BajaNomad - The fine for flipping off a TJ cop... $384 pesos

The fine for flipping off a TJ cop... $384 pesos

Woooosh - 5-14-2009 at 11:22 AM

As I approached the border yesterday in the "SAN DIEGO ONLY" lane. I got caught in the middle of three small white unmarked cars zigzagging lanes and playing cat-mouse games with each other. I was literally caught in the middle of the three and had two near collisions as I couldn't get left or right. Each time they almost hit my car the occupants in the back seats turned, pointed and laughed at me. No lights, no sirens no plates. It could have been an abduction attempt for all I knew. I responded with the international sign of peace and love as I pulled into line. Of course they were police.

I followed them to the station (all twelve of them in three cars) while I phoned the cars ID numbers to my friend at the TJ Police Department. It cost me $384 pesos (because I refused show respect to the officer who lead the group- even in front of the judge). I felt this was intentional harassment aimed at a tourist. After admitting he endangered my safety the cops said he would have had to pay for any damage done to my car so I shouldn't have been upset. Huh?

Thanks to some friends high up in the Police Department I had a nice sit down chat with the assistant Chief of Police right after who assured me these men and women were very wrong, out of control and that they should be out fighting crime instead of terrorizing tourists approaching the border lines. 24 man hours were wasted from fighting crime because the officer was offended I flipped him off. That didn't sit well with the assitant chief- who called them all back to the station for a "meeting".

Luckily all the license and registration info I supplied was with my USA post office box info. They have no love for tourists visiting Mexico and said so several times.

vandenberg - 5-14-2009 at 11:35 AM

I suggest you refrain from using the same vehicle again if you have any intention going back to or through TJ.

DENNIS - 5-14-2009 at 11:36 AM

As soon as I get a couple of thousand bucks I don't need, I know what I'm gonna do with it.

woody with a view - 5-14-2009 at 11:38 AM

that's why we NEVER pass thru tj, except for that run TO the first toll booth. never on the return trip.....

ELINVESTIG8R - 5-14-2009 at 11:44 AM

Whooosh, What a load. Sorry you had to deal with bad cops. Even though they were Tijuana Cops I would hope for a little professionalism. I guess not!!!

You get what you deserve

The Gull - 5-14-2009 at 11:48 AM

The TJ cops and the judge must lurk on this site and know of your regular negative "contributions" about their country.

Keep up the good work and hopefully pistol whipping hasn't gone out of vogue.

DENNIS - 5-14-2009 at 11:59 AM

OUCH

Woooosh - 5-14-2009 at 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Gull
The TJ cops and the judge must lurk on this site and know of your regular negative "contributions" about their country.

Keep up the good work and hopefully pistol whipping hasn't gone out of vogue.

LOL. Ouch? Yeah- I'm mister popular down here these days. It's hard for a CT yankee with very different moral codes and values to adjust to this place. I didn't have my first taco until I went away to college and now half my family doesn't really know how to eat with a knife and fork (but they try for me on holiday meals to be polite). So it's been a learning curve for me and I'm a little stubborn on some things to my detriment. I admitted to the Asst. Chief that I was wrong to disrespect theofficer but he stopped my sentence and said the apology was his after what they had put me through. I honestly wasn't upset or irate- just insistent that this was not proper police conduct towards a tourist exitingthe country. They were just playing a car chase game like little boys and I became the game once I got their attnetion. Luckily I have like-minded good Mexican friends in the right places. And I know people in the wrong places if I need them and people know that- which is the only way you survive in Mexico... to master the art of the Mexican Standoff. Not what I had planned for a retirement straetgy- but it's working out and the plusses still far outweigh the minuses.

Woooosh - 5-14-2009 at 01:17 PM

the silver lining...

