Hello,

This week my wife and I drive into Africa, first time for both of us as adults.

In my travels to date, I have been very fortunate to only encounter corruption and sleaze in eastern europe, and then only for laughable amounts where the story was worth the 40 cents that the thief-in-uniform took off of me.

As such, I am not well prepared for dealing with officials who try to steal from us. As one who over-thinks things, this is a source of anxiety.

I prefer to smile and exercise patience in the face of adversity. I don't like confrontation unless I am 100% factually in the right -- a luxury I likely won't have.

I have bought a very large bag of "werther's original" hard candies to toss at cops who bashfully request "a small gift for me" -- I think this is an amusing approach, non-combative, and very cheap. I hope it works. If not, hey, we have werthers to eat in the car.

For more aggressive requests, however, I am under-equipped for how best to deal with them. It appears the common advice here is to request an "official receipt" to make them go away. Fine and good, I can do that. I've also seen pretending to dial the US Embassy can work. Okay. What other tricks make sense and can be delivered with a polite smile (so as to not escalate the bluff/demand)?

I *love* the very concept of the Zero Rupee note that is in India. The company behind the protest, 5th pillar, also offers a Zero Euro note. (Actually they offer Zero notes in just about every currency -- could be amusing) I'd very much love to pass one of these to some jerk official who was demanding cash from me -- but I am keenly aware that this is more "passive aggressive" that might be safe, and may start a much more confrontational situation. Bad form to call a thief a thief -- particularly a thief with a gun. Thoughts? I'm thinking of trying them out to get the "point" across in select situations.

I am resigned to the idea that I won't "win them all", and this is annoying to me, but I'm chalking it up as a cost of the trip, "learning experience", and "story fodder" all at once.

Appreciate any insights I can use to make it better for the guy behind me.

Cheers,

- Mike

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Hi Mike, I took a number of copies of a Fiche containing passport and driving license details etc. when asked for passport or driving license I would hand over a fiche this also saves the honest police/guard from having to copy out your details to enter into a book.
And stops the dishonest from holding on to your documents while asking for Un Cadeau.. I also had colour copies of my driving license when they were insistent on the "real" thing.

Only time I had an issue was on the Mauritainia border with a border guard that was insistent on a gift, I said OK and offered my hand and said i offer my friendship.. he looked pissed and walked off.

The wife got caught speeding in Morocco but gladly paid the "without book" fine.

Keep a happy face and laugh/smile it's really just a game.

Bonne Route
Gren

i like the just smile and treat it as a game and try and win more than lose or lose smal

steve

Quite effective in some countries is just to smile and nod and shrug and obviously not have a clue what they are saying - but of course that is becoming less useful now that many have smart phones and use google translate.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Well, they don't know what the quality of the translation is, you can still "misunderstand" what Google translate says. Type something back that doesn't even make sense in your own language but uses some words that are related to what they are saying but make no sense in the context

When we travel we have a few strategies, sometimes they get combined:
- smile, stay happy and patient, stand your ground. Waste their time. Especially useful in situations where other potential victims are passing them by while they are getting nowhere with you.
- my wife starts crying. Very few men can stand the waterworks
- my wife starts arguing and getting angry with me. This works well in places where they are not used to women making a scene in public
- ask for official paperwork for whatever they are asking you to pay
- ask to be taken to an official police station to take care of things
- threaten or pretend to call the embassy or in countries where it is available a government anti-corruption service
- pay in ways that are not money or gifts. We once got rid of a border guard that kept asking for gifts by teaching him how to say "I love you" in French to a girl. Which he promptly tried out on a cute blond at the customs office

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Belgium to Nordkapp via Iran | Discover Overland | Destination World

My golden rule in Africa was 'engage with the person not the uniform'. Big smile, shake hands, ask they how they are as soon as you pull up - no problems.

If you allow the uniform to get to the fore you're on the back foot. Only had this on once - just stayed friendly and stood my ground.

Good luck!

Hi all,
lots of good advice in the posts. Another important move when a "hungry" official stops you for whatever reason - remove your keys from the ignition, put them in your pocket. Now it is not so easy for him to hold you to ransom.
Most times "I don't understand" enough times will work, but be really friendly even if they are not. Adopt a submissive body posture, and don't raise your voice.
If you really have done something stupid/illegal then it might be a good idea to negotiate, especially if there are witnesses and you have to be seen to be "punished", the cop doesn't want to loose face in front of the locals. You are travelling on, and are not so important to him, it's the locals that are his bread and butter.
Most countries have some degree of corruption among officials and law-enforcment, you just have to sense the situation. They will let you know that there is a problem, and how much they charge to fix it. If you have to fork over cash, especially in a border control area, do it discretly. Notes in a folded paper form, never in your documents. You can keep the price down by not going up the command chain - it's your choice whether you want to oil the system, but it's certainly not going to stop because you make a row.

Wishing all safe and troublefree travels

Peter, in Oslo

In most cases I would agree. But sometimes causing a scene that attracts a lot of attention can be beneficial as well. If you play it right and you're lucky you can even help karma catch up with these guys.

On our 2nd exit of Armenia the customs broker we were assigned was ordered by a uniformed official to return all the paperwork we had given him, after we started causing a scene. Unfortunately for the guy he had thrown most of it in the bin already and the cleaning lady had just emptied all bins in the trash container outside. He was subsequently ordered to dig our papers out of the dumpster and we were assigned another broker.

I would not recommend this approach to anyone unless you are confident it is safe to do so, but in these rare instances justice tastes extremely sweet.

