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Muddyrabbit
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Registered: 3-15-2007
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Traffic stop?
So, this guy I know who was in the Navy and stationed in SoCal many years ago is trying to convince me that if we get stopped for a traffic violation
during our trip to Baja that we should only roll down the window a crack, enough to hear the officer, and hold our drivers license up against the
glass so he can see it. He says do not hand the officer your license or we will have to bribe him to get it back. Now, to me this sounds like
behavior that will pee off the cop, and possible earn you a free room for a night. Who is right?
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Barry A.
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Location: Redding, Northern CA
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I think that your friend is, and it sounds like a good idea to me. No way do I want to "give" my drivers lic. to a cop in Baja, and perhaps never see
it again.
barry
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DENNIS
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C'mon Barry.....You were a cop for a career. What would you have done if your POE hadn't opened his widow to show he was empty? Like open arms.
That's why Mexicans are always shaking hands. To show that they are empty.
You may have shot him.
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Barry A.
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Not necessarily so, Dennis----------yes, we certainly preferred that they lower the window, but we did NOT demand it-------you can see thru a window
and you simply ask the folks inside to keep their hands in sight, or on the dash board if things looked more hinky----
If it appeared more hinky than that, we asked them to get out of the car------firmly-------and they always did, for me at least.
Several times I have had folks barely crack the window and show me their drivers lic thru the window-----tho not ideal, it works for me, as a cop, tho
it is awkward, I will admit.
If the Mexican cop demanded I give them the license, then I would-------often they won't do that.
It is just another tactic for you to use, and it may not work. I doubt that it will really upset the cop, tho, unless he is a real
A---hole------------and then you are in real trouble anyway.
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Paulina
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So we thought we would give it a try. Dern found it a bit uncomfortable as our truck doesn't quite allow for the head room needed to place his lips
clearly out of the opening.
Also, being that our truck is so tall, and the officers may be a bit on the shorter side, good eye contact is not possible.
With the window open only so much Dern looked like he had duck lips. I was not able to clearly hear him say that he wanted to follow the officer to
the station to pay his ticket or to see the judge. It would have been even more difficult for the officer to hear him over the sound of the diesel
motor.
So we came up with an alternative. Leave your window up. Press your face against the window as well as your driver's license. Your mouth won't be
contorted and you can speak slow enough that the officer may be able to read your lips. "I w i l l f o l l o w y o u t o t h e
s t a t i o n..."
Third option, let your dog do the talking for you.
With all these obsticles, we still can't wait to give it a shot.
P y D
[Edited on 19-11-2007 by Paulina]
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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bajaandy
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Hey! Dern, how'd we get the same driver license number??? THAT'S SO WEIRD!
Another potential problem: With a lifted vehicle it's probable that even if you do get your lips out of the window (as in illustration "A" seen
above), there's a pretty good chance that you're still not gonna be able to kiss the cops a$$ (unless he's got a step ladder.)
Funny pics Paulina.
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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Barry A.
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Not QUITE what we had in mind, I am thinking.
Oh my.
barry
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bajalou
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I've had more than a few traffic stops in my lifetime in the USA and in each case the cop wanted my drivers license in his hand so he could walk back
to his car and call it in on his radio, and possibly write me a ticket. Barry, if you're just wanting identification of the driver and it has nothing
to do with the vehicle opperation, holding it up might work, but don't think any traffic cop will go for it.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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DENNIS
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OhhhJeezo.....What a great production. You guys get my award for too cool participation.
Now, get down here where you belong.
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Barry A.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajalou
I've had more than a few traffic stops in my lifetime in the USA and in each case the cop wanted my drivers license in his hand so he could walk back
to his car and call it in on his radio, and possibly write me a ticket. Barry, if you're just wanting identification of the driver and it has nothing
to do with the vehicle opperation, holding it up might work, but don't think any traffic cop will go for it. |
Your probably right, Lou------I have been out of the "street cop" loop for a long, long time-----radios, radios, I don need no stinkin radios.
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Muddyrabbit
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Of course, if Baja cops are used to dealing with nutjobs like Paulina and Dern, a polite guy like me will have no problems... No wait, I'm a smartass
too. chit, I am screwed.
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bajabound2005
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any experience with Mexican vs US driver's license?
Friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel.
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Osprey
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When I was a Mexican cop I just let all the people with Mexican driver's license pass.
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DENNIS
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I did the same thing when I was a cop in Cuba.
VIVA everything
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Muddyrabbit
So, this guy I know who was in the Navy and stationed in SoCal many years ago is trying to convince me that if we get stopped for a traffic violation
during our trip to Baja that we should only roll down the window a crack, enough to hear the officer, and hold our drivers license up against the
glass so he can see it....
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What does being in the Navy have to do with this advice? Is this "military intelligence?"