On the good side, while I was handcuffed standing against the wall in front of the police station... waiting to stand on the red line to talk to the judge-in-a-box, my motorcycle mechanic came by. I have a vintage dirt bike he has helped me restore over the past few years. He also works on the motorcycles for the TJ police force during the day. He was really great. He shook my hand (best we could with the cuffs on) we talked and laughed about the situation and he scolded me about ticking off the TJ cops. He went over and talked to the cops who brought me in. I thought that was really nice of him. He came back and said they were still mad at me because I wouldn't apologize- but that they were going to let me go. Not too many Mexicans will stand up to the police for anyone down here and I was very moved by it. I didn't need his help at that point- so I thanked him for stopping by to help me and promised to drop by his shop with my bike next week. It's running great- but why not let him give it a tune up. He said he gets "punished" for being a such a good mechanic that people don't come back to fix the same thing again and again. A very nice guy that I look forwad to visiting.

[Edited on 5-14-2009 by Woooosh]

Frank - 5-14-2009 at 03:40 PM

Its getting harder everyday to keep saying to myself, " We are going to Baja for Vacation again this year."

Von - 5-14-2009 at 03:44 PM

Just get a helicopter and avoid these problems my friend. :biggrin:

fdt - 5-14-2009 at 03:54 PM

Yes! You could flip them all at the same time from the air !

mtgoat666 - 5-14-2009 at 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
I responded with the international sign of peace and love as I pulled into line. Of course they were police.

that's a pretty funny story :lol:

bet you learned not to flip off cops :lol:

dude, i too have flipped the bird at inappropriate times. after one wrong flipped bird, i got chased by some enraged lunatics -- took several miles of high speed driving of 3:00 AM Los Angeles city streets to lose 'em.
my lesson learned: i never mess with strangers in cars -- setting off a road rager is scary sh*t.

norte - 5-14-2009 at 05:58 PM

glad you mad my next trip down a little more enjoyable.... who said we are uglu Americans!

DENNIS - 5-14-2009 at 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by norte
Who said we are ugly Americans!

Just about everybody. If you don't hear it, you arn't listening.

Lets talk

Dave - 5-14-2009 at 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
As soon as I get a couple of thousand bucks I don't need, I know what I'm gonna do with it.

I can get it done wholesale. :cool:

thebajarunner - 5-14-2009 at 08:27 PM

I never flip off another driver..... NEVER!!

Instead I slowly lift my right hand, extend my index finger and slowly and precisely tap my forehead.

Trust me, this is a far greater insult than a crude middle finger.
Hey, any three tooth Okie can flip you off,
it takes creativity to make the gesture meaningful.

ELINVESTIG8R - 5-14-2009 at 08:37 PM

God ain't "Contempt of Cop" great. :lol:

DENNIS - 5-14-2009 at 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner
it takes creativity to make the gesture meaningful.

It would be even more meaningful if you methodically tapped on your forehead with your middle finger. Cover all bases....so to speak. :lol:

OOOps...forgot the laughing head

[Edited on 5-15-2009 by DENNIS]

Mango - 5-14-2009 at 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
As soon as I get a couple of thousand bucks I don't need, I know what I'm gonna do with it.

If I win the lottery I'm spending the money on an old dodge power wagon, two crash helmets, and the best crash attorney money can buy to ride along as my co-pilot.

Pull a "Mexican" left turn from the right lane in front of me..and prepare to be "Darwinized"!

Other infractions will be enforced. :saint:

Just when it appeared you "got the point"

thebajarunner - 5-14-2009 at 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner
it takes creativity to make the gesture meaningful.

It would be even more meaningful if you methodically tapped on your forehead with your middle finger. Cover all bases....so to speak. :lol:

OOOps...forgot the laughing head

[Edited on 5-15-2009 by DENNIS]

well, guess you did not.
I will repeat,
any 3 tooth Okie can lift the middle finger.
why bring myself down to that level?

DENNIS - 5-15-2009 at 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner

Just when it appeared you "got the point"

Well, actually Runner, my point was this------ :lol:

-------

I'm an Okie...

Dave - 5-15-2009 at 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner
any 3 tooth Okie can lift the middle finger.

have more than three teeth and have never used the gesture.

