Just be pleasant. Two dollars is nothing other than the principle. You never know when these guys might actually be of some assistance to you. Treat people fairly and move on. This is the circle of life in the DR. Cue the music....
- Thread starter drisforme
- Start date
Stopped this afternoon by 2 cops at Sosua for money
Just be pleasant. Two dollars is nothing other than the principle. You never know when these guys might actually be of some assistance to you. Treat people fairly and move on. This is the circle of life in the DR. Cue the music....
and who might the ''some people'' be?
i am a guy who was born and raised in a country where this is normal. you moved to this part of the world. i think i am more familiar with the big picture here than you are.
i have a bunch of police officer cards in my wallet. i got them all from guys who i have spotted a few dollars, at one time or another. when i get into a situation with those cops that wear the all black outfits, who look like they have a permanent scowl, i produce them, and i leave. i have walked away twice from those Santiago menaces, just because i said i know Diaz, or Monstruo...
So it's never occurred to you that the PN roadblocks get set up because people give over money. Not for safety, not because it's an alert. And to your point, by doing this, they put their own jobs in peril. Because someone will complain over $2, and said broke-ass cops will be even broker, because they're (once again) thinking about a beer 10 minutes from now, and not their own family 10 months from now.
I have seen both sides
Lunchtime stopping so they can buy lunch...a hold-up really
and recently, when I tried to buy my way out - they refused $$$
So the sweet talking act went into gear.
Not all it appears to be
as in other RD arenas, I feel the agent of change here.... police and handouts.
Maybe it's just me - my life
Lunchtime stopping so they can buy lunch...a hold-up really
and recently, when I tried to buy my way out - they refused $$$
So the sweet talking act went into gear.
Not all it appears to be
as in other RD arenas, I feel the agent of change here.... police and handouts.
Maybe it's just me - my life
Those who embrace expediency over justice and fairness under the law should not be surprised when expediency and fairness revisit them again arriving from a different direction.
do you really believe that the police in the DR set up road blocks to fleece a few gringos out of a few dollars? seriously? have you seen the roadblocks with trucks designed to haul off stolen bikes and scooters, and to catch unlicensed operators? how many foreigners do you think get shaken for a few hundred pesos in the average roadblock? 10? bear in mind that not everyone who gets propositioned ends up paying. i say it is inconsequential, and this notion that it is a drastic problem is some sensationalist attempt to picture the people as being part or parcel of a conspiracy of unethical conduct.
2 dollars. geez. go back to America and Canada and ask the cops there how much they get when they shake down a drug dealer...
I have given money to the local PN Station near my home.
To the Post Commander.
Especially when it is ''PN Appreciation Day''; which happens once a year. PN even has a BBQ for the public.
In another instance we helped a PN Daughter attend Private School...
I do not worry about my family when I am not there.
I have never been asked for money in my zone ...... outside, yes ... but never in Luperon Zone.
Small change for local protection and security.
Russell
To the Post Commander.
Especially when it is ''PN Appreciation Day''; which happens once a year. PN even has a BBQ for the public.
In another instance we helped a PN Daughter attend Private School...
I do not worry about my family when I am not there.
I have never been asked for money in my zone ...... outside, yes ... but never in Luperon Zone.
Small change for local protection and security.
Russell
i am reading this thread, and i am bewildered that people actually see this as an issue of JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS. i mean, are people here serious? now people treat this matter as if some guy who probably lives on his mother's couch is inflicting INJUSTICE upon them by petitioning them for 100 pesos.
then half of these guys will buy an iPhone 8 for Belkis, who promptly gives it to her motoconcho chulo...
Yes, I've been stopped, multiple times. In Punta Cana and in Santiago. And once I said no, the cops that pulled me over stopped pulling me over. If it was just for motos, there would be an actual truck present, or seized bikes present. And you're dismissing the multiple threads posted on this board over the years about "just keep going and don't stop" in regard to PN pulling you over.
It's gone from random stops to roadblocks. That is a fact, not hyperbole. Attempting to justify it by saying "it's only a little money for you" will still result in some of them losing their jobs over beer money. Losing their jobs is the very definition of "consequential."
