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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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Bad cop, south of La Paz
I have posted several reports about good encounters with the cops in Baja. Yesterday, for the first time traveling in Baja for 42 years, I felt I was
singled out because I am an American.
Yesterday, we had to make a quick trip to La Paz from Cabo to conduct some business. We were returning to Cabo in our California plated car around
2:30 pm. Oxxa was driving. We were south of La Paz on Hwy 1, outside the city in the undeveloped area, just desert around us. We were proceeding at
about 45 or 50 mph while the general flow of traffic on the 4 lane was 60 to 70. A La Paz police pickup truck with lights flashing pulled in behind
us and pulled us over. Two uniformed police offiicers got out of the truck and pointed to our speedometer, 40kph speed limit they said in Spanish.
He asked for oxxa's license and the car registration. Apparently neither spoke English and we feigned ignorance of Spanish. He pulled out a
typwritten piece of paper that showed our fine. He had conveniently converted all the peso charges to US dollars!  Our "fine" - USD $100. We said in English we didn't have the money and we would follow him to the police station.
He said in Spanish it was too far and it was dangerous to make a u-turn on the 4 lane. I pointed to the relatively heavy traffic zooming past us at
100+ kph in both directions - cars, semis, and busses - and said in English, "Look, the law is for everyone." He shook his head no and said he was
pulling us over not those other cars. He looked me straight in the eye and said in Spanish, "I AM the law." There was no mistaking the threat in his
voice.
We continued to profess our confusion and lack of understanding. He continued to say we needed to pay the fine on the spot. We continued to say we
would follow him the the police station back in La Paz. He continued to profess confusion and lack of understanding. Finally, he handed the license
and registration back to us and sent us on our way. He flipped a u-turn on the four lane and went back the other direction. I suppose that taking us
into the police station would have caused them to lose the rest of the afternoon and it was better for them to cut their loses with us and look for
another victim instead.
One kilometer down the road, a speed limit sign was posted at 90kph. I presume that point was the beginning of the federal highway outside of La Paz.
Evidently the La Paz municipality extends quite a ways out into the country and the speed liimit is 40kph within the municipality even though
unmarked as such. Obviously that limit is not enforced unless a corrupt cop sees an opportunity to make a few bucks on the side by intimidating
someone.
I wonder if we had proceded another 1 kilometer if he would have pulled us over on a federal highway or would have given up the chase.
I am going to make copies of our drivers licenses and registration. If asked to produce them in the future, I will hand over the copies instead of
originals. When dealing with a corrupt cop, I will continue to feign ignorance of Spanish.
Be wary on Hwy 1 south of La Paz, I have heard several reports of people being pulled over there.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Thanks oxxo...... You have performed a much needed public service and I commend your resolve. Have a cold one on me. In fact, have two.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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you did the right thing. good for you.
and may the stench of 1000 burros infest the cop's armpits!
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Rethink that copy thing. I used to do that. Making a copy is a hangin offense in Baja. Fine for no license might be 400 pesos, handin them anything
but the original could be 4000 pesos.
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3597
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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Feigning ignorance?
| Quote: | Originally posted by oxxo
I have posted several reports about good encounters with the cops in Baja. Yesterday, for the first time traveling in Baja for 42 years, I felt I was
singled out because I am an American. |
You've been lucky. 42 years? Discrimination against white people is worldwide.
| Quote: |
I am going to make copies of our drivers licenses and registration. If asked to produce them in the future, I will hand over the copies instead of
originals. When dealing with a corrupt cop, I will continue to feign ignorance of Spanish. |
Two things: I'd go with the copies. Have the originals on hand but don't hand them over. If mordida is the intent, ''copies'' would be a
moot point.
Why feign ignorance of Spanish? Do you believe that this is to your advantage? In this situation, how would you have been at a disadvantage?
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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thanks OXXO for doing the right thing
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
Member Is Offline
Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Lee
Discrimination against white people is worldwide.
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Who says am white...oh that's right we've met. 
I guess we have just been lucky when it comes to cops in other countries.
| Quote: |
Why feign ignorance of Spanish? Do you believe that this is to your advantage? In this situation, how would you have been at a disadvantage?
