I'm now in Rio Gallegos looking for a new front 19" tire, and I have been twice asked for my insurance papers on the way South on Rta3.
Luck of the draw I guess?

Mike

Mike - nice to see you've put some miles in...

How did things go at EZE?

PM sent.

Yesterday coming south out of Trujillo, pulled out of a medium foggy rain for my first encounter with the Peruvian traffic cops. Immediately asked for SOAT, which I did not have. Their lawbook was pulled out, and I was shown precisely where SOAT is required for foreign vehicles. A copy of the law is available. look specifically at Page 5 first paragraph:
http://www.mtc.gob.pe/indice/B.-%20S...20Civil%20.pdf -
I was eventually able to bluff my way out, and was sent on my way. I still have to tackle the 400km stretch through to Lima. I have not been able to find anything about short-term SOAT in Peru, which is unfortunate for this one week of travel here on my way to Chile.

I've just spotted this thread and realised that I too had a couple of problems on Ruta 14 back in December 2009. I can't tell you the KM marker but it was between Gualeguaychu and San Jose, so relatively close to Buenos Aires.

I was stopped twice; the first time I was asked for papers, the second I was told that I was doing 130km and had been recorded on a radar. I managed to successfully deal with both incidents trouble free.

I had all my paperwork in order but for the first time in South America the police requested for "seguro" - insurance. I carry a fake laminated international insurance card with details of my bike frame #, registration etc, and then handed a paper supliment to my driving license, which the policeman assumed was the counterpart to my insurance. I was waved on my way.

My advice: carry some kind of fake international insurance card/papers. I have carried mine for 48,000 miles and this is the first time I've had to use them.

The second stop was on a stretch of road that had numerous signs warning of police radars and I was therefore very mindful of my speed. It wasn't long before I was waved down at a police check point. My tactics at police check points are always the same:

Overshoot the police checkpoint. This isolates the policeman from his colleagues and helps any negociation to remain private and allows the policeman the opportunity to wave you on your way without losing face

By over shooting I had time to remove my crash helmet and ingage in a quick and friendly conversation with a truck driver. By the time the policeman arrived I was all smiles and ready to greet him.

I assumed that all the policeman wanted to ask was the normal "how fast, how much" question, so immediately I greeted him with a friendly "como estas". He quickly told me I had been caught in a radar at 130km which I knew was a lie because I had carefully stuck to 100km - I pointed to my GPS and said it was impossible because my GPS recorded my speed... I was still very friendly and with a grin like the cheshire cat. He asked me where I was heading and I used the opportunity to explain I had been to Buenos Aires, that I love his country and that everyone here is "muy sociable"... his chest puffed out a bit.

I should add that my Spanish isn't great and that during the conversation the policeman tried the 130km line on me a couple of times, but I just waved it away with a smile and an "impossible" pointing at my GPS.

Anyway, I was soon waved on my way with a big smile and a handshake from the policeman.

I hope that helps someone

Spanish or no Spanish, this is by far the best way to deal with police - someone should sticky this paragraph up in all the 'border crossings' 'corrupt police theives' alarmist yadda yadda type of conversations here.
95% of the sticky situations are beaten by being friendly, yet assertive.


ps not to say the current thread isn't helpful or relevant. If it helps travellers, I'm all for it.

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The Road To Rio - Locokiwi

We were both exhausted as we neared Trujillo from the north and stopped before a police checkpoint to take a photo. When we started again we were (naturally) pulled over by the police. They demanded insurance papers – seemingly knowing that it’s not required to have them to get the temporary import papers at the border for the bike. I produced my expired (by 3 months) Mexican insurance and assured the policeman it was valid worldwide. My riding partner wasn’t so lucky and didn’t have any papers to show him, so after 20 minutes of arguing, him reading the traffic regulations to us, and threatening to take us to Huanchaco (our beachside destination near Trujillo) to the police station, he finally let us go with a promise to buy insurance in the morning.

Coordinates of the police stop are:
S 8° 00' 23.28" - W 79° 04' 14.60"
Google map of stop and post are: Kuelap Ruins From Chachapoyas, Peruvian Motorcyle Insurance Shakedown, and Back on the Gringo Trail at Huanchaco on the Peruvian Coast*|*Trip on a KLR650 Motorcycle From Canada to Mexico, Central and South America

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2000 KLR650
trip log: http://tripdown.regioncoding.com

I was having a chat with some local lads in Minatitlan, Mexico, and noticed each time the police passed they would flinch or glare. I asked if the Police were good 'Buenos' or bad 'Malos`.
The continued to say that if I was not with them they would likely be subjected to a search, possibly robbed if they had cash.... etc etc.
I aske why my prescence would make a difference, and they responded.... `Because you can call your consulate and comlain and they will get in trouble.'
I have a quad band mobile I bought and had unlocked in Bolivia, and at each border crossing I simply buy a new chip and I`m on the grid again.
Hassle with cops? Pull out the mobile, call, or even pretend to call the `CONSULATE` (make sure this word is said loud and clear so the cops can hear who you`re calling) adn surely this will make them think twice.

