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rhintransit
Super Nomad
Posts: 1588
Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
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tis the season...Constitucion cops again
just got word a tourist I met, nice 76 year old single female gringa with Oregon plates, traveling alone, got pulled over in
Constitucion...'speeding.' she'd stopped in Loreto for a couple of days and was told about the problems in Constitucion, so drove exceedingly
carefully, full stops, watching for pedestrians, and, of course, not speeding.
after a lengthy stop, they let her go, probably because she couldn't get any money from any ATMs in town as she neglected to let her credit card
company know she was in Mexico.
heads up, it's time for extra money for Christmas presents again...
reality\'s never been of much use out here...
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Folks, just say NO... let them pretend to take you to the police station.. insist that they do! Before you get there, if they tell you to follow, they
will cut you loose and go find easier prey.
I felt kind of bummed when I went through there twice and didn't even see a cop, let alone have one try and extort from me. Maybe because I went
through during siesta, in the summer?
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3508
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Folks, just say NO... let them pretend to take you to the police station.. insist that they do! Before you get there, if they tell you to follow
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That is not always the case, DK. There might be an equal number of horror stories where the police station is a bigger scam.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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During the fiesta a number of years ago, the station in Asuncion kept my son for over an hour figuring out how much the fine should be for going
through a stop sign.
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micah202
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 1-19-2011
Location: vancouver,BC
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Folks, just say NO... let them pretend to take you to the police station.. insist that they do! Before you get there, if they tell you to follow, they
will cut you loose and go find easier prey.
I felt kind of bummed when I went through there twice and didn't even see a cop, let alone have one try and extort from me. Maybe because I went
through during siesta, in the summer? |
...I really like your gig of carrying extra prints of your driver's license 
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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I liked the post where you flip out your camera phone (even if it doesn't HAVE a camera!) and pretend you're filming the whole thing. I bet that's
the best 'have a nice day' catcher.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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tobianogreg
Junior Nomad
Posts: 33
Registered: 11-11-2014
Location: Kamloops BC Canada & SJD
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by micah202
...I really like your gig of carrying extra prints of your driver's license
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Can someone walk me through the process of what happens after your laminated, copied license is confiscated? Obviously the policia retain the fake but
at what point does gringo make good his/her escape?
Many thanks (from a Canuck who doesn't know it all). 
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rhintransit
Super Nomad
Posts: 1588
Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
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when that happened to me in Constitucion I handed the guy an original (which I had gotten back after a pickpocket took my wallet in San Francisco...I
reported it, got a new one, and wonder of wonders the SF police found the wallet, devoid of cash and credit cards, in a trashcan and mailed it back).
since I had twoi identical valid licenses I didn't really care if he kept one.
we went thru all the rigamarole, said the police station was closed and I'd have to come back the next day to get the thing...probably leading up to
the pay me now part...and I told him, okay, I'll be back, but not for three or four days, was that okay? he just glared at me, shrugged, handed it
back and waved me on my way.
unfortunately that one has expired now, so I'll go to the laminated copy route now. some people say don't let go of the license but hold it up to the
window, I don't know if that would fly.
| Quote: | Originally posted by tobianogreg
| Quote: | Originally posted by micah202
...I really like your gig of carrying extra prints of your driver's license
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Can someone walk me through the process of what happens after your laminated, copied license is confiscated? Obviously the policia retain the fake but
at what point does gringo make good his/her escape?
Many thanks (from a Canuck who doesn't know it all). |
reality\'s never been of much use out here...
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
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I have lived and traveled in Mexico for a lot of years, and if you have a problem on the road or anywhere else you will be amazed by the number of
Mexican that will stop and help without any expectations of being financially rewarded. They do it out of kindness.
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
Member Is Offline
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You guys scared me with all this Constitucion policia talk. But when I was down there for the 1000, I drove thru Constitucion many times and was never
stopped; never saw a cop. Sorry, no horror stories.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by micah202
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Folks, just say NO... let them pretend to take you to the police station.. insist that they do! Before you get there, if they tell you to follow, they
will cut you loose and go find easier prey.
I felt kind of bummed when I went through there twice and didn't even see a cop, let alone have one try and extort from me. Maybe because I went
through during siesta, in the summer? |
...I really like your gig of carrying extra prints of your driver's license
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Not me... must be another Nomad, I have never done that. I do keep my previous expired DL in my passport in case mine is lost or taken.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by StuckSucks
You guys scared me with all this Constitucion policia talk. But when I was down there for the 1000, I drove thru Constitucion many times and was never
stopped; never saw a cop. Sorry, no horror stories. |
You and I must drink the same brand?  
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Thanks for reminder- I took earlier advice re:Cd. Constitucion last summer, and drove extra careful thru town over topos etc. No problems!
As for licenses: After a similar experience along Hwy. 1 10 years ago, just south of Guerrero Negro (asked for license, officer threatened to keep it
until I paid them directly etc.), I now carry expired licenses for these situations.
I haven't needed to, but if stopped again I will give them an expired one and let them figure out how to cite me for driving with an expired US
license, in addition to whatever other charge they come up with.
As for the 2004 incident: I didn't pay, they returned the license & let us go.
Related: Anyone know how difficult it is to get a MX drivers license? Do you need permanent resident status or is an FMM sufficient?
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Folks, just say NO... let them pretend to take you to the police station.. insist that they do! Before you get there, if they tell you to follow, they
will cut you loose and go find easier prey.
I felt kind of bummed when I went through there twice and didn't even see a cop, let alone have one try and extort from me. Maybe because I went
through during siesta, in the summer? |
Although I have never been stopped there in several dozen passes through, I can say that if you drive through on a Sunday, chances are that you will
not see a single cop. I haven't.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabuddha
I liked the post where you flip out your camera phone (even if it doesn't HAVE a camera!) and pretend you're filming the whole thing. I bet that's
the best 'have a nice day' catcher. |
Or better yet grab the GoPro from your bag and just mount it on the dashboard and point it in his direction.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
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Kind of funny...............cops buying Christmas presents and celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, the Baby Jesus, by extorting $$$ from
foreigners!!
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neilm81301
Nomad
Posts: 134
Registered: 3-21-2012
Member Is Offline
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Exactly!
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ateo
Kind of funny...............cops buying Christmas presents and celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, the Baby Jesus, by extorting $$$ from
foreigners!!
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Just a logical extension or the whole commercial 'XMAS' thing; no Christ in it at all....
Prepare to dismount soapbox; dismount!
Neil
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Gulliver
Senior Nomad
Posts: 651
Registered: 11-18-2013
Member Is Offline
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All things change but some years ago (like 1991) I went to the drivers license place in LaPaz and got a Mexican drivers license with no serious
hassle. All I had was what they called then a Tourist Card (FMM now) and my U.S. license.
I don't even remember why the heck I did it as I was traveling in my boat then.
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Maron
Nomad
Posts: 458
Registered: 4-14-2014
Member Is Offline
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We travel solo, in a RV, usually during March and April, thus far no problems. Should we look forward to some in the future?? Thanks for the info.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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Constitucion is an odd place to drive thru if you want to stop for anything as they have the parallel street. On the main thru street are stop signs
and lights, some work some don't. Tunaeater and I were there the week of the Baja 1000 and stayed at a new hotel on the San Carlos hwy 22 just after
you turn onto it. We had tacos at a nice street side vendor and saw cops too. One had a local car pulled over next to the taco place. They also have
an interesting no tell motel on the south side of town. You pull up to a window like a fast food drive up window. The rooms are single beds only and
the rooms all have a garage attached to hide your vehicle. Don't know the price, we didn't stay there.
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