Nice trip but bad local incident

[snappysammy]

Originally Posted by Mindbender

Sound advice indeed, or even colour in the numbers with a black pen.

BTW, SappySammy has posted before about carrying the local tourist infraction law letter. It allows you to be let off two minor offences without a fine.

The rental companies should be handing this out to people

the law is the "solidaridad" tourist law
and it does work here

[Mindbender]

Originally Posted by snappysammy

the law is the "solidaridad" tourist law
and it does work here

Please can you get a copy scanned in, then posted on the forum for all to download. It would be most helpful.

[snappysammy]

Originally Posted by Mindbender

Please can you get a copy scanned in, then posted on the forum for all to download. It would be most helpful.

this is like deja vu all over again


CAPÍTULO XII
APOYO AL TURISTA
Artículo 146.- Se establece en el Municipio la boleta de infracción de cortesía que se aplicará exclusivamente a los turistas que infrinjan este ordenamiento. Esta Infracción de cortesía no implica costo alguno a losturistas, siendo su objetivo señalar la violación cometida y exhortar a
conducir cumpliendo con las reglas de tránsito. La sanción de cortesía es aplicada hasta en dos ocasiones al mismo vehículo y/o conductor y no procede en los casos de actos y omisiones graves contrarios a lque se dispone en el presente Reglamento.

[ProfessorPibil]

Originally Posted by Mindbender

BTW, SappySammy has posted before about carrying the local tourist infraction law letter. It allows you to be let off two minor offences without a fine.

The rental companies should be handing this out to people

This sounds like something from a David Ohle book - I suggest they extend it to all violations - when you land in Cancun you get three exemptions from every violation except murder, which you can also use to cover just one murder.

If you think things are better elsewhere, you should know that relatively well paid police forces have their own agendas, such as ticket quotas:

Ticket Quotas Exist in New York, a Tape Suggests - NYTimes.com

Got to pay for those retirement benefits somehow...

[rainee]

I carry an old extra drivers license with me so if the policia wants to keep it, fine.
Last time I rented a car in Playa, I requested one without any evidence of it being a rental on it. The owner advised me they the law says they have to mark the car as a rental.

[Orm]

It's the red tags that are the killer. I drive my UK plated car around all the time and they don't bother. I rented a car once and they pulled me over within an hour.

Corruption is in Mexico, we can't stop it overnight, but you can protect yourself by following the letter of the law. You were driving without a seatbelt, it's a crime, and it leaves you open to corruption.

Be firm, take his name and number and pretend to be willing to go through the process, you'll get your licence back (as long as you didn't do something really illegal.)

[Nerak936]

It's this type of BS that keeps us from considering renting a car in Mexico. Who needs to be worrying about dealing with that crap while on vacation?

[Mindbender]

Originally Posted by snappysammy

this is like deja vu all over again

I guess, I wasn't looking last time. Anyway, I suggest you start a specific thread so it can be linked to and even possibly read before they come to Playa.

Originally Posted by ProfessorPibil

This sounds like something from a David Ohle book - I suggest they extend it to all violations ....

That probably already exists for, ahem, certain groups.

Originally Posted by Orm

I drive my UK plated car around all the time and they don't bother.

Rule Britannia! It's because they love us. Albion is often on the Televisa news.

[Mindbender]

Originally Posted by Nerak936

It's this type of BS that keeps us from considering renting a car in Mexico. Who needs to be worrying about dealing with that crap while on vacation?

Well I've never seen anybody stopped who wasn't speeding etc.

I used to rent a lot. Yes, they're like circling vultures, but follow the law and you'll be ok.

For general info, in Mexico City the cops don't bother you anything like the Q Roo ones. They are much tougher on drink drivers though, with regular check points at night testing drivers.

[Rosamundlm]

Originally Posted by james

speak no spanish, never consider paying them on the spot, confuse them, drag it out, refer to them by their name on their nametag, pay nothing.

I did that in Guanalajara...played dumb and didn't let know I knew a few phrases. my (now ex) boyfriend insisted I just make a U-turn when we missed our turn heading for the Lake and then airport. I also hid my money from view.