Bajahowodd - 5-15-2009 at 10:35 AM

I grew up in New York. Moved to SoCal after college. I was immediately struck by the fact, when driving, you never heard car horns honking. Seems that the more genteel people of the Southwest substituted the "half-peace"sign for the horn. Unfortunately, that was almost 40 years ago. Times have changed. Road rage and such. Doesn't matter whether you're in TJ or SLO, it's just not a wise thing to do with strangers. And unless I missed it, did anyone comment on the likely cuffing and stuffing should someone flip off a cop North of the border?

Woooosh - 5-15-2009 at 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd unless I missed it, did anyone comment on the likely cuffing and stuffing should someone flip off a cop North of the border?

I din't use the half peace sign as a fleeting road rage symbol - but to accurately reflect what I thought of his actions. I actually spoke the words they mean several times to him in front of the judge and never backed down.

In the USA it is protected free speech like burning the flag... no?

DENNIS - 5-15-2009 at 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
In the USA it is protected free speech like burning the flag... no?

Maybe yes but, probably not in court. Might have earned you ninety days in the US.

Woooosh - 5-15-2009 at 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
In the USA it is protected free speech like burning the flag... no?

Maybe yes but, probably not in court. Might have earned you ninety days in the US.

yea, like any state can afford to jail a person for that these days. Arnold is talking about closing the state prisons and lettting the non-viloent convicts (druggies mostly) out.

htnfool - 5-15-2009 at 06:39 PM

My brother in law flipped off a cop with both hands and got an instant 'Inattentive driving' ticket. It's one step below a DUI. The judge hammered him, rightfully so.

After the cop wrote the ticket, he told him that "if he had just used one hand he wouldn't have a ticket to write, so thanks for using both hands", LOL...

BajaBruno - 5-15-2009 at 09:47 PM

It's never happened to me in Baja, but there are quite a number of corrupt city traffic cops in mainland Mexico that I would gladly pay $384 MXN for the pleasure of flipping off. Particularly in Acapulco and Mex City.

In my experience, Baja, south of TJ anyway, is a world apart from that mainland Mexico experience, which is why so many of us appreciate it, but I know others have run into the naive or officious cop in Baja who drives one crazy, but it is not common---at least, I don't think it is.

I'm not condoning the behavior of the cops in the Woooosh experience, but many cops the world over are boyish fellows, and gawd, those guys in TJ have had a hard time lately. It will ruin your sense of humor to go to funeral after funeral of your office mates. If they take offense a little too easily, it may be because their nerves are a little frayed.

Woooosh - 5-16-2009 at 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBruno
It's never happened to me in Baja, but there are quite a number of corrupt city traffic cops in mainland Mexico that I would gladly pay $384 MXN for the pleasure of flipping off. Particularly in Acapulco and Mex City.

In my experience, Baja, south of TJ anyway, is a world apart from that mainland Mexico experience, which is why so many of us appreciate it, but I know others have run into the naive or officious cop in Baja who drives one crazy, but it is not common---at least, I don't think it is.

I'm not condoning the behavior of the cops in the Woooosh experience, but many cops the world over are boyish fellows, and gawd, those guys in TJ have had a hard time lately. It will ruin your sense of humor to go to funeral after funeral of your office mates. If they take offense a little too easily, it may be because their nerves are a little frayed.

Good points.

But the TJ police that are left onduty here were supposed to have passed psychological screenings and background checks. I think they lowered the bar to underground...

oxxo - 5-17-2009 at 05:29 AM

And if those 12 guys in the three white cars had been some of the narco cholos...........you might not be posting here today.

[Edited on 5-17-2009 by oxxo]

CaboRon - 5-17-2009 at 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo
And if those 12 guys in the three white cars had been some of the narco guys...........you may not be posting here today.

Woooosh - 5-17-2009 at 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CaboRon

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo
And if those 12 guys in the three white cars had been some of the narco guys...........you may not be posting here today.

..and just last night another assistant Chief of Police is slaughtered.

