The Speeding Ticket

The speed limit was 70 KM/H - about 45 MPH

Yesterday, I was driving to Cancun to get Mexican passports for my family.  Just entering the city, we passed a police check, slowing down to go over the massive speed bump like everyone else.  About five minutes later, a police car approached, and told me to pull over (they use a speaker or megaphone; their lights are always flashing.)

Once pulled over and out of the car, with my Canadian driver's license in the hands of the police, the officer informed me that I was driving 90 km/h in a 70 zone.  He was right. But I was actually the slowest car on the road.  I politely told him so.  He answered that he had been pursuing me since the police check, but I had been going so fast, that he couldn't catch me; I flew through the police check so fast that they weren't able to stop me there either.  (Really - a cop car that can't go 90? That's about 55 miles per hour.) He told me he would have to fine me 1020 pesos (about $90), which I could pay at the police station.

Knowing that arguing isn't a good idea, and tat I really was speeding, I said OK.  (The whole time I pretended I didn't speak Spanish and my wife was translating for me.)

I asked for the ticket.  The officer started writing the ticket, slowly, hesitating, and reminding, with special emphasis several times that it would be over 1000 pesos.  I said, "That's fine.  I'll pay it at the station."  Politely and patiently.

He put down the pen (before finishing the first line) and asked to see the registration. Suddenly a whole new set of "problems" appeared.  First of all, the registration was "invalid" since it was from Mexico City, and not this state (a typical, but entirely false, complaint for out-of-state registrations.)  Also, since the car wasn't registered in my name, they would have to seize the car and charge me with theft.  We told them, again politely, they could contact the owners to confirm that they had lent us the car (which they had, especially for this little trip.)

So, at this point, he went back to the speeding issue.  Driving that fast was really reckless driving, not just speeding.  It would have to be a much heftier fine, and combined with vehicle theft, that was good cause to take me into custody.  And I was an American, which meant the fine would be bigger yet. (He hadn't looked at my license closely enough, I guess.)  He would also have to keep my license as collateral.

We patiently reminded him that he could contact the owners, and for any other infraction, he was free to write up the tickets, which we would pay that day at the police station.  My wife showed him my Mexican electoral card to prove I was a Mexican citizen.

I added that I would have to see their police I.D. to copy their names, I.D. numbers for reference at the station, and ask about the specifics about these problems.  I got out a pen and paper to copy.

He put away his pad, and went to chat with his partner and came back.

"We're going to take it easy on you guys since you have the two kids with you.  No ticket this time.  But if we catch you on the way back, we'll take the car.  We're giving your info to the other police."  He got in his car in a hurry and sped away.

Of course, they were looking for a bribe.  Every point they made was entirely ridiculous, except for the speeding part - but even that was ridiculously exaggerated, especially since other cars were flying by me.

I can't say I'm an expert on dealing with corrupt police in Mexico, since most of the police I've dealt with have been very reasonable, and never asked me for a bribe (this is the second exception.)  In one case, when we were visiting Valladolid with my parents, and we were in a little accident that was clearly our fault, the police were actually helpful, polite and very fair.  People have told me that in Cancun, the police were never corrupt, until a large number of officers from other parts of the country started arriving (people always specifically accuse Mexico City, but the problem is just as bad in many other places.)  I don't know if this is true, or just one of those local pride things.

If what I understand is correct though, the best approach to take is:

• stay calm, NEVER GET ANGRY
• don't argue; you can give a contrary opinion, but politely, and carefully so that it's not taken as aggression; on the other hand, sometimes it may best to stay neutral
• don't offer a bribe

For me the last point is a very important matter.  Members of the police force continue to practice corruption because the majority of Mexicans will offer the bribe almost immediately to save the time and the money.  I know a handful of middle-class Mexicans who will spend half their day sitting at the road side instead of paying the bribe. At the end they are almost always let go without a ticket as I was.  (If you really do get a ticket, just go and pay it!)  But these guys aren't trying to save the cash; they feel strongly about corruption, and are willing to loose time and money to fight it.  I admire them.  The last thing these people need is foreigners showing up in Mexico who feed the corruption.  Being able to cash in on a Gringo is like a double bonus for that kind of officer.  So many foreigners think, "Well this is how they do it here, so ..."

If you are a foreigner driving in Mexico, and you get pulled over, just remember the three points above.  If they are just looking for a bribe, it's very unlikely that anything would happen to you, as long as you stay calm.  It's not worth their time; they can just pull over the next car.

Of course it's really important to remember that it's a different country, the police work in a different way, and laws are applied very differently, but participating in corruption is aggravating a problem that causes many problems for this country.  It's possible to respect the differences without participating in the problem.