BajaNomad

Good Cop Story

oxxo - 6-8-2008 at 08:32 AM

The following was posted in the Baja Western Onion today.

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Last week, as I was driving 100 K down the carretera, just outside of La Paz, on my way back to Pescadero, I was pulled over by the police. There was no question that I was speeding, and since I was the only one around I couldn't even point to all the other speeders. I speak some Spanish and I politely tried to explain a few lame excuses to the policeman. He was also polite to me and used our interaction to try to educate me about the horrible accidents on the carretera due to high speeds. He wanted my driver's license explaing to me that I had 10 days to come to an office somewhere? to pay a fine and retrieve my license. He also said he would give me a document to show any other policeman where my license was, so I wouldn't get into trouble for not having a license. Just as I thought he was going to walk off and "write the ticket", he handed me back my license and cautioned me to be careful and drive more slowly. This policeman was very professional, polite and respectful by anyone's standards. I too was respectful and I did my best to communicate in Spanish. [At one point I called a traffic light a match --samafaro/fosforo (sp)] We both laughed at that. Anyway, thought I'd send in a good story about the police since we all seem so anxious to complain about them.

woody with a view - 6-8-2008 at 09:15 AM

the odds say there are a few good cops out there!

lingililingili - 6-8-2008 at 09:51 AM

I sure like reading the good stuff! Thank you for your story.

[Edited on 6/8/08 by lingililingili]

DianaT - 6-8-2008 at 09:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by oxxo
The following was posted in the Baja Western Onion today.

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He was also polite to me and used our interaction to try to educate me about the horrible accidents on the carretera due to high speeds.


It is always good to hear the good cop stories---Thank you

Speed---nothing will slow us down like seeing one of those horrible accidents and going back and forth as often as we do, we have seen many.

Last Sunday, just south of the turn-off to Bahia de Los Angeles we came upon another terrible one---car had no front end left and there were covered bodies on the highway. It sured slowed us down.

It even hit closer to home when we found out that it probably was the same accident that took the lives of four people from La Bocana---ones with family in Bahia Asuncion.

It is great to hear the good cop story---we have had more good experiences than negative with the police.

Keep the speed down----not easy to do all the time.

Diane

boe4fun - 6-8-2008 at 10:03 AM

Once, while returning from La Paz, we were clocked with a radar gun doing 95K in an 80K zone north of Cd. Constitucion. The officer was very polite and professional, asked for license and registration, asked if I lived down there, then handed my paperwork back and said "Don't drive so fast." I took this to heart, and now always try to be mindful of the speed limit. I caught a lot of grief my last drive down to the La Paz clinic from my friends riding with me about "Driving at the speed of slow."

bajalou - 6-8-2008 at 10:18 AM

I was stopped a few years ago near El Major on Mex 5, heading north. Also stopped by the Federal Highway policeman were 2 Baja Calif. plated cars. The patrolman stopped at both of these cars and got the drivers licenses and registration from them. He came to my car and pointing to my speedometer said I was doing 55 and the speed limit around these curves is 35. Then told me to go slower, handed back my license and let me be on my way. Don't know what he did with the drivers of the Baja Calif. plated vehicles.

BajaBruno - 6-8-2008 at 10:53 AM

I have been stopped a number of times by the Federal highway police and I have always found them professional, honest, and competent. I am sure there are exceptions, but this has been my experience.

City traffic cops, by contrast, particularly on the mainland, have almost invariably been corrupt ********.

[Edited on 6-8-2008 by Hose A]

Capt. George - 6-8-2008 at 01:02 PM

In five years I've been stopped four times by Federales. Each time they were courteous, helpful, intelligent and honest. Never a problem.

Been stopped twice by local cops, Tijuana and in Catavina, both times were less then pleasant.

Heather - 6-9-2008 at 10:18 AM

Yea, slow down, my step-son was in an accident about a week ago driving from Pescadero to Todos Santos.