My cousin got a speeding ticket on the way from Puero Morelos (so going back for the hospitality and margaritas) to PDC and I knew I had a lot in my purse, so just shrugged to them and said I didn't have anything in the officer's presence. So she spent roughtly 27 USD, but that sure beats the price of a speeding tix in US!

[Meadow]

I really find it hard to believe the police officers who are known to shake people down would only do it to those who have committed an infraction.

If they are corrupt enough to shake somebody down what is it exactly that prevents them from stopping someone who has done nothing wrong except drive a rental car?

[maestranba]

We've rented cars at least a dozen times in Playa and have never been pulled over (knock on wood). Maybe it's because we obey the laws....or we're just lucky. I LOVE having a car there. We can go wherever we want whenever we want. I don't care what anyone says, it's MUCH more convenient than taking the bus or colectivos, and much cheaper than taxis. To the OP...sorry for what happened to you....you were a target with a rental car and no seatbelts on. What they do is wrong, yes, but you were also in the wrong and if you had insisted on getting the ticket instead of paying and made a fuss, you probably would've gotten away without paying a peso!

[syl]

Originally Posted by maestranba

We've rented cars at least a dozen times in Playa and have never been pulled over (knock on wood). Maybe it's because we obey the laws....or we're just lucky. I LOVE having a car there. We can go wherever we want whenever we want. I don't care what anyone says, it's MUCH more convenient than taking the bus or colectivos, and much cheaper than taxis. To the OP...sorry for what happened to you....you were a target with a rental car and no seatbelts on. What they do is wrong, yes, but you were also in the wrong and if you had insisted on getting the ticket instead of paying and made a fuss, you probably would've gotten away without paying a peso!

I agree....john insists on renting...and we really do save abundle!!!iwe have been very lucky to not have any problems..but i must say we are really good about cking out the car and getting out when we get gas and only ask for a specific amt...and really try and follow the rules.etc.....cars are always passing us.. we have been able to do so much more by renting a car....

[Seakony]

Originally Posted by Mindbender

Well I've never seen anybody stopped who wasn't speeding etc.

I used to rent a lot. Yes, they're like circling vultures, but follow the law and you'll be ok.

For general info, in Mexico City the cops don't bother you anything like the Q Roo ones. They are much tougher on drink drivers though, with regular check points at night testing drivers.

Strange.. I have never been stopped and I tend to drive faster than most...I even sped by a cop car a couple of times. Maybe they only pull over the more expensive rentals.

[dtom4]

Originally Posted by Meadow

I really find it hard to believe the police officers who are known to shake people down would only do it to those who have committed an infraction.

If they are corrupt enough to shake somebody down what is it exactly that prevents them from stopping someone who has done nothing wrong except drive a rental car?

Absolutely nothing. I am 100% certain we would have been pulled over and shaken down even had we had our seatbelts on. We just happenned to give him a convenient official reason. This vulture was on the prowl for rental cars to extort naive tourist (us) and weather we we're doing anything wrong was simply irrelevant.
I'm glad it seems like most have not had issues with police corruption. No doubt we handled it wrong. However I do take issue with some folks who imply we provoked the extortion by breaking the law. Lets put this in context here. Up to that point we we're wearing our seatbelts the entire trip. We were rolling up the street at no more than idle speed for perhaps 50 yards. We were more moving the car than "driving". We were not zipping around town hanging out the car windows blatantly disregarding the law. In our preoccupation with finding the hotel and being somewhat lost we had a mental lapse. Did we technically break the law? I suppose. But had we moved the car 6 inches we would have "technically" broken the law also. Did we deserve a ticket? Maybe. But its a huge stretch to imply since we broke the law and was naive enough to give in to their intimidation we deserved to be held hostage and extorted simply because thats the way it is in Mexico. After some research and discussions with locals and expats if you believe following the law will keep you safe from police corruption imo you are being naive. In fact while waiting for a light the car directly in front of us (an SUV) had a Budget Rental emblem on the tailgate and license frame. We both noticed it as it was like a neon sign. The light changed and half a block later he was pulled over. After this trip I am much wiser now.