And it's one of a few reasons why I did leave in August 2017.
It's a totally wrong approach, you pay $2 today, a lot more tomorrow if you suggest everyone handover money, heck, $2 is nothing let's make it a round $10 or why stop at that, $20, it's nothing right. Then we have cops going around preying on gringos and demanding money - demanding, because everybody pays (should pay), right !?
Very wrong, this could escalate into a lot more than a few dollars when the PN doesn't get what he wants and more. The analogy with stray dogs was spot on, imagine sitting on the beach surrounded by dirty smelly dogs - or going out every day to cough up money here and there or get onto trouble with PN....
Yes, they are not paid a lot, but that is absolutely not the solution - even Dominicans try to avoid cops to not get into trouble due to this expectation of you should pay cops a "little".
You want to be friend with a cop, good for you, don't suggest people paying them money for nothing. From a few people I know who have (had) cop friends in DR , almost all regretted it, all cross the road or take opposite turn to avoid their so called (greedy) friends, these people (cops) have no concept of boundaries. I know one guy who suddenly headed for the sea to swim when he saw his cop friends coming down the beach - a few beers and food on top can add up over the months/years...!
Of course, try to talk yourself out of it, but again if all failed, and you have to do it, pay the least you can - sure a few bucks can be handed over and forgotten, but try to avoid it rather than volunteering it. In DR not just cops but everybody thinks they should get money for nothing because gringos are rich.... ! (Of course some gringos love the status and spend a few bucks for the feeling, can't get that back home.....! lol)
Very wrong, this could escalate into a lot more than a few dollars when the PN doesn't get what he wants and more. The analogy with stray dogs was spot on, imagine sitting on the beach surrounded by dirty smelly dogs - or going out every day to cough up money here and there or get onto trouble with PN....
Yes, they are not paid a lot, but that is absolutely not the solution - even Dominicans try to avoid cops to not get into trouble due to this expectation of you should pay cops a "little".
You want to be friend with a cop, good for you, don't suggest people paying them money for nothing. From a few people I know who have (had) cop friends in DR , almost all regretted it, all cross the road or take opposite turn to avoid their so called (greedy) friends, these people (cops) have no concept of boundaries. I know one guy who suddenly headed for the sea to swim when he saw his cop friends coming down the beach - a few beers and food on top can add up over the months/years...!
Of course, try to talk yourself out of it, but again if all failed, and you have to do it, pay the least you can - sure a few bucks can be handed over and forgotten, but try to avoid it rather than volunteering it. In DR not just cops but everybody thinks they should get money for nothing because gringos are rich.... ! (Of course some gringos love the status and spend a few bucks for the feeling, can't get that back home.....! lol)
My ‘recent’ also saw serious blockades....
barriers in place to halt that lane of traffic....in both directions.
A major change from random stops under a shade tree.
Good preparation and staffing
barriers in place to halt that lane of traffic....in both directions.
A major change from random stops under a shade tree.
Good preparation and staffing
of course!! the simple trick is the old ''no speak Spanish'' thing, and you are home free..
are you saying this is what happens, or what might happen?
my first trip to the DR was in 1989. my cab got pulled over on the way to Boca Chica, and we got hit up for 100 pesos. the last time i gave money in a roadblock was last year...100 pesos.
this 100 pesos today, one thousand tomorrow is fiction.
I guess I must be lucky, or perhaps the cops that man the roadblocks between Jarabacoa and La Vega don't ask for bribes. In the few hundred times I have been stopped at road blocks only one time a PN asked my wife if she had any water for him. Never been asked for money, usually just waved through. I did pay 1000 pesos in Santo Domingo to make a red light violation go away. I was guilty so...............
Nope -- I spoke polite Spanish to them
However , I'm sure I have a terrible accent & pronunciation
Shortly after I moved to the D.R. (in 1989) I had occasion to join a good friend (we'll call him Fabio) and a visiting buddy of his (let's say his name was Marco) on a day trip to Santo Domingo.
