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vacaenbaja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 640
Registered: 4-4-2006
Member Is Offline
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I was pulled over in La Paz Back in 1981 in my brand new truck for the blatant
crime against society
known as FALTA DE PLACAS
I was leaving La Paz to go to Los Barriles
to pick up some shrimp that I had left at a friends house.
Just as I was outside of
the City Limits of la Paz I was pulled over by the Federales de los Caminos.
I was told that the law was clear that all vehicles must have plates and that
my truck must be impounded. My truck was packed to the gills with fish and
equipment. There was no talk of bail or mordida. Apparently they wanted the
truck. I was allowed to remove all of my stuff to the sidewalk. It was a difficult
thing to find a cab that could fit all the stuff. Had to rent a hotel fast and get
back to find someone who could help. I finally ended up on the Malecon at the
tourist help kiosk. There I found some people that were very sympathetic to
my situation. They said that the damn police were at it again! They were told
already to stop harassing the tourist, as tourism was suffering at that time.
They felt confident that they could help me out quickly...until they asked
which police department had impounded my car. When I told them that it was
the Federales de ls Caminos they were visibly crestfallen.
"You mean that
they pulled you over outside the city limits?" "yes" I said. They said "OH No!
That will make things more difficult." Long story short they arranged an
audiance withe the Official in charge. I had to literally beg
my case to of the Head of the Federales de los Caminos BCS to please
release my
truck. The man was VERY STERN. You would have thought that I had
commited some terrible crime against his daughter. After staring me
down and lecturing that Mexico has LAWS, he said "you Americans think that
you can
just come
down here and ignor the law . I am going to make an exception and release
your truck. But you will HAVE TO PAY THE FINE!"
I was worried. Would I have enough money? How much? $500? $1000?
To my peeed off relief it was only about $5 US. I gave my thanks and ran to
the cashier
office which was about to close not only for the weekend, but woulld be closed
Monday for some holiday. I whipped out my $5 US and was told No Senor
solamente PESOS. Where was I going to find someone to change my money?
No one on the street would consider exchange until I wipped out a $20 US
and
said that I need to pay a fine in Pesos. Give me that amount and you can keep
the rest of the $20. That worked, although the guy was supicious as to if the
bill was fake. Bottom line get plates if you can, some cops are just looking for
a reason.
Over heard once in a police station "The wheels of justice in Mexico do not
move quickly, they stroll
along moved by the grease of the greenback."
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Nice bumper sticker Chuck! 
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Nice bumper sticker Chuck! |
yep, that's an oldie but a goodie!
GotmoreBajastickers?
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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You know that Antonio (BajaCactus) made those stickers for me back in 2006 at his family Tijuana printing business... the 'got baja?' hats, too came
thanks to Antonio's connections (good to have 'got baja?' made in Baja!).
Even older are my Viva Baja stickers from 2000 and 2002, before I got the new web url vivabaja.com (it was davidksbaja.com). Here is that one, with
the url modified...
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3499
Registered: 8-27-2003
Member Is Offline
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Update: No problems anywhere except crossing NB at SY: they needed to see something with the VIN on it to confirm with the VIN on the truck -
insurance receipt sufficed.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Nice... 
With us the only negative experience with law enforcement is never in Mexico, but often when trying to get back in our own country!!  
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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Think I said something about the VIN earlier. hey are just verifying ownership. Probably a good thing.
[Edited on 10-23-2014 by rts551]
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