BajaNomad

MEXICO COP HARD AT WORK

DENNIS - 2-15-2013 at 02:18 PM

Not sure where I got this, but I stuck it in my faves to be viewed later. If it came from this site, forgive me my sins along with my damaged memory:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp7cGO1ac0o

woody with a view - 2-15-2013 at 03:22 PM

that guy is an idiot. he should have went to the station and filed a complaint AFTER posting it to youtube as insurance. that ring and red phone would be enough ID.

DENNIS - 2-15-2013 at 03:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by woody with a view
that guy is an idiot. he should have went to the station and filed a complaint AFTER posting it to youtube as insurance. that ring and red phone would be enough ID.


He seemed to be in awe that the cop was shaking him down. It was all new to him........maybe?
One thing we can all learn is that the cop was worn out by the zero Spanish. Like it's hard to extort a deaf-mute.

David K - 2-15-2013 at 04:50 PM

To any Mexico travel newbies seeing this, police are not allowed to take money, so if they ask for money, JUST SAY NO. Traffic fines in Mexico (if you did break the law), are far less than in the states. If you know you were picked on because you are a traveler on vacation, wait it out... shake your head, insist on going to see the judge! That usually floors them, because most travelers who don't speak Spanish are scared and easy marks for cash.

You could also put this on you back window or tape a tiny one to the back of your driver's license:



If you did break the law, then your call... remember, he isn't supposed to collect money, so you can negotiate!

Cisco - 2-15-2013 at 05:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
To any Mexico travel newbies seeing this, police are not allowed to take money, so if they ask for money, JUST SAY NO. Traffic fines in Mexico (if you did break the law), are far less than in the states. If you know you were picked on because you are a traveler on vacation, wait it out... shake your head, insist on going to see the judge! That usually floors them, because most travelers who don't speak Spanish are scared and easy marks for cash.

You could also put this on you back window or tape a tiny one to the back of your driver's license:



If you did break the law, then your call... remember, he isn't supposed to collect money, so you can negotiate!


Several years ago I was stopped in TJ for not respecting a pedestrian crossing while someone was in it.

It was an "iffy" deal as they had just entered the crossing but technically the motorcycle officer was correct.

He issued a ticket (I believe it was $15, early 1990's) and showed me the addresses on the ticket where I was to mail my fine, both in TJ and San Ysidro. Which I did the following day.

Lee - 2-15-2013 at 07:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
..... If you know you were picked on because you are a traveler on vacation, wait it out... shake your head, insist on going to see the judge! That usually floors them, because most travelers who don't speak Spanish are scared and easy marks for cash.


This information (always ask to see the judge) may be dated and I don't think there is enough personal experience to validate what David is writing. There are too many variables, and every town is different, to accurately state that asking to see the ''judge'' will get a tourist justice. When my ''friend'' drove through CC during an evening, got scammed, went to the ''station'' to see the judge -- and got scammed even worse -- he is convinced there would have been a better outcome on the street.

For those who have chosen to drive to a police station, and saw a ''judge,'' and had a positive outcome, glad everything worked out.

For those who are passing along rumors and hearsay, think again. You are doing no one a service by letting them think there is ''justice'' at a MX police station if they only ask for it.

On the other hand, I'm in line with David and others who say tough it out, on the street, and refuse to pay for a scam.

IF you are guilty of a traffic violation, I'm all in favor of ''negotiating'' the ''fine'' on the street. To me, a MX police station is the last resort and possibly a worse care scenario.

DENNIS - 2-15-2013 at 09:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Lee
For those who are passing along rumors and hearsay, think again. You are doing no one a service by letting them think there is ''justice'' at a MX police station if they only ask for it.

To me, a MX police station is the last resort and possibly a worse case scenario.


Waddayameen, Lee........going to the police station is the proper procedure. It's what transient law breakers are required to do according to law. You go there to pay the fine and reclaim your paperwork...license etc.
Remember when the cops would take the plates right off your car and say you had to go to the station and pay the fine to get them back?
The parking cops would walk around with tools sticking out of their pockets instead of ticket books.
The patrol cops would take plates too.
It was a more simple world.



.

[Edited on 2-16-2013 by DENNIS]

Lee - 2-16-2013 at 08:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by Lee
For those who are passing along rumors and hearsay, think again. You are doing no one a service by letting them think there is ''justice'' at a MX police station if they only ask for it.

To me, a MX police station is the last resort and possibly a worse case scenario.


Waddayameen, Lee........going to the police station is the proper procedure. It's what transient law breakers are required to do according to law. You go there to pay the fine and reclaim your paperwork...license etc.
Remember when the cops would take the plates right off your car and say you had to go to the station and pay the fine to get them back?
The parking cops would walk around with tools sticking out of their pockets instead of ticket books.
The patrol cops would take plates too.
It was a more simple world.

[Edited on 2-16-2013 by DENNIS]


Agreed. And you've listed some of the variables I'm writing about. For those honest cops who issue you a traffic ticket, or take your license plate or DL, and tell you to pick it up at the station after paying the fine, OK.

