Nica / CR / MX
Got stopped after crossing over a double yellow line in Nica. Managed to talk my way out of it. Mostly by agreeing to pay a fine, which meant going to a bank, in my weak spanish. During the stop I produced all the proper documents, including an International Driver thingy when the validity of my US license was questioned. The cops were pulling over so many drivers, that it was a losing proposition to waste time on me. They let me go.
A few days later in northern Costa Rica I made the same mistake, crossed a freshly painted double yellow...and was stopped by a cop who spoke perfect english. He made it clear, pay him $40 USD or pay a ticket of $80 (this happened in 2012.) I coughed up the money. Looking back I wish I had kept my cool and negotiated the payment down to $20 or $10.
The most important thing is to keep your wits about you, move slowly, ask them to repeat themselves a few times. Keep smiling. Make some jokes. It is possible to wear some cops down...
In 2013 in Mexico I was pulled over for a minor infraction. Maybe it was following a truck too closely or changing lanes without signaling (yes, this happened in Mexico...) The transit cops tried to intimidate me, complaining that I didn't have a Mexican address, so I would have to come to the station, which was closed by that hour in the late afternoon...so I would have to spend the night. My reply, the papers are in order, I am legal to ride in Mexico. Spend the night, OK, I can do that, but come on, it was a minor issue, how about a warning?
Then the question came, "Do I have $100?" My firm and smiling answer, "I don't take care of these kinds of problems on the side of the road." My license was handed back and I offered/promised to drive carefully...
__________________
Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.
Blogs: Peter's Ride
Last edited by Peter Bodtke; 26 Jan 2015 at 03:40.
Reason: fine tuning
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