MrBillM - 3-19-2005 at 11:16 AM
Crossed the border ayer and pulled up to the first traffic light.
There was a municipal traffic cop on a motorcycle in the left turn lane.
He looked over at me and when the light changed he went straight just behind
me, then pulled up even with the driver door. He pointed for me to pull over.
After stopping, he got out his ticket book and I walked to the back of the truck.
He said in Spanish that I was not wearing my seat belt (Cinturon) and that he
had to write me a citation. He then asked for my Drivers License. All of this
was in Spanish. He couldn't or didn't speak English. He, of course, never
started wriing in the ticket book. He told me I would have to accompany him
to the Estacion Policia. I then asked how much the fine was and whether I
could pay him and he could then pay it. He wrote down 62 dlls. I said "Sixty-
Two dollars, not Pesos". "Si, lo siento." I asked again, same answer. "Lo
Siento". Since the Police station is right on my way, I said "OK, do I follow
you there or you follow me" ? He nooded and motioned for me to get back
in the vehicle. I started up AND FASTENED MY SEATBELT and began
to drive down the road. After a moment, he pulled up next to me, pointed
at his chest, then at mine and gave me a thumbs up, then with a smile and a
little bye bye wave, drove off. Two blocks down the road, he pulled over a
U.S. Licensed Van.
If he hadn't been so greedy, he would have made some money off of me, but
$62.00 is a little too much for a seatbelt violation. I was ready to go $20-30.
glad you had the courage to just say no!!!
BajaVida - 3-19-2005 at 11:19 AM
David K - 3-19-2005 at 11:22 AM
Good report... Since you already knew fines in Mexico are very low (it may have been 62 pesos)... why would you consider paying the mordida?
Soon there will be replies that you should have gotten his badge # and report him... However, I think the system is pretty good as it is... So long as
you play the game like you did! Thanks Bill!
P-nche MORDIDA
bajaloco - 3-19-2005 at 01:46 PM
Not long ago, we were stopped in La paz, going south just past the by-pass. The road was under construction and we were driving very slowly on the far
right lane and was pulled over for speeding, which we were not. The "officer" said that I could pay the fine on the spot, but I insisted to see the
judge...He pretended to call someone on his cell phone, held a fake conversation, then looked at me and said your free to leave and he took off....DO
NOT PAY MORDIDA.....Do not break the laws....You cause problems for everyone... The fine you pay to the judge is usually much less than to the
policeman...also watch your speed, there are radar guns everywhere.
elgatoloco - 3-19-2005 at 03:33 PM
We got a ticket in La Paz for going the wrong way on a one way street. It cost $11.62 US. 
Bruce R Leech - 3-19-2005 at 03:51 PM
nice going MrBillM you handled that vary well.
Bruce R Leech - 3-19-2005 at 08:50 PM
yes always.
DanO - 3-20-2005 at 01:48 AM
Me too, but I have trouble converting the kilometers per hour to miles per hour. 
Bruce R Leech - 3-20-2005 at 08:15 AM
Are those signs in Kilometers? oh oh
Oso - 3-20-2005 at 03:25 PM
Ees de leetle numbers on your speedometro, Se?or, not de beeg ones...
Thirty five KPH on the open desert ? Yeah, everyone obeys that, right? Except for autopistas, speed limits are fairly consistent throughout Mexico.
Enforcement is selective.
speed limit conversion
triarts - 3-21-2005 at 03:08 PM
dan o killometer is 6 tenth of mile so just multiply amount by 6. example if it says 80 k times 6 equals 48 miles per hour
tim40 - 3-21-2005 at 10:00 PM
Have paid it a couple of times, know I will in the future. I make the decision related to 'did I do it', the time I have available, and the 'out of
the way factor'. If I did not do what they were suggesting, I don't think I would or could pay....