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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
Member Is Offline
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At it again in Cd Constitución?
After 1˝ years of smooth sailing in and around Cd C, we were pulled over again under false pretenses 3 days ago while heading to La Paz. Had to make a
stop in town so we'd been on the side service road, drove at about 10-15 mph or less ,and of course made complete stops at every single intersection.
The cop truck waited until the service road and highway #1 intersect , in front of Super Ley, to pull us over (which is where they have nailed us in
the past).
One policeman came to the car and said our registration tags said "once" (11). I pointed out that 11 was the month of expire and if he looked closer
he'd see the year was 2012 and I showed him the registration docs. He asked for Wooo's license and then said we'd have to pick it up at the station
tomorrow.
At this point mild-mannered Wooo said "absolutely not" and began to tell him "look buddy, I have lots of friends on your police force blah, blah" and
began naming names. I'll just say that we were eventually on our way with his license in hand.
Heading North on the return through the town today, we stayed on the Federal highway- down the center lane. There happened to be a Federal Camino
driving parallel to us on the service road which may have acted as a chaperon- don't know. Only saw one Municipal police truck while passing through
and he was occupied with something.
We don't have a choice but to go in to Cd C because it's got the nearest banks and building materials. There are some very nice people living there
but the police thing sucks.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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you did good!
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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PONER UN QUEJA con LOS ANGELES VERDES! peeed-off or not el capitan de transitos for Constitucion is going to have to wade through three pages of
intense paperwork in order to resolve the complaint. He then has to mail it formally to DF out of his own pocket. If he fails to do it, he goes to
jail.
But you need the date, the time, the location, the cop car, and the name of the transito to make it work.
SECTUR doesn't screw around with these complaints.
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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Oladulce
Good for you guys standing your ground!!
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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Leo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 518
Registered: 9-23-2004
Location: Todos Santos
Member Is Offline
Mood: could be better
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What a pain that town's police force is. It was good for a while. What happened?
The grass is always greener....
and so, there is always a better spot in Baja
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13237
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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sorry to hear that the headaches are starting again .... good to know about the paperwork involved in handling a formal complaint. I had no idea.
we need to let the mayor know, someone has to take control of this totally OUT OF CONTROL situation.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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I once had a cop follow me in La Paz. I went one mile per hour on a deserted back street, and stopped for 10 seconds at the stop signs. They finally
went around me after 10 blocks and the passenger cop gave me los cuernos,
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBlanca
sorry to hear that the headaches are starting again .... good to know about the paperwork involved in handling a formal complaint. I had no idea.
we need to let the mayor know, someone has to take control of this totally OUT OF CONTROL situation. |
If it's like our town, the comisario has ZERO say or control over the commandante.
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Lengua
Nomad
Posts: 203
Registered: 9-13-2011
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So what is the advice ? We will be towing our boat to LaPaz from Loreto next month (May 12th) and will be cutting thorugh CD Constitution . We don't
want any problems so your advise on how to handle this matter is appreciate d.
Thank you ,
Mike
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Escort
| Quote: | Originally posted by Lengua
So what is the advice ? We will be towing our boat to LaPaz from Loreto next month (May 12th) and will be cutting thorugh CD Constitution . We don't
want any problems so your advise on how to handle this matter is appreciate d.
Thank you ,
Mike |
I would look for a Policia Federal car or a military vehicle, explain that you are tired of the extortion and would like an escort through town.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Lengua
So what is the advice ? We will be towing our boat to LaPaz from Loreto next month (May 12th) and will be cutting thorugh CD Constitution . We don't
want any problems so your advise on how to handle this matter is appreciate d.
Thank you ,
Mike |
All you can do is politely refuse to pay and insist on going to the station.
I just ordered one of these. Don't know exactly why, but it seems it could be a good witness.
Paid about 40 bucks at Amazon:
http://minicam.en.alibaba.com/product/496169101-210321284/2_...
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gallesram
Nomad
Posts: 384
Registered: 7-6-2010
Location: Laguna Beach
Member Is Offline
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Not sure if I'd use the camera based on what someone else said on this topic last month:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=59220&pag...
Apparently it's illegal to photograph the police down there; I don't know if that's true or not. I agree with Dennis that the best thing to do is
stand your ground, refuse to pay and insist on going to the station. That has worked for me each time. The other option is to take the road that
parallels the highway about 4 blocks to the east and avoid the main highway.
I like the advice about seeking a federal cop and requesting a federal police escort; if enough of us did that, maybe that could have an effect. I
wonder if they'd actually do it?
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by gallesram
Apparently it's illegal to photograph the police down there; I don't know if that's true or not. |
Yeah....I've heard that a lot, but I just don't believe it. Besides, they don't have to be told everything.
I'm sure I'd never use something like a video to accuse a cop to his boss since they're all in the same boat, but that wouldn't stop me from making
the cop a movie star on YouTube. Something like that would bring more pressure down on them than anything else I can imagine.