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Paulina
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
What does being in the Navy have to do with this advice? Is this "military intelligence?" |
Maybe....Be wary of what you ask. If you were told the truth, they may have to kill you afterwards.
P.
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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gnukid
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Never ever give your license to a mexican cop. They have no computer check system and no reason to need to hold your license in their hands. If you
give him your license he is going to screw with you. You can just as well say, I can look for it, tell what is the problem. And then decide whether to
show it or not. If your going to pay him then it doesn't matter either way and by the way best to never pay.
I hold it in my two hands and show it on occasion when it is requested and I decide to show it.
The order of events is as follows:
The cop turns on his lights and you should take time to decide if it's really a cop or not, identify the vehicle if it's old and crappy, blow it
off-hes fake or some crazy person, if it's really a cop decide where and when you will pull over. Make it be in public and hopefully blocking traffic
and don't move it. Or preferably keep driving slowly, with your hazards on and don't stop and most likely he will go away.
When he comes over don't ever show any fear, don't smile and try to take as much time as possible, move extremely slowly and be as kind and respectful
yet authoritative as possible. Do not even look at him much and pretend like you have the time in the world to screw around, and best to take his
photo immediately. A big flash is the most intimidating thing you can do to discourage him or her, they often will turn immediately and go away.
Tell him a long story, about how cops are great and the uniforms are awesome, if you had the uniform you would ave tons of girlfriends too, and hey
could you borrow it, that you are a race car driver, it would be funny for your firiends to see and that you love the cops in mexico and all the
world, in fact, back in texas, blah blah .... long story will help to bore and confuse him. You may even cause him to forget what he was doing.
Doesn't matter if he understands or you understand, keep talking slowly and continue the never ending story.
Best that only one person speaks and they others should absolutely not interrupt or get involved especially your significant other. Anyone else should
look forward and not eve acknowledge or answer him, seriously they want to get the people inside scared and confused and most likely they will be so
tell 'em to keep their mouths shut.
If he insists you did something wrong tell him thats great you are such an idiot, in fact one time back in texas... and another time you did the same
in Florida and in South Dakota. Your mother told you you were idiot and you alwasy make the same mistake. She is such a nice person your mother and
ask him about his mother how is she, how is family, children, how many, cousins, how many, how many are in the whole family? and boy what is it like
at navidad. Many presents huh wow aren't kids expensive especially the girls, eh? Yes your daughters they are well, etc... Continue.
Eventually if it appears he doesn't get the hint, and he wants to get you to pay say Ok you accept the ticket. Its been a while but you'll have no
problem stopping by soon to pay the ticket, you have many old friends in el transito, you dont remember all their names now but you have them written
down and their phone numbers and boy they are so nice there. that you will love to visit and tell them how stupid you are, again.
If you decide you want to pay a bribe, (then you are really stupid) offer him 50 pesos and no more but say you must take a photo together for your
friends at the transito to see.
[Edited on 11-19-2007 by gnukid]
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bajabound2005
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gnukid; I like your advice -- but would still LOVE to hear stories about Mexican vs. US driver's licenses.
Friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel.
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gnukid
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Here's the deal, you can get a mexican license for life for about US $150 to a paper agent. There is no test. I have no idea of official costs, it
could be $5 but you also need a blood type test for when you crash. Blood type tests should be available at a pharmacy.
By the way, you need to keep copies of things such as reg, there is nothing wrong with handing the cops a copy why not keep the reg safe and keep a
copy of the DL with the copy of the reg for them to put their hands all over.
If you have a US plated vehicle you must have US dl. If you have a mexican plated car you can have either, US or Mexican.
This last week I got pulled over, and I stopped exactly in the middle of a quatro altos stop and stared down the cop who said, in spanish, necesitas
un licensio de estadosdiense para manejar un coche con placas de estadosdiense, you need a US dl to drive a US plated car and I said in english "Thank
You. I do" And he said "bueno que te vaya bien." and left quickly, so there he was thinking he was going to bug a mexican for nothing less than being
mexican.
I travel with mexican friends who are pulled over repeatedly since they have lights out and no plates and they go through the same thing, a long
polite conversation will get you off. It would help if you practice it in Spanish and remember to move slowly and speak super slowly, because you
want them to know you are in no hurry to leave and you are going to take a great deal their time. Talk about car problems-its universal lingo.
Caveat: Woman drivers should get out of the car and bounce around, and ask for help since the car wont start when it stops, that hes going to need to
push the car to start it, again and talk about crazy computer car problems then jump in and try it and when it starts say thank you and leave.
Key is you need to play a bigger joke on them than they play on you and it will become clear you have no fear, you enjoy the game and they are wasting
their time.
[Edited on 11-19-2007 by gnukid]
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DENNIS
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I thought Mex DLs had an expiration date.
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