Anonymous - 8-25-2003 at 06:34 PM
August 25, 2003
Working with a Tijuana municipal police officer, an undercover reporter wearing a police uniform was offered bribes by four of the twenty drivers that
the pair stopped for committing actual traffic violations. In all instances, it was the drivers that initiated discussions of the bribes which they
hoped would get them out of inconvenient and costly tickets. The bribes ranged from between US$10 and US$40 each.
"This is the other side of the coin, when it's society that first offers and wants to take care of things with money," said Francisco Arellano Ortiz,
Tijuana's police commander. "Corruption is a definitive problem that must be worked out between citizens and police," he added.
In the combined law enforcement-media operation, vehicles were pulled over by the real police officer but first contact with the driver was made by
the journalist. The operation took place on Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17.
The Frontera newspaper article noted that had the bribes been accepted, the officer-reporter would have pocketed US$100 over the two days.
One man that was pulled over for speeding in a truck, offered US$40 to avoid the cost of a fine and the inconvenience of going to the police station.
In the end, the man was issued a ticket and held on to the money he had offered as a bribe. He now faces a speeding ticket with a fine ranging from
approximately US$65 to US$130.
Source: Frontera (Tijuana), August 25, 2003. Article by Agust?n P?rez Aguilar.
http://www.frontera.info
Bajabus - 8-26-2003 at 06:21 PM
Ok let me be a bit jaded here. In my experience the corrupt cops don't stop the average mexican for mordita, they stop the expensive new cars of the
upper class and foreigners, especially rental cars. The honest cops stop all cars commiting infractions and I'm sure the mexicans who know the price
of the infractions will try to "bargain". It would be interesting to know the race and nationality of the folks stopped in the "test". Better
training, pay and advancement based on merit instead of nepotisim would sure help.
Anonymous - 8-27-2003 at 01:56 AM
I just had a slightly distasteful experience a couple of weeks ago. I stopped my shiny truck outside an icecream store on the malecon and pulled over
to wait for my daughter to get a lemonade, when a footcop came over and started to give me a ticket for illegally parking. I guess I was, although I
wasn't blocking traffic at all and the question remains in my mind that I probably would have been ignored had I not been an American in a nice truck.
Anyway, the cop wanted to keep my driver's license, which I really didn't want to give up since I needed it every time I used my credit card, so I
asked him to take my license plate instead. He said he would, but he didn't have a screw-driver to take it off with, so I got out my handy ten in one
screwdriver and handed it to him. He then commented on what a nice screw driver it was, and you probably know the rest of the story.
I'm still peeed at myself for smudging my heretofore almost thirty year record of resistance, but I guess it was one of those days. He's walking
around with a mighty nice screw driver and I avoided a big hassle on a hundred degree day.
I'll try to do better next time.
Bajabus - 8-27-2003 at 03:26 AM
Ahh yes this is why I travel with 2 or 3 color laminated copies of my lic. I wouldn't try to pull that stunt with my local cops however.
I also have to confess to submiting to the "easy" way out on occasions when time made it a hassle.
Bribes n such
Ski Baja - 8-28-2003 at 09:33 AM
The good side of this coin is that the majority of the police officers down here are still allowed to be human when it comes to dealing with and
citing offenses.
A lot has to do with your attitude even if you have committed some sort of crime. When I am guilty of the crime, speeding, missing a stop sign so
far, I have agreed to follow them to the courthouse/jail and both times I was warned to be more careful, without having to pay or go anywhere.
When it comes to getting pulled over for an imaginary crime, I agree and say let's go to the court and take care of it. That puts an end to that
nonsense as they seem to get another call, every time.
Mexican people, law enforcement, etc. are a lot more realistic down here when it comes to dealing with other humans. They still consider you one
until you prove yourself differently.
If you have the unfortunate circumstance of your car breaking down on a highway here, chances are, the police will come to your aid rather than
adding to the problem and costs by writing you a ticket for being there.
As it should be.
Dave - 8-28-2003 at 06:36 PM
What most gringos don't realize is that it is actually more advantageous to pay the bribe than to go through the hassle of paying the ticket. Months
ago I posted my experience of paying a speeding ticket. It took the better part of a day, traveling all around TJ, gas etc. to pay an $8.50 fine.
