead Mr. Officer? Guilty or not guilt of being pulled over? And how much did you fork over? Have you been to the station? Don't
make me cuff you and toss you in the pokey for obstruction. Code 4. |
Quote: |
4) Ensenada, middle of town pulling a friend back from San Felipe where his VW broke down! Pulled over for using a TOW STRAP (instead of the legal tow
bar, in Mexico)!! I tried to explain how I was helping a friend who broke down 150 miles earlier... The officer (now joined by others) asks me HOW
MUCH would this infraction costs in America! I thought I was being smart in saying "maybe $20 dollars?". Being one step smarter, the officer responds
with "Okay, $20 for you AND $20 for the car you are towing"!!!We got a police escort through Ensenada and the officers smiled and waved to us as we
got onto the highway... well worth the money!!!
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David, did you just infer you paid a mordida of $40 ?
Matic you were probably just 10-11 |
I paid $20 and my friend I was towing paid $20... it was well worth it for the police escort and years of story telling!
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