BajaNomad - TJ Cops Still At It

TJ Cops Still At It

LRW - 12-7-2007 at 12:27 PM

We drove last week from Loreto to the Border. After reading reports that the tollroad was now safe, I felt a tad more comfortable going to TJ. However, no sooner had we gotten off that road than a motorcycle cop pulled us off. Said we were speeding and not using blinkers. Neither was true...traffice was flying by us in the left lane. Ticket $140.

We said take us to the station. He demanded my husband get out of the truck (we were driving a pickup with small shell on it and have a dog). This went on for 30 minutes as he refused to take us to the station. Finally he said he'd lessen the ticket to $50 for not wearing seatbelts and we could 'just pay him.' We asked for a receipt of the 'supposed ticket' (as a lark) and he said he didn't have a 'printer.'

He had no name badge on and when I asked him his name, he hesitated ...then said Fernando. Guy was so small in stature he barely reached the truck window. I could see the plate on his cycle said MP22.

I know this is nothing compared to what some others have endured recently, but we'd hoped with the new TJ mayor
these incidents would have stopped. We're not kids. 60yrs of age.

There was no gasoline in Guerrero Negro nor Catavina so next trip we'll be more cautious and fill up more often. We saw other Americans/Canadians who like us were almost driving on fumes. Locals were in line with pickup trucks with 4-5 fifty gallon drums filling up where gas was available.

We are returning there in a few months, again driving, so hope others will continue to post their experiences.

toneart - 12-7-2007 at 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LRW
We drove last week from Loreto to the Border. After reading reports that the tollroad was now safe, I felt a tad more comfortable going to TJ. However, no sooner had we gotten off that road than a motorcycle cop pulled us off. Said we were speeding and not using blinkers. Neither was true...traffice was flying by us in the left lane. Ticket $140.

We said take us to the station. He demanded my husband get out of the truck (we were driving a pickup with small shell on it and have a dog). This went on for 30 minutes as he refused to take us to the station. Finally he said he'd lessen the ticket to $50 for not wearing seatbelts and we could 'just pay him.' We asked for a receipt of the 'supposed ticket' (as a lark) and he said he didn't have a 'printer.'

He had no name badge on and when I asked him his name, he hesitated ...then said Fernando. Guy was so small in stature he barely reached the truck window. I could see the plate on his cycle said MP22.

I know this is nothing compared to what some others have endured recently, but we'd hoped with the new TJ mayor
these incidents would have stopped. We're not kids. 60yrs of age.

There was no gasoline in Guerrero Negro nor Catavina so next trip we'll be more cautious and fill up more often. We saw other Americans/Canadians who like us were almost driving on fumes. Locals were in line with pickup trucks with 4-5 fifty gallon drums filling up where gas was available.

We are returning there in a few months, again driving, so hope others will continue to post their experiences.

Thank you for the report, and welcome! We need to stay informed on this important subject.

........

Lee - 12-7-2007 at 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LRW
We are returning there in a few months, again driving, so hope others will continue to post their experiences.

You didni't finish the story. How long did the $50/fine debate go on? Then what? Did you pay? Go to the station?

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-7-2007 at 02:07 PM

Looks like we need to fire up the Gringo Vigilante Mobile :lol:

[Edited on 12-7-2007 by ELINVESTI8]

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-7-2007 at 02:11 PM

Oh, they just kidnapped a Chinese Restaurant owner in Tijuana. The other day it was a liquor store owner. I think the Tijuanenses need to fire up their Mexicano Vigilante Mobiles too.

[Edited on 12-7-2007 by ELINVESTI8]

Hook - 12-7-2007 at 04:00 PM

Are Mexican citizens STILL precluded from owning handguns?

fdt - 12-7-2007 at 04:22 PM

So I have a tocayo that drives a motorcycle # M22, that is good info, now all I would need is the day and time and we could be in business as to getting your money back from this bandido.

fdt - 12-7-2007 at 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ELINVESTI8
Oh, they just kidnapped a Chinese Restaurant owner in Tijuana. The other day it was a liquor store owner. I think the Tijuanenses need to fire up their Mexicano Vigilante Mobiles too.

[Edited on 12-7-2007 by ELINVESTI8]

I don't know about El Chino yet but the liquor store owner was in Rosarito, right from one of his stores "Don Pisto" on Benito Juarez.

