Howard - 12-1-2010 at 07:35 PM
Had to take a quick trip from Loreto to Cabo. Left Tuesday around 11:00. I went around the Todos Santos way and there were absolutely no checkpoints
to stop at. The road was in great condition with the exception just South of Todos Santos they are building bridges, etc and there were dirt sections
but not to bad at all. No problem going through Constitution. I was making great time and arrived in Cabo at 6:00 P.M.
Took care of my business Wednesday morning and hit the road at 10:45 and arrived in Loreto at 5:00, just in time for happy hour. There was a very
brief stop at a Federal checkpoint but that was it.
The road was in great shape and only one funny mishap along the way.
Just outside of La Paz, headed south, the coffee kicked in and nature started calling. It was not a populated area but it was not out in the middle of
nowhere either. Pulled off, took case of my business and a police truck pulled up and what could I say? He was very upset (I could tell it was an
act) and just shook his head looking at the spot I just peed at. It was off the road and it was sort of out of sight of other motorists and he said
that women and children drive by and they could see me. Anyway, after me apologizing and telling him what else could I do, “you are a guy and when
you have to go, you have to go” he just stood there and said we have to go to the station. I motioned him to the front of my rented car (with Mexican
plates) and asked him if he could pay the fine for me. He did not want to do it but I took his hand, opened it, and put a bill in it. Down deep, I
feel he saw the humor in “when you have to go, you have to go” and he was a nice enough young man. I normally would not of paid the mordita and
called his bluff, but I was wrong and it was a very humorous 15 minutes. He was walking back to his car when he looked in his palm and just stopped,
hesitated and got in.
Now for the big question, how much, if anything, would of you paid?
mulegemichael - 12-1-2010 at 07:50 PM
nothing...not a damn thing...happens every two seconds along hwy 1...nada.
rocmoc - 12-2-2010 at 08:10 AM
NEVER and I have been stopped. Held my ground and paid nothing. Paying only adds to the problem and makes it worse for the next person.
rocmoc n AZ
bill erhardt - 12-2-2010 at 10:49 AM
Mike/rocmoc.....I'm with you guys. There's nothing at all funny about this episode. To participate in this practice is to perpetuate it. Extortion
is no more amusing south of the border than north.....
Bajahowodd - 12-2-2010 at 12:58 PM
Better planning! There are a bunch of Pemex stations on either side of Mex 1 heading South out of La Paz before you get to the Mex 19 turnoff!
Phil S - 12-2-2010 at 02:30 PM
Im sympathic to your 'bladder' needs. Been there done that. BUT, I'd never ever try to bribe a cop for stopping me for that. I'm sure he's done it
hundreds if not thousands of times himself, and if he runs with a partner, I'm sure that they both have done it together.
I'd have first said, "o.k. take me to the station, and see what his reaction is. 'Maybe he would have stearnly said, o.k. This time I'll let you go.
Next time we go to station. I'd have bluffed, yelled. Stomped my feet, before I would have given him anything. If all else failed, and he was
determined to get a bribe, I'd have dug into my briefcase, and handed him: one of the Nomads, 8X11 print outs that says, No Mass Mordida!!!!
[Edited on 12-2-2010 by Phil S]