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Belgium to Nordkapp via Iran | Discover Overland | Destination World

Dealing with officials who are purely on the take is one thing, and there are some good tips above.

But let's make sure none of us is the 'sleazy' foreigner who thinks they can get away with breaking the local laws and not suffer any penalty (official or unofficial).

Much of the corruption I have seen in Eastern Europe for example relates to speeding or other traffic infractions. For some reason, foreigners tend to take the moral high ground when they have been caught breaking the law and find a cop asks for a payoff to make some money himself and save you going to the local police station or court.

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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

One basic thing, is to have a small amount of money in your wallet. So when you open it, the guy sees that your short and probably doesn't want to lose time arguing for a small amount.

All great advice.
Good to have a few tricks up your sleeve as there is no tricks that will work in every situation. Most I have ever had to pay as a bribe was $10 because I decided to ride through Kinshasa and forgot my passport. survived 9 road blocks with simple, I don't understand.. no parle francais... but the last guy was determined and on Friday afternoon he needed money. he started with demanding $200 bucks which I just laughed it off and eventually gave in when he started hitting my bike with his baton but still negotiated it down to $10
I rode from ghana to South Africa and paid three bribes, never for breaking the law simply because there was no other way out of the situation. I avoid them at all costs as you are perpetuating the situation. if you break the law, pay the fine and get the receipt or better to pay at a police station if that's an option.
My strategies include:

• Don't speak the language/don't understand
• my gift/cadau is my smile
• wait them out
• ask them if they have a gift for me
• say I'm a poor student, that's why I can't afford to fly so I have to ride a motorcycle
• Have a little purse in my pocket with a few bucks in there in very small change
• at road block ask directions, keep asking questions say thanks and ride off.
• Follow the cop around asking why I can't leave so he can't receive bribes from other motorists eventually it has cost him too much so he wants you gone.

I always tended to have cops/soldiers say they are we are friends now you should give me something, my response is well if we are friends then can you give me something. this usually results in the cop bursting out in laughter at this preposterous proposition and then he waves you one.

I tend to find 95% of the cops just try their luck, and if you smile are Curtius and friendly decline they just wave you on.

Note: NEVER say that what he is saying is ridiculous or something similar as he may take it as your saying he is ridiculous and be very offended and angry

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I've hear foreigners say "oh it's just $20". The average annual salary is a few hundred dollars in some places in Central Africa. It's like handing somebody several weeks salary to save yourself a few minutes. It destabalizes the local economy and creates dependance for the few on a source of money that is directly opposed to economic growth for the whole. Yea, maybe you get that guy a few drinks, meanwhile the community as a whole slowly dies of cleptocracy. And even if you don't care about the locals, you spread the image of the foreigner as stupid and incredibly rich. As a foreign traveller this is inconvenient for me because it wastes my time. But if I were a foreign investor this is more than an inconvenience, it's a deal breaker.

Three years, Africa north-to-south. central America, South America, Eastern Europe. Lord, in DR Congo I was stopped for bribe money ten times per day. Never, ever paid a bribe. I don't do the "don't understand" thing. Leaves too much hope, takes too much time. I start strong, explaining that I have never and will never give them money, then quickly go friendly and get to know them and let them know myself. What villages I've been through, some words of local language, the food, the music, etc... This has always worked for me. But really I think confidence is more important than anything. The police can read people very well, they can see it in my eyes that it's a waste of time. Plus, I normally look ragged and inexplicable. I have had my motorcycle impounded once, I have had a document or two held overnight, but this is extremely rare.

If I truly did something wrong I refuse to pay in the street, I will happily pay a printed fine, at the police station, with witnesses, with receipt. I very rarely break the law but when I do it's too much work for them to go through the official channel, so I end up not paying anything anyway.

At borders it is most useful to know what the charges should be. I feel vulnerable when told there is $50 to exit. Maybe it's true maybe not.
This forum is most helpful in this respect.

The few times I actually stopped (usually I looked the other way and didn't "see them"/ hid behind a larger vehicle/ rode in the ditch etc) for the uniformed types on my recent trip to South America I found "no fumar espanol" combined with looking like a demented weirdo (pointing at the sky open mouthed is a good technique ) was useful. As someone said before: It's a game and part of the cultural experience that a package tourist will never encounter.

Once in Kazakhstan I did make a big show of talking loudly on my cell phone (battery was dead...) claiming I was calling my mate the Rolls Royce franchise owner who was a mate of the chief of police in Almaty about his corruption. I also called him a fat pig and that he should get some exercise. Luckily English wasn't taught at Kazakh schools when he was a (fat) child...

Only ever showing (good quality) colour copies of all documents is also a good idea, should they wish to keep hold of them until you pay the "fine". If they need to see your passport, it's at the Farawayistan Embassy getting a visa issued. Give them a photocopy as a sign of "goodwill".

If you genuinely have done something wrong, other options like not taking the p!ss might be more appropriate!

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I agree with eurasiaoverland and Tony, treating a policeman or Gendarme as an idiot will not get you too far; specially if you did something wrong.

Jingoistic attitudes of British Empire may delay you for days, or have your bike impounded if the cop is in a bad mood, and there is no one, ever, that has their bike or car, or personal papers in perfect legal order, so if the Cop looks for a while he will find or invent something to further screw you.
Escaping from a police stop is stupid, generally cops are bored and want to chat or look at your bike. They only need to radio ahead, and being a foreigner you are easy to single out.
Personally I always ask for "help" directions or something (with a smile or look of relief) as soon as I come to a stop...seems to put cops into their more social mode