[Edited on 12-7-2007 by fdt]

Packoderm - 12-7-2007 at 04:44 PM

When I head down next time, we'll be recording our trip from the border to past Rosarito with a camcorder. If anything, we'll have something funny to show on YouTube. It would make a funny video filmed from our windshield to show cars passing all around us, and then only we get pulled over for speeding. I'd also like to videotape the negotiation to get to the courthouse.

Bajajack - 12-7-2007 at 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
Are Mexican citizens STILL precluded from owning handguns?

Any mex citizen can legally buy and own a Handgun!

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-7-2007 at 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fdt[I don't know about El Chino yet but the liquor store owner was in Rosarito, right from one of his stores "Don Pisto" on Benito Juarez.

[Edited on 12-7-2007 by fdt]

That's right fdt Don Pisto was the name people were writing about in the commentario section of Frontera.info.

The Chinese Restaurant owner was kidnapped from his place which is next to the Policía Municipal de la Calle Ocho

[Edited on 12-8-2007 by ELINVESTI8]

gibson - 12-7-2007 at 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
Are Mexican citizens STILL precluded from owning handguns?

yea we don't want unstable wackos (read recent Omaha shootings) having easy access to weaponery.

fdt - 12-7-2007 at 08:34 PM

Mexican people have always had a right to have guns. That has never been outlawed. We do not have a right to go arround waving them in public.

LarryK - 12-7-2007 at 09:08 PM

Go to: http://www.sindicatura.gob.mx/ this is a site set up to report police problems.

Al G - 12-7-2007 at 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gibson

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
Are Mexican citizens STILL precluded from owning handguns?

yea we don't want unstable wackos (read recent Omaha shootings) having easy access to weaponery.

,

Gibson, you don't own a gun do you :?:

LRW - 12-7-2007 at 11:46 PM

<<Go to: http://www.sindicatura.gob.mx/ this is a site set up to report police problems>>

Thanks for this address, but interestingly enough every link I came across on this site that points to the consulate in TJ to make the complaint, doesn't work.

Someone asked early on in this thread how it was resolved. When cop refused our initial offer of $20, discussion went back & forth for about 20 minutes as he didn't want to take us to the station and pretended to be writing a ticket. Had our registration, drivers license, etc. Finally he agreed to $50. Took our money and sped off. Never took us to the station. Our concern at that point was we still had 1.5 miles to get to the crossing and were worried about being pulled over by someone else.

gibson - 12-7-2007 at 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Al G
Gibson, you don't own a gun do you :?:

whatoilooklike?? some idiot from Nth America who actually believes (along with the religeous poo poo) that some of the founding father's implimentations apply to the 21st century??? puuulease!!

(sidenote: dear evolution ... please pick up the pace!!) :lol:

fdt - 12-8-2007 at 10:21 AM

LRW so what time and what day was it?
With name, motorcycle number all we need is what time, what day and what road and we can get him, or at least our chances are a lot better.

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-8-2007 at 10:22 AM

Cut and past the below into word shrink the font and print several of them to stick on your driver’s license vehicle registration etc. Make the word SINDICATURA in red.

Estimado(a) Señor(a) (Your name here) por cualquier problema con
la Policía Municipal Estatal o Federal por favor marca al
SINDICATURA indicada abajo.
Tijuana - (664) 688-2810 - 973-7770 - 973-7759 - 683-4095
Ensenada - (646) 617-1561 - 176-2222 - 617-1561
Mexicali - (686) 558-1600 ext. 1661

LRW - 12-8-2007 at 10:39 AM

fdt: Not sure what your particular interest is in this or how you can assist, but our incident happened Wednesday Nov 28th and it was around noon. Motorcycle had # 22 on it, cop did not have a name badge on and reluctantly told us his name was Fernando. Very petite in stature man who spoke excellent English. It was on what we think is Road 1. We had just come off the tollway into Tijuana and were coming down that big hill that drops down from the beach into TJ when the cop drove behind us with his light flashing. (At the bottom of the hill you use a cloverleaf to get onto the border crossing road. ) He made us follow him for about a mile as there was nowhere to pull off, and we actually pulled off with him onto a road that is parallel to the US border fence. The supposed violation occurred dropping down that hill and he said we didn't use our turn signal coming off that cloverleaf, however cars were flying past us in the leftland lane as we were unsure of where we were headed prior to him putting his lights on. However we were the only car w/ US plates on that I saw during that stretch...

bajaandy - 12-8-2007 at 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ELINVESTI8
Cut and past the below into word shrink the font and print several of them to stick on your driver’s license vehicle registration etc. Make the word SINDICATURA in red.