For anyone who hasn't seen the inside of the TJ main police station- the lack of computers and technology is stunning. It looks like the Flintstones. It's gonna be a years before they discover the internet.

bajalou - 5-17-2009 at 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
For anyone who hasn't seen the inside of the TJ main police station- the lack of computers and technology is stunning. It looks like the Flintstones. It's gonna be a years before they discover the internet.

I thought that Ferna took a group on a tour of the police command center a couple years ago- a VERY modern set up.

BJSoccer16 - 12-12-2009 at 03:02 PM

Quote:

I cross daily in and out of SD from TJ and I'm always cautious crossing the street near the border where the buses are because the cops whip out of there like crazy, endangering the lives of pedestrians and causing other drivers to take evasive action to avoid collision.

JESSE - 12-12-2009 at 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
As I approached the border yesterday in the "SAN DIEGO ONLY" lane. I got caught in the middle of three small white unmarked cars zigzagging lanes and playing cat-mouse games with each other. I was literally caught in the middle of the three and had two near collisions as I couldn't get left or right. Each time they almost hit my car the occupants in the back seats turned, pointed and laughed at me. No lights, no sirens no plates. It could have been an abduction attempt for all I knew. I responded with the international sign of peace and love as I pulled into line. Of course they were police.

I followed them to the station (all twelve of them in three cars) while I phoned the cars ID numbers to my friend at the TJ Police Department. It cost me $384 pesos (because I refused show respect to the officer who lead the group- even in front of the judge). I felt this was intentional harassment aimed at a tourist. After admitting he endangered my safety the cops said he would have had to pay for any damage done to my car so I shouldn't have been upset. Huh?

Thanks to some friends high up in the Police Department I had a nice sit down chat with the assistant Chief of Police right after who assured me these men and women were very wrong, out of control and that they should be out fighting crime instead of terrorizing tourists approaching the border lines. 24 man hours were wasted from fighting crime because the officer was offended I flipped him off. That didn't sit well with the assitant chief- who called them all back to the station for a "meeting".

Luckily all the license and registration info I supplied was with my USA post office box info. They have no love for tourists visiting Mexico and said so several times.

Considering the conditions those guys work in (getting killed left and right by groups of gunmen with Ak47s) i say nobody in the the department is going to give damn.

What you did was VERY risky to put it mildly, thats why they where probably laughing, they probably couldn't believe someone did something as crazy as that.

JESSE - 12-12-2009 at 03:25 PM

By the way, when cops in Mexico are going to intercept a car considered suspicious, they do exactly what those guys did to you. They sort of cram around you zig zaggin in and out. What happened is that you where suspicious to them, and they aproached you to see what was up with you. When they saw you flipping them off they probably realized you where a crazy gringo and thats why they started laughling.

k-rico - 12-12-2009 at 04:09 PM

ALL the TJ cops I've seen while driving around playas (almost every day) are traveling in 3 car patrols, each car with at least two cops. Dangerous duty, assume they're on edge, don't phuk with them.

Von - 12-12-2009 at 09:04 PM

TJ cops what a joke~~~

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-13-2009 at 05:22 AM

AFN CAUGHT THEM USING BAD JUDGEMENT

Story here: http://afntijuana.info/blog/?p=23307

war

wessongroup - 12-13-2009 at 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by k-rico
ALL the TJ cops I've seen while driving around playas (almost every day) are traveling in 3 car patrols, each car with at least two cops. Dangerous duty, assume they're on edge, don't phuk with them.

Yeah, me thinks keeping a very low profile at all times may be an approach which might afford one a little more TIME in the Baja!!

It is after all a very small place, and "gringo's" would in my opinion stick out like a sore thumbs in the mix that is going on down here in the "war"... which you all have a ring side seat on.. not true of any "wars" being fought by the U.S. any more.. since Nam!!

Any law enforcement/military folks out there want to step up on the issue of finding someone in a town the size of Rosarito?? and do enforcement folks "talk" between each other about things...

They might not have computers, but.. "incoming" does not need an email address

Looking to be number 9 or 10, not number 1 on the locals memory banks