LRW
Newbie
Posts: 23
Registered: 12-7-2007
Location: Washington
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Cops in Constitution
Got the shakedown by the cops today as we were on the backstreets in Constitution. Pulled us over, trying to ticket us for something we didn't do.
Hubby pulls out his Mexican license, apologies, and says we'll go to the station and pay.
Ten minutes later (after I hear them discussing if they can get $80 from us) they tell us we'll have to wait 3 hours to pay at the station because
everybody has gone to eat. We say fine; we'll wait.
They finally let us go. But 4 years of being in / out of Constitution we've never had this happen. Times must be getting tough when this happens in
this little town.
Then pulling into Loreto, at the Loreto Bay turnoff, was an AFI officer with a machine gun strapped to his chest. Stopped us too. We were a little
concerned as he was driving an old beater of a vehicle..unmarked. Only had a 'patch' on his jacket saying he was AFI. Hadn't seen them here before.
Something new happening in Loreto??
L-
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
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Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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This would be a good one for you to answer Ed V. since your in & out of that entrance quite often.
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PabloS
Nomad
Posts: 187
Registered: 4-8-2003
Location: North central AZ
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"AFI officer"?????
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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Federal officers have been at the Nopolo HW 1 entrance for a few days now. On the southern approach only. Haven't got a clue why. They are in some
kind of unmarked vehicle.
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Don Alley
Super Nomad
Posts: 1997
Registered: 12-4-2003
Location: Loreto
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We've been shaken down there twice. Last time the "we'll go to the station" line didn't work; we went and paid there, for an "illegal and dangerous
left turn." Seems we didn't wait for the green arrow at the intersection.
Hey, wait a minute! There is no green arrow!
Oh, hey, at Nopolo, we came through there northbound recently at night, the cop was standing in the middle of the road, wearing dark (black?) clothes.
I didn't see him until I went by, almost hitting him. 
[Edited on 3-10-2009 by Don Alley]
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
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Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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Don. I think there have been sufficient numbers of tickets issued over the years for those that chose to NOT take the side "slow down" ramp, and stop
& watch for cross traffic, but stay on the highway, and just 'turn left' into the entrance of Nopolo. Is that what you did, Don? How much was
the fine??? out of curiousity?
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Don Alley
Super Nomad
Posts: 1997
Registered: 12-4-2003
Location: Loreto
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Phil S
Don. I think there have been sufficient numbers of tickets issued over the years for those that chose to NOT take the side "slow down" ramp, and stop
& watch for cross traffic, but stay on the highway, and just 'turn left' into the entrance of Nopolo. Is that what you did, Don? How much was
the fine??? out of curiousity? |
No, the ticket was in Constitucion. We were in the far right lanes, knowing that left turns are illegal from the center, through traffic, lanes. At
the main light, where large overhead signs point to the left for the city center, we made a left turn that I think (?) was legal, but who knows in
Constitucion? Anyway, the two policewomen (on foot) explained that we had to wait for the green arrow, lol! Which didn't exist, just green light,
yellow light and two red lights.
As I've posted before, the problem with paying at the station and getting my license back was that the policewomen with my license had no car, and
would not return to the station with my license until their shift ended. So, all four of us squeezed onto the bench seat in my pickup and went to the
station. Paid the fine, over 150 pesos, I think.
I didn't get caught almost hitting the nearly invisible policeman at Nopolo the other night. He needs to wear something a little more visible for standing in the middle of the highway at night, even if I was going only 25-30 mph
through there, tops.
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Baja&Back
Senior Nomad
Posts: 549
Registered: 9-10-2004
Location: Vancouver, Canada / todo de Baja
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Mood: Rarin' to go South!
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Anyone getting shaken down by cops in Cd Constitucion should drop by & see Patricia at Las Misiones RV park (old Manfred's) 613-132-1103. to tell
her your story. She is on a quest to harangue the mayor over every incident and get this disgusting crime wave against tourists stopped.
Always good to have someone local to go to bat for us!
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1628
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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| Quote: | Originally posted by LRW
Times must be getting tough when this happens in this little town.
L- |
Funny you should say this. In my 40 years of driving up and down Baja this is the only time (2 yrs ago) and place I have ever been stopped and shaken
down. He claimed I was speeding (while following a fully loaded hay truck over the topes, right) After 20 minutes of haggling and $20 I got back on
the road.
[Edited on 3-10-2009 by Alan]
[Edited on 3-10-2009 by Alan]
In Memory of E-57
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LRW
Newbie
Posts: 23
Registered: 12-7-2007
Location: Washington
Member Is Offline
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We were inching along a back alley alongside one of the elementary schools when we realized we were being followed for about 5 blocks in Constitution.
Hubby turned his wheels slightly to the right and used his blinkers... and then realized quickly it was a one way, one block long street. We never
'fully turned' the vehicle nor entered the other street and were going 10-15mph....
There was no sign that it was a one way. They stopped us on that saying we 'went the wrong way on a one way'...which of course we didn't. This is
our 2nd shakedown in a year...other in TJ.
Also yesterday the Federales who seem to be often at the Puerto Escondido turnoff, are moving around to other spots nearby. They too waved us on
through yesterday....
L-
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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We were pulling through Constitucion about 5 years ago and at the first stop light we came beside a Cadillac Escalade with Baja plates. We remarked
that it was unusual to see that kind of a new vehicle especially since it had a gold package and really expensive chrome wheels. They pulled away from
us and went on to the side road to the right. When we started to exit by the hospital they were driving at a really fast rate of speed and almost hit
us. The guy rolled down the window and started to holler obscenities which I responded to with "Y, La Tuya". They screamed some more and pulled away
but they came around the block and then parked up the street from me. I figured this was not a good sign and wondered if they were going to pull out
the machine guns or what as they obviously had the look of drug dealers. (The driver had a Mr. T starter set of gold jewelry that certainly looked
authentic to me) when all of a sudden the seargent of the police force gets out of the vehicle. He starts to read me the act and I get angry when he
asks for a traffic violation fine and I respond very loudly that I want to go to the Justicia and we will see what the ticket really is and while we
are doing that we can explain to the judge why he is riding around in the drug dealers car. He hands me back my license and says it would be best for
all concerned if I were to leave town quietly. Which we did.
About two months later, the picture of the drug dealer was in the Sudcalifornia paper and sure enough he was a higher up in the cartel and was
arrested for something.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65296
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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You were lucky, that day!
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