Knowing what I know now I would have GLADLY paid $20.00 rather than go through that mess again. If you doubt my reasoning consider this....In line
ahead of me was a professional ticket payer. She was paying at least twenty tickets for others. I should have asked for her business card
police & bribes
hombre - 9-23-2003 at 05:35 AM
well I drive often to Baja/ tijuana area, Have been pulled often, Each espisode I was humiliated; searching every part of the car , and even Motrin
400 for Joint pain was an illegal drug, and each time it was a Bribe cause they showed Handcuffs and unbottened the Gun... Most Mexicans told me the
Cops make a living cause of us. You have check and see the amount of Americans in Mexican jails for crimes ranging to Gun smuggling to possesing
Text Pill for treating Mental illeness.Some have even been killed by Guards and fellow prisoners; US Consular dept reports. 
Mordida
Ski Baja - 9-23-2003 at 05:35 PM
What color are you and what were you driving Hombre ?
I don't think that anyone other than the alledged offender would offer a bribe to a cop under those circumstances. The Cop certainly wouldnt ask as
he knows someone is in the car posing as one of his own.
But, as this has gone on for years, that 20 % of offenders they are talking about may just be used to a certain policy. Like paying on the spot.
They were probably surprised that they were not asked by the officers.
It can be dangerous down here though. But not as much as north of here IMHO.
Twenty percent
thebajarunner - 9-25-2003 at 06:03 PM
To bribe, or not to bribe, that is the question...
This is really a tough one!
I have paid mordida in Mexico City, in Guatemala City and at the airport in Mexicali. (that one is a story unto itself)
But, the last time I was stopped, which was a really long time ago, I was driving a Porsche 911 close to La Playa, T.J.
It was a Sunday morning and I just said, "what the heck, take me in" or words to that effect.
I followed the officer to the station, not far away.
Then comes one of those really wonderful Baja moments...
We walk in the door and an elderly gentlemen is mopping the floor (or swabbing the deck as we used to say in the Navy)
He quickly parked the mop in the corner, walked behind the counter, took an official hat off a desk and clapped it on his head.
"El Capitan" was ready for business.
He fined me about 6 dollars (U.S.)
Then he wrote the most elaborate receipt and presented it to me.
Fortunately, he got my name all twisted and transposed my CDL # so California never got that one on record.
Yeah, I think that the best way is to inisist on going to the station and paying, and the first time you get the Tijuana run around for half a day you
will wish you had shown some green and sprinted.
No right answer...
As to the Mexicali airport deal....
seems that I had flown in earlier in the week with one passenger and was flying out with two. "But, senor, obviously the records must balance, now
you have created a great problem for us to try and balance our numbers."
He slid open a desk drawer, it was crammed absolutely full of US and Mexican bank notes.
$20 went on top "To assist with filling out the forms" and we were flying to Calexico.
Baja Vida!
JESSE - 9-26-2003 at 02:16 PM
Traffick fines can be paid by mail FROM the United States, you have up to a few months to pay them, and you can just mail your money order from the
comfort of your home.
Traffic tickets now have the U.S. adress of the Mexican goverment where you can mail your fine, so next time you are pulled over, simply ask for your
ticket, take it home, the amount of the fine is clearly written in it, and mail your fine when you have the time.
MrBillM - 10-1-2003 at 11:36 AM
Listening to people describe the various instances in which they were innocently driving
along doing nothing wrong and were pulled over by the Police in Mexico in order to
engineer a bribe, reminds me of the time I went to Traffic School years ago. The instructor
went down the line asking each person to describe their incident. I found that I was the
only person among 30+ who was actually guilty. Amazing.
I have driven in Mexico for over 35 years and have NEVER been pulled over unless I had
broken the law. It absolutely defies the law of averages to think that so many people have
been abused so often and I have been so lucky.
As far as the "Mordida" question itself, It works great for me. Reasonable fine and go on
your way. Besides, it's far more egalitarian. The people who really need the money benefit
from the corruption, rather than those who are well off already.
I long for the good, old days when you could cross the border with ANYTHING and the
worst you could expect is to have to pay a few dollars in "fees". The last few years
have brought a number of confrontations at the border over items that are allowed,
not allowed, subject to duty, debate over actual value, etc. Reform has become a
pain in the posterior.
Targetting is a reality
Stephanie Jackter - 10-2-2003 at 10:38 AM
I spent a lot of time in Mexico City during my youth, but won't drive there on a dare anymore because as a white American, I am targeted by corrupt
police, theives, you name it - Having light hair and light eyes in that city is like having "screw me" written in bold red print on my shirt. I just
don't want the hassle any more. Americans are targetted - and often.
I have a girlfriend that goes from Bakersfield to Puebla every year, but has had such bad luck being targetted just passing through Mexico City on the
Periferico that she now drives to South Texas and then goes down the east coast of Mexico to avoid the hassle. - Stephanie