I don't smoke but a packet of decent cigerettes/cigars (I've not seen a cop in South America who doesn't smoke) might immediately break the ice with a cheeky copper.

A big smile always helps as does talking about the weather and asking directions in crap Spanish.

Talk to them in a friendly way before they can "try it on".

Human nature usually prevails.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

POSADA:

2 police cop stopped me at 3 am for a check up and told me since i had my head phones on and no seguro they were gonna confiscate my bike and that i could have paied the fine the next day.

i asked if there was a faster way, maybe , perhaps i can pay the fine here now to them?? he told me he was gonna help me...20 dollars after that i was free to go.

PUERTO IGUAZU:

the next day i meet with 3 other guys from Brasil , by the end of ruta 12 "apparently there are radars" we got caught overtaking a truck on a double line on a corner, no seguro and over the limit.

i am pretty sure there are no radar, the limit on the last 20km is somethinf like 40km/h..... insane...way tooo slow, all the locals truck are doing 100km/h anyway!!! hw said that they also have an other radar but this one wasn't working but the colleague told him we were speeding over the radio.
Total fine..... 1500 Pesos!!!

960 pesos for speeding
250 pesos no seguro
360 pesos overtaking on the double line.


he started entering the data of one of the guy on the computer, didn't ask for the other 3 of us then after a smoke and a long long bollocking he told us we could be let go fro 100pesos each.... we all place them in the drawer of his desk and left.

if it wasn't for the bad overtaking we could have argue a little !!!

QUESTION:
any good soul would like to e mail me a copy of any kind of international licence??


thank you!!!

Of to see Iguazu tomorrowwww!!! Yeahyy!!!P

You can always argue! Politely, of course....but their demands for a lot of money are just opening offers. Even when you deserve to pay a fine, it never needs to be as much as they first ask.

As I've said before, my conclusion has been that US$5 pays any fine, anywhere in Latin America. A trucker I spoke with in Honduras said that for him, one or two dollars (equivalent) is always enough. So when the cops demand hundreds of bucks, or even twenty.....negotiate. They expect it. You need the practice. It will work.

Mark

Thanks dude!!!

semi off topic///ANYONE where can i get an insurance in iguazu. or asuncionn or formosa????

cheers

Just wanted to share with you guys that I went from Iguazu to Buenos Aires and avoided RT-14. I went from Posadas west to Resistencia, then south to Santa Fe, Rosario and then into Buenos Aires. There were police check points along that route too but I was waved through all of them. They do require your headlight to be on. I was running my auxiliary lights, but that wasn't enough. They stopped me at a check point outside of Iguazu and just told me to turn on my head light.

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J A Y | Riding a 98 Suzuki DR650
Current ride thru Latin Am and Africa > Jammin thru the Global South

I spent a lovely few hours with those particular cops while they changed the story and fine amount over and over (NOTE: I also watched a Brazilian biker pay 180 American dollars instantly and drive away while we were stopped....)
First, they threaten that if you don't pay immediately, your motorcycle will not be let out of the country.
Then if you say you'll deal with that later, they change the story and say you will have to come to the police station with them.
Then when you say let's go to the police station now, they say you will have to wait until they finish at the checkpoint.
What I observed with them, was that they give you back your documents, that way, you are choosing to stay and pay them, they are not withholding anything from you, so:
As soon as they hand you back your license, insurance (they didn't even ask me for mine) and documents: CALL THEIR BLUFF, SAY YOU KNOW THE LAW, YOU WILL ONLY PAY A FINE AT A COURTHOUSE, NOT ON THE ROAD, AND BEGIN TO WALK AWAY.
.....you'd think they would move the checkpoint around a bit to throw people off, but it's ALWAYS at the same KM marker......I have an Argentine friend that knows the guys - they are just three good ol' local boys -just beat cops - they make so much money off the scam, they'll just let you walk away if you are too much trouble for them and they'll focus on the next guy......
IF EVERYBODY REFUSES, THEY'LL STOP HASSLING FOREIGN MOTORCYCLES, IF EVERYBODY PAYS, THE GAME CONTINUES.....
so kudos for letting them know that they're becoming famous.....hopefully they'll start to think twice.......

These guys on the Ruta 14 checkpoint really asked a lot of questions about my helmet cam. "Is it on?" Yes. Is it video? Yes. How long can it record? 8 hours.

Worked like the old Jedi mind trick. You can go about your business, move along.

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http://www.southontwowheels.com