Estimado(a) Señor(a) (Your name here) por cualquier problema con
la Policía Municipal Estatal o Federal por favor marca al
SINDICATURA indicada abajo.
Tijuana - (664) 688-2810 - 973-7770 - 973-7759 - 683-4095
Ensenada - (646) 617-1561 - 176-2222 - 617-1561
Mexicali - (686) 558-1600 ext. 1661

I love it... sort of the equvilent of a "get out of jail free" card.

DianaT - 12-8-2007 at 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LRW
fdt: Not sure what your particular interest is in this or how you can assist, ...

Fernando knows lots of people and is the first person we, and many others would call if we had a problem in TJ. He is very active in trying to help stop corruption etc. He is always interested when someone has a problem in Baja----has helped out more than one nomad in the past.

If he can help, he will.

Diane

fdt - 12-8-2007 at 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LRW
fdt: Not sure what your particular interest is in this or how you can assist

LRW, my interest is not particular to me it is of interest to all good people both from Tijuana and other places that drive thru Tijuana or anywere in Baja California. We are pretty fed up with the crap that is going on and keeps happening as is your case. The reason I replied and asked particulars from your story is that you have more information than the average complaint and that information is what is needed to get all of this to stop. Even without a badge number or name tag, by having time of day, motorcycle number, place and description of the officer should help in pinpointing who it was and have him repremanded in whatever way posible.

Don't give in to dirty cops!

Lee - 12-8-2007 at 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fdt

Quote:

Originally posted by LRW
fdt: Not sure what your particular interest is in this or how you can assist

LRW, my interest is not particular to me it is of interest to all good people both from Tijuana and other places that drive thru Tijuana or anywere in Baja California.

To LRW: this works for me. Make a copies of your license and vehicle registration. DO NOT GIVE THE ORIGINAL TO ANY COP PULLING YOU OVER. If they insist on originals, tell him you'll give it to his supervisor AT THE STATION. Once you've handed over originals, you have no leverage. I have a throw-away license (expired) that I can lose, if need be. But I have copies too. If a cop is refusing to take you to the station, and is unable to radio for backup and a supervisor, CUT TO THE CHASE AND REFUSE TO PAY ANYTHING AND TELL THE COP TO ESCORT YOU TO THE BORDER. There's no reason you needed to give this slimeball anything -- and 50 pesos would have been generous.

Fernando -- feedback on this? The above is just what I would do -- and though I'd be professional and respectful, I'd be pi**ed at the dishonesty of the cop AND WOULD CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THAT TO HIM!

fdt - 12-8-2007 at 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee
Fernando -- feedback on this? The above is just what I would do -- and though I'd be professional and respectful, I'd be pi**ed at the dishonesty of the cop AND WOULD CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THAT TO HIM!

Good, just give them no money.

Mordida

awfulart - 12-8-2007 at 02:46 PM

Paying is a way of encouraging this kind of dishonesty. As long as one pays it is expected that they will continue down the bribery path. Enablers cause more problems than disablers. At some point this must come to a halt!

Al G - 12-8-2007 at 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gibson

Quote:

Originally posted by Al G
Gibson, you don't own a gun do you :?:

Someone tag and bag this sucker...he may be near Nebraska :lol:

Bajafun777 - 12-8-2007 at 10:51 PM

Real easy Gibson if retired cops or off duty cops were in the Omaha Mall it would have been settled real fast with--two the body and one to head--No more threat!!! Yea, everything gets twisted by the antics of those saying we have no rights to weapons but B.S. Our "Founding Fathers" especially wanted our citizens to have access to weapons, as to prevent now or in the future the winos, dinos, and ding bats from getting a nut case like Hugo Chavez in and trying to take over our country. Americans have always been fighters and can always take on the toughest situation and survive, just the way it is!!! bajafun777

gibson - 12-9-2007 at 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajafun777
bajafun777

ever hear the term ... "drag your knuckles into the 21st century"? :lol:

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-9-2007 at 07:53 AM

My philosophy regarding firearms is:

"If you need it and don't have it you may never need it again."