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3597
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Lengua
So what is the advice ?
Mike |
Anyone advising you to go to the station is doing so based on their personal experience or heresay that justice will be in your favor at the station
especially if you are innocent of any traffic violations.
As I've written recently, someone I know came through CC at night, was stopped, refused to pay a mordida on the street, denied doing anything wrong (I
don't know how complete his stops were, or anything else about his driving), and asked to go to the station. He followed the cop down a dark street
and he felt threatened when the cop stopped, came back to him asking for money, and refusing a 2nd time, ended up at the station.
The gringo was escorted to a room where a woman showed him a chart that had the prices for the fines -- the gringo was being charged with speeding --
and an additional charge of ''reckless driving.'' Both charges amounted to $50. He paid the fine and left.
So, I'd like to hear some responses to this scenario. Don't pay at the station? Demand to see the Commandante or the Mayor? Hang around
till they show up?
I'm not stating that going to any police station won't work, sometimes, but I can state that recently, the outcome was not positive for someone I know
in CC.
Whatever your strategy is, be prepared to negotiate.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Try Facebook
Baja Sur Secretary of Tourism has a facebook page. You might want to leave some comments there. That might stir up something official being done.
After all, nobody likes negative publicity:
https://www.facebook.com/VisitBajaSur
It will be interesting to see how they respond
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Lee
So, I'd like to hear some responses to this scenario. Don't pay at the station? Demand to see the Commandante or the Mayor? Hang around
till they show up?
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I guess if they have you in the station, they're done with their bluff. No way you could prove much to the Comandante or anyone else at that point.
It's your word against the cop and he'll win every time.
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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Lengua
So what is the advice ? We will be towing our boat to LaPaz from Loreto next month (May 12th) and will be cutting thorugh CD Constitution . We don't
want any problems so your advise on how to handle this matter is appreciate d.
Thank you ,
Mike |
The center lanes are Federal Highway and are the jurisdiction of the Federal Caminos. Never heard of a problem with the Federal Caminos. The Cd
Constitucion cops are municipal police and they patrol the service roads that paralell Hwy #1 as well as the back streets in town.
If you can, try to stay in the center lanes and don't make pit stops in the town. There are only 2 functioning stoplights now and all other
intersections should be treated as stop signs.
Be aware of the final 3-way intersection at the south end of town just past Super Ley. There is a non-functioning stop light and no posted stop sign,
but you will encounter cross traffic and you will be expected to stop.
The speed limit through town is 24mph (40kph) when in the center lanes. I've never seen the speed limit posted on the service roads so we drive them
at a crawl- about 15mph.
The cops like to hang around the hospital at the south end of town- lots of pedestrians and the cops can claim that you didn't yield to the invisible
lady who was trying to cross the street. If anybody even looks like they are thinking about crossing the street , we stop and flag them across.
Luckily, during our recent incident the cop was not at all assertive and it was not a scary or sketchy event. We have encountered a more aggressive
cop on previous mordida attempts here though. No need to be paranoid, but it's still a pain in the butt.
A reminder: it is the policy for the police in the municipality of Comondú to take your license and to instruct you to go to the police station when
you have committed an infraction. Not wearing your seat belt, speeding, not stopping at a stop sign or not following the rules regarding turns on to,
and off of the side service roads may get you pulled over and the cop will take your license. It's their policy and you might want to make sure you
didn't actually do something wrong before you go off on a cop who wants to take your license.
I don't know the hours of operation at the police station. Friends of mine who have had real infractions in Cd C (no seatbelt, not seeing a stop
sign)where pulled over during daylight hours and the cop took their license and they went to the cop shop, met the judge, paid their fine and were
given their license back.
Seems like the latest ploy is for the cop to tell you to go to the station "tomorrow" since most people would rather pay on the spot and be on their
way. I don't know if the cop shop has certain hours of operation or if it's really open 24/7. I'll ask one of our local cops.
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pointdog
Junior Nomad
Posts: 48
Registered: 3-23-2008
Member Is Offline
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I drove through on Monday the 9th coming from the north heading south and home. Jonesing for a cup of coffee for the road, I gave it the old surfer's
prayer and got over on the service road to the 1st Coffee Star. Stayed on the service side until the merge at the south end. I always feel like I'm
on borrowed time going through there. Especially after reading a post like oladulce's. Until the next time ..... whew!
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RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 839
Registered: 5-1-2010
Member Is Offline
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Where is the "cop shop"?.
I think that it is near the southern end of town and over 2 or 3 blocks to the east.
Anbody know for sure?
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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by RnR
Where is the "cop shop"?.
I think that it is near the southern end of town and over 2 or 3 blocks to the east.
Anbody know for sure? |
It's 3 blocks behind Bodega Aurrea, at the North end of town, on the inland/East side of Hwy #1.
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