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Lee, it's too easy to get into an argument with them if you speak the same language. Better to act like you don't understand and are confused but
convey that you want to cooperate with body language. Hopefully a "bad cop" will give up out of frustration because it just isn't worth it to him.
Next time I might show them that I can pay with a credit card. I wonder how he would react? 
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bancoduo
Banned
Posts: 1003
Registered: 10-3-2005
Location: el carcel publico mazatlan sin.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Lee
Why feign ignorance of Spanish? Do you believe that this is to your advantage? |
Because it works,
you're creating a standoff. Just stand there scratching your head and butt, pointing at things and looking stupid in the HOT SUN. He'll end up running
away with your fake drivers license. Works for me!
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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A little bit of Spanish will just get you in trouble. Hasn't everybody come across a Mexican that has five words of English making us assume he
understands all of it?
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pacificobob
Super Nomad
Posts: 2336
Registered: 4-23-2006
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i had the same experience in the same place. early may... he told me i could pay the fine after 6pm at the police station. same english/dollar price
menu! i offered 100 pesos and was on my way.....next time ill do something closer to what you did. thanks for the posting
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bajajazz
Nomad
Posts: 386
Registered: 12-18-2006
Location: La Paz, BCS, Mexico
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Wife and I had a run in with this same crooked b*****d out around the propane farm a few weeks ago. We had an appointment in TS so we didn't take him
up on turning around and going back to Transito. That's exactly the thing to do, though. First time I've been hassled in 8 years or so, however. I
had thought the La Paz cops had perhaps grown up by now, but obviously not.
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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We were headed south in La Paz last January and turned left towards La Ventana with our camper in tow when we got lit up by what could be the same
cop. Accused us of turning left without the arrow but there was no red. I'm not sure what the law is but after 20 minutes of him asking for $100 and
me smiling in stupidity, he finally returned my license and left.
Any chance that there is a book of "rules of the road" for Baja traffic laws ?
Nevermind ....... silly question !!
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fulano
Banned
Posts: 496
Registered: 3-31-2008
Location: Ramona, CA
Member Is Offline
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This is the virtual email box for La Paz. Send them your complaint (denuncia). If enough people do it, they'll have to fix that guy.
http://www.lapaz.gob.mx/formularios/index.php
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bancoduo
Banned
Posts: 1003
Registered: 10-3-2005
Location: el carcel publico mazatlan sin.
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What turnip truck did you fall from?
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CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
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Mood: Peacefull
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajajazz
Wife and I had a run in with this same crooked b*****d out around the propane farm a few weeks ago. We had an appointment in TS so we didn't take him
up on turning around and going back to Transito. That's exactly the thing to do, though. First time I've been hassled in 8 years or so, however. I
had thought the La Paz cops had perhaps grown up by now, but obviously not. |
What did you do ? Did you pay the cop ?
CaboRon
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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fulano-
since you're fluent in the lingo perhaps you could send them a link to this page??????
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
Member Is Offline
Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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I am kicking myself right now for not writing down the license number of the pickup truck. I will know better next time.
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Frank
Senior Nomad
Posts: 861
Registered: 6-5-2005
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Is it time to leave yet?
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Same experience on the same road, different times of day and night. Only paid once a few years back, the rest of the time I tell them I want to see
the Jefe and the Juez and anyone else I can think of. They send me on my way.
The experience has turned me off to the city in the past. Im giving La Paz another try for my 1 day layover.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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| Quote: | Originally posted by oxxo
I am kicking myself right now for not writing down the license number of the pickup truck. I will know better next time. |
well, let's all hope that in another 42 years this problem (beggar policia) will be all sorted out by then......perhaps mexico will cede Baja to it's
neighbor to the north for "reparations"! 
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
Member Is Offline
Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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Frank, La Paz is a wonderful city, better than it ever was. I'm not going to let a rogue cop or two or three turn me off to a city I thoroughly
enjoy. I have found the vast majority of cops in La Paz to be very fair and impartial. I don't have an axe to grind here other than a couple of
pinchis.
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