We got pulled over by a young highway cop on a passola on the stretch of highway just before arriving in SDQ.
I am never comfortable with situations like that and I was especially antsy because my command of the language was, at that point, basicly non existant. Marco didn't seem to be too thrilled either.
Fabio took a look at his two nervous nellie passengers and decided to have some fun.
In his fractured mix of Italian and Spanish he negotiated a price with the young police officer. Their agreed upon payment was for 25rds.
Fabio made a big show of pulling out his wallet and then exclaimed in chagrin that all he had was a fifty peso note...
Naturally the poor officer had no change.
He (the officer) suggested that Fabio give him the 50rds. Fabio explained that his gas tank was running on empty and he needed the 25rds for gas.
A little more back and forth until finally it was agreed that the guy would rush back to his partner a couple of miles back and get the change.
Off he went in a cloud of black smoke.
Fabio sat back in his seat and appeared ready to wait.
Marco and I were shocked to say the least...all this over 50rds.
We were in agreement that Fabio should put the darn jeep in gear, make like a bird and get the flock out of there.
No...
said Fabio.
We wait.
And we waited.
About twenty minutes went by and finally even Fabio had to accept that the guy wasn't coming back.
Just as he was reluctantly making the move to leave he looked in the rear view window.
Off in the distance he saw the young officer approaching as quickly as his 50cc engine would allow.
He got off the passola and rushed up to the driver side window, apologizing profusively that it took so long.
He handed over the twenty five rds and we were on our way.
lol.
Who'd have think it?
I guess Fabio thunk it.
We got pulled over by a young highway cop on a passola on the stretch of highway just before arriving in SDQ.
I am never comfortable with situations like that and I was especially antsy because my command of the language was, at that point, basicly non existant. Marco didn't seem to be too thrilled either.
Fabio took a look at his two nervous nellie passengers and decided to have some fun.
In his fractured mix of Italian and Spanish he negotiated a price with the young police officer. Their agreed upon payment was for 25rds.
Fabio made a big show of pulling out his wallet and then exclaimed in chagrin that all he had was a fifty peso note...
Naturally the poor officer had no change.
He (the officer) suggested that Fabio give him the 50rds. Fabio explained that his gas tank was running on empty and he needed the 25rds for gas.
A little more back and forth until finally it was agreed that the guy would rush back to his partner a couple of miles back and get the change.
Off he went in a cloud of black smoke.
Fabio sat back in his seat and appeared ready to wait.
Marco and I were shocked to say the least...all this over 50rds.
We were in agreement that Fabio should put the darn jeep in gear, make like a bird and get the flock out of there.
No...
said Fabio.
We wait.
And we waited.
About twenty minutes went by and finally even Fabio had to accept that the guy wasn't coming back.
Just as he was reluctantly making the move to leave he looked in the rear view window.
Off in the distance he saw the young officer approaching as quickly as his 50cc engine would allow.
He got off the passola and rushed up to the driver side window, apologizing profusively that it took so long.
He handed over the twenty five rds and we were on our way.
lol.
Who'd have think it?
I guess Fabio thunk it.
What is nice about Dr1 threads is that we all have the right to our own opinions.
As we do in this matter.
I sincerely respect all opinions posted in this thread.
Notwithstanding that, I shall always do as my conscience leads me.
Including in this matter.
I guess I like the safety and security more than the few pesos I shell out.
Russell
As we do in this matter.
I sincerely respect all opinions posted in this thread.
Notwithstanding that, I shall always do as my conscience leads me.
Including in this matter.
I guess I like the safety and security more than the few pesos I shell out.
Russell
This is exactly not changed because people do not listen to these advice and thankfully realize handing out money to cops for nothing, no matter how much the amount, is very wrong.
There is a very good reason for cops and people of authorities not to expect handout from people, there are serious consequences, it's not the matter of helping out poor cops - who doesn't want, but not in this way. In the civilized world this is, kind of, sorted out ...
It leads to use and abuse and very bad precedence, also I guess you probably expect to use your cop friend in a dispute to get one over the poor guy without those friends (you see the issue !). If this is not clear then let's leave it at that.