I will continue to drag my knuckles into this century. :lol:

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-9-2007 at 08:59 AM

Pompano I saw that before you deleted it...It was funny. :lol:

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-9-2007 at 09:07 AM

Pompano I love that picture and I respect your philosophy on gun control. No argument from me brother.

castaway$ - 12-9-2007 at 12:20 PM

So if you get pulled over by a dirty or fake cop how do you think they would react if you whip out your video camera and start recording. Or at minimum start taking pics with a regular camera, we all most likley have one with us. Seems to me that would either scare them off or pee them off, either way you would think they would get the heck of there muy pronto.

Packoderm - 12-9-2007 at 12:34 PM

They might smash you camera, so don't use your good one. It would be better, I think, to have the camera rolling as you are driving the gauntlet, so they have a chance to back out before they are put on the spot.

Gadget - 12-13-2007 at 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by castaway$
So if you get pulled over by a dirty or fake cop how do you think they would react if you whip out your video camera and start recording. Or at minimum start taking pics with a regular camera, we all most likley have one with us. Seems to me that would either scare them off or pee them off, either way you would think they would get the heck of there muy pronto.

Sure, I've thought about this before. You could just set up a little video camera, I like the Sony PC120, on wide angle and just let it roll. Don't have to make a big deal out of it or draw attention to it. It could be in a passengers lap or sitting on the center console. After you have haggled with the nice law enforcement ??? officer and get thorough all the various mordida options, you could point out you have it all on tape. Don't know the reaction, but it sure would be fun :saint:

dont you think?

Look, I had a run in with this little Military officer at the toll booth at Rosarito who wanted $50 for a carpet knife that I stupidly put in the glove box instead of the tool box. He was calling it a concealed weapon, but agreed that if it was in the tool box, he would consider it a tool. HUH???!!!! We had been blown off the coast at Alejandros after spending 2 days trying to tie everything down from blowing away. His threat was that he was going to call the municipal police and that it would cost me $100 with them. I simply told him to go ahead and call and I would happily pay them the $100 in front of him, but he wasn't going to get the $50. After 45 minutes of this I put up my hands, walked over to the knife sitting on the passenger seat, walked with it and my hands still up to the back of my rig, broke the knife blade off the handle in my trailer hitch and dropped both pieces into the trash can. I said " y ahora este es basura ". I thought the guy was going to hemmorage a vein in his neck. :lol:

My son was about to load his shorts

, but he let us go, no mordida. Crazy but effective. :biggrin:

These guys entire routine relys on being able to intimidate. Just call their bluff!!!

And if that perks up your interest in story, check out the rather less glamorous tail on a thread called Baja 500 07 trip report, and my story about Horsepower Ranch, if you haven't already. That didn't go so well :no:

Ya win some and ya lose some, but heh, I've never seen the inside of a meky jail after 3+ decades of traveling in Baja. :tumble:

mtgoat666 - 12-13-2007 at 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee

Quote:

Originally posted by fdt

Quote:

Originally posted by LRW
fdt: Not sure what your particular interest is in this or how you can assist

LRW, my interest is not particular to me it is of interest to all good people both from Tijuana and other places that drive thru Tijuana or anywere in Baja California.

Why not give the cop your license? If you lose it, just go to DMV and get a new one when you get home. New license from DMV seems easier than peeing off a cop and losing a day of vacation. Registration in my car is always a photocopy - original is at home.

Pescador - 12-14-2007 at 08:33 AM

Copies are much better and I will never give the original. In Colorado we get to keep the old license when we get a new one, so as soon as I cross the border, one of my old licenses gets put in the front of my billfold, while the current license gets put away with passports and my FM3. I have copies of passport and registration and if asked I will supply copies but I do not give the originals to a policeman on the street.
I really like the camera idea and I think that could become standard procedure for any stops. Bet that time, date, and good picture could be great information to give to FDT.

bajaandy - 12-14-2007 at 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
I really like the camera idea and I think that could become standard procedure for any stops. Bet that time, date, and good picture could be great information to give to FDT.

Better yet, let's post the pictures right here on BajaNomad... maybe we could even have a special forum just for that.

fdt - 12-14-2007 at 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaandy

Better yet, let's post the pictures right here on BajaNomad... maybe we could even have a special forum just for that.

Great idea! :light: