I have long posted about ignoring police roadblocks/stops and have admitted that there are times when they cannot be avoided...... here's one -
On a recent Saturday morning my friend and I are 'off leash' - two boys loose on the road.
I encounter a stoplight in Rio San Juan - the one at the main corner, regularly ignored by many.
Dutifully, I stop and keep chatting w/ my friend - my Swedish friend who is a body builder, makes little Arnie Schwartzenegger look like Mickey Mouse.
Fifteen or twenty seconds of stop - no traffic, no police - so I proceed forward.... thru the red light.
About 150 yds ahead , from under the shade of a tree, out steps our favorite RSJ cop..... I'm dead:tired:
I remember all the rules - back off on the Espanol, be polite , offer money.
He explains about the light , I mime that it was blinking (flat out lie).
He indicates that he wants to impound the car -- now my bodyguard is doing nothing but finally goes for his pocket.... 200 pesos.
Impound ???!!! No, no ... I stutter out 'aeropuerto - esposa'.... the cop isn't budging.
Then I revert to the old game show trick, make a call - I want to call my lawyer - and get my phone.
This is when I knew I was dead..... he didn't even flinch at the call threat..... why should he?
He's got me.
Remember - I did run the red - broke the law - he's really got me.
And he wants the car - 'til Monday morning.
I called my friend who explained everybody ran that light - that I needed to go the airport - blah, blah, blah.
No Dice!!
Finally she sweet talks him into helping me -
if he pays you the fine, will you please take it the station and pay it for him??
Grudgingly , he agrees.
Like a drug drop, I have to secrete 1,000 pesos into a folded piece of paper and slide it to him slyly.
Meanwhile, I might as well have Bambi beside me -
The Hulk sits like a statue instead of getting out and threatening the guy or just stepping on him and squashing him like a bug.
Anyway, 1000pesos and I'm released.
That is my most serious police experience to date - since January of 2008 - so not that bad.
After all, I was guilty as charged.
On a recent Saturday morning my friend and I are 'off leash' - two boys loose on the road.
I encounter a stoplight in Rio San Juan - the one at the main corner, regularly ignored by many.
Dutifully, I stop and keep chatting w/ my friend - my Swedish friend who is a body builder, makes little Arnie Schwartzenegger look like Mickey Mouse.
Fifteen or twenty seconds of stop - no traffic, no police - so I proceed forward.... thru the red light.
About 150 yds ahead , from under the shade of a tree, out steps our favorite RSJ cop..... I'm dead:tired:
I remember all the rules - back off on the Espanol, be polite , offer money.
He explains about the light , I mime that it was blinking (flat out lie).
He indicates that he wants to impound the car -- now my bodyguard is doing nothing but finally goes for his pocket.... 200 pesos.
Impound ???!!! No, no ... I stutter out 'aeropuerto - esposa'.... the cop isn't budging.
Then I revert to the old game show trick, make a call - I want to call my lawyer - and get my phone.
This is when I knew I was dead..... he didn't even flinch at the call threat..... why should he?
He's got me.
Remember - I did run the red - broke the law - he's really got me.
And he wants the car - 'til Monday morning.
I called my friend who explained everybody ran that light - that I needed to go the airport - blah, blah, blah.
No Dice!!
Finally she sweet talks him into helping me -
if he pays you the fine, will you please take it the station and pay it for him??
Grudgingly , he agrees.
Like a drug drop, I have to secrete 1,000 pesos into a folded piece of paper and slide it to him slyly.
Meanwhile, I might as well have Bambi beside me -
The Hulk sits like a statue instead of getting out and threatening the guy or just stepping on him and squashing him like a bug.
Anyway, 1000pesos and I'm released.
That is my most serious police experience to date - since January of 2008 - so not that bad.
After all, I was guilty as charged.