He was hit head on, by a car driving towards Cabo, who was going too fast and passing a car. I guess he didn't get back to his lane in time and hit my step-son's car.
Luckily, for us, my son is in the hospital with a broken-leg/pelvis, and will be laid up for about a month. The guys in the other car (15 and 17 year old brothers) are alive, but much worse. One is in a coma and the other worse off than that (probably brain-dead). My step-son is very worried about the other boys.
We are very happy to be talking to my son daily. I am also overwhelmed by the support that he is getting from my husband's family in La Paz. His grandparents and a few tios and tias were visiting yesterday, and a couple of them have been taking turns sleeping over in the hospital with him. It really makes me feel good for him to have the support of my in-laws, since we can't be there with him! Heather

DianaT - 6-9-2008 at 10:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Heather
Yea, slow down, my step-son was in an accident about a week ago driving from Pescadero to Todos Santos.

He was hit head on, by a car driving towards Cabo, who was going too fast and passing a car. I guess he didn't get back to his lane in time and hit my step-son's car.
Luckily, for us, my son is in the hospital with a broken-leg/pelvis, and will be laid up for about a month. The guys in the other car (15 and 17 year old brothers) are alive, but much worse. One is in a coma and the other worse off than that (probably brain-dead). My step-son is very worried about the other boys.
We are very happy to be talking to my son daily. I am also overwhelmed by the support that he is getting from my husband's family in La Paz. His grandparents and a few tios and tias were visiting yesterday, and a couple of them have been taking turns sleeping over in the hospital with him. It really makes me feel good for him to have the support of my in-laws, since we can't be there with him! Heather


Really sorry to hear about the accident, but glad your step-son will recover. It is good he has family with him. Will keep positive thoughts for quick healing.

My heart goes out to the families of the other young men.

Diane

Gadget - 6-9-2008 at 12:09 PM

I to had a stop by a Federal Hiway officer out east of Ensenada.
Had me dead to rights on 2 violations, only wrote me up for one.
He also was professional, polite, friendly and even a little funny.
Everything was as he said to retrieve my license in TJ the next Monday.
I even got a 50% discount on the fine for taking care of it within 15 days of the violation date.
They thanked me at the Federal Police staion up by the airport for doing so and not having it be an issue in the future by just abondoning my license for a replacement state side.

Good cops

bajarickster - 6-9-2008 at 12:39 PM

I spend winters in La Paz and have been stopped 3 times in town for very minor infractions. Just like everyone else, I was polite, tried to use my limited spanish and sign language and always got my licence given back to me with just a warning. There is one cop, Ricardo, who is on foot downtown and he stopped my for not having a front licence plate. ( I have a winch on the front of my jeep). I showed him the plate that I had in the car and he explained that I'd have to wire it to the front. Now whenever I see him, I point to the front of the Jeep, and he laughs and waves. Nice people if you keep your cool

Freebird - 6-9-2008 at 02:30 PM

Cops in Baja are much more professionals than in the rest of Mexico. Maybe Rosarito and Tijuana cops are worst than any other, but almost half of them were fired a couple of months ago...

Federal Police (old policia de Caminos) are among the most professional cops in Baja, altough I never got a ticket from them. Lucky:lol:

Just follow posted speed and will be no problem...

wiltonh - 6-9-2008 at 02:30 PM

Some years ago we had taken down a bunch of used kids clothes and wanted to give them to a family that could really use them. We were eating in a cafe when one of the Federal Officers came in to eat.

We asked him if he knew of a family that could use the clothes. He told us that they had just had a fire in town and one family had lost everything they owned. If memory serves me correctly they had about 6 kids of all ages.

He offered to take us to their house so we followed him in his patrol car. He did not stop at the house but motioned to us which one it was and then went on. The house had no roof and all that was left was concrete block walls.

We stopped in front and a man came over and we offered him the clothes. He called the kids and we got to watch as they went through the stuff and found things that fit.

It has always been interesting to me that the Officer was willing to help us get the clothes to the family but did not want to stop and take any sort of credit for helping them out.

Wilton