For those scamming a tourist, going to the station may/may not be the solution. In the case of my ''friend'' in CC, the original charge was speeding. At the station, it was that and reckless driving. Cop was in a bad mood.

In the case of the guy driving the truck in Tecate who was stopped and went to the station (for those not knowing the story, do a search), the outcome was a bad one.

I'm not writing about parking cops. In at least two towns -- Tecate and CC -- I'd advise against going to the station.

Yeah, things use to be simpler. That's history

mcfez - 2-16-2013 at 09:18 AM

You might as well put this target tag on your rear window ! I've said this many times here at the BN. Don't be stupid driving around with a logo that shouts out for trouble.




You know......there there MANY fine police officers in Mexico. There are MANY Mexican citizens that are proud of their police officers as well. Sure sure........there are bad cops too....not all of them!

This logo below is an insult to many good cops down there........ and it'll libel to upset many citizens of Mexico as you drive around in THEIR country.

The law is just not....when issued a ticket you must go to the police station with them. The law down there also allows you to tell the officer that you have a appointment to attend.......and you can turn your DL over to them......then go to the police station before leaving Mexico.

Offering or paying bribes to a police officer should never be done. Got a beef about what the cop is saying to you....then go to the police department to resolve it. If he (the cop)dont want you to go there......and demands a payment, stand firm.

However.....placing a little sticker on the back of your DL might be a diplomatic way of doing things......in THEIR country.
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
To any Mexico travel newbies seeing this, police are not allowed to take money, so if they ask for money, JUST SAY NO. Traffic fines in Mexico (if you did break the law), are far less than in the states. If you know you were picked on because you are a traveler on vacation, wait it out... shake your head, insist on going to see the judge! That usually floors them, because most travelers who don't speak Spanish are scared and easy marks for cash.

You could also put this on you back window or tape a tiny one to the back of your driver's license:



If you did break the law, then your call... remember, he isn't supposed to collect money, so you can negotiate!

[Edited on 2-16-2013 by mcfez]

El Jefe - 2-16-2013 at 09:20 AM

Agree with Lee. I went the station in Constitucion and was taken to a room with the same cooked cop that met me on the street. And then I sat down with him to negotiate my fine. I doubt I got a better deal.

Better to just sit there in your car and bide your time and refuse to pay etc.

DavidE - 2-16-2013 at 12:09 PM

THAT COP WAS NOT A "FEDERALE". THE "PFP" HAVE NEVER WORN THAT STYLE OR COLOR OF UNIFORM. It looked more like the uniform of a transito de municipio or del estado.

JMHO there has been enough discussions about "biters" on this forum to pretty much deflate the impact of this video. Maybe the gringo was indeed "In The Wrong" which to me would alter the significance of the entire event. If I in fact was guilty of running a stop sign and knew for a fact the official "MULTA" was going to be 800 pesos and the transito did a "Monte Hall" act, I sure as hell would be sorely tempted...

DENNIS - 2-16-2013 at 12:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
JMHO there has been enough discussions about "biters" on this forum to pretty much deflate the impact of this video.


I only posted it to illustrate that videos may be possible....not for the content.

David K - 2-16-2013 at 12:31 PM

FWIW: I do not have that Sindicatura sticker on my truck. I just drive calmly through Mexican cities and don't invite a reason to be pulled over.

I have been pulled over back in the late 70's and '80's in Tijuana, Ensenada, and most recently in Tecate (in 2002). I only paid once, in Ensenada about 1982 for pulling a friend's broken VW with my Subaru (from San Felipe to San Ysidro) with a tow strap.

Ensenada cops said using a tow strap is illegal... obviously getting the point we have seen worse in Mexico, but I asked the officer that due to the difficulty of pulling the VW, could he pay the fine for me...

The officers (now 2 cars and 4 of them) chatted among themselves and asked me how much would this ticket cost in America? That's a surprise... so I said "probably twenty dollars" (lol). The cop agreed, but had one up on me and said $20, for each car!

We were in the center of Ensenada, paid our fine, but at risk for getting ticketed again, so I asked the cop if he could insure we got to the toll highway, across town? He agreed and we got a police escort across Ensenada, and at the start of the highway, they were smiling and waving like old friends!

That was worth the $40 for a police escort and years of great stories!

DENNIS - 2-16-2013 at 01:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Ensenada cops said using a tow strap is illegal...


Actually, it's still an issue here.....strap or rope. Expect to get police attention if they see you doing it.

Pompano - 2-16-2013 at 01:11 PM

On a motorcycle trip from Coyote to Cabo San Lucas back in 1991, I was towed by a long rope for a couple miles after my cycle's battery went kaput outside of La Paz.

The police towed me.

Thanks, guys. And thanks to this thread for jogging my memory.

DavidE - 2-16-2013 at 03:05 PM

"I like it better when they run up to your window slapping their holster"

In Melaque I ran into a crazy hippie that went around buying counterfeit currency, for example he bought a 500 peso note for 50 pesos and the owner of the ferreteria thought he was nuts.

He got "tagged" in Manzanillo and forked over the 500 peso note. I could have died laughing at the thought of what eventually transpired.