When they are on foot I try not to stop in the first place unless they stand in the road in front of the car. I just wave and act like I didn't understand. At that time I'm just a gringo that knows no Spanish and it looks like a friendly wave.
I have been stopped a couple of times and I already knew I was wrong. In those cases I did like Gorgon. $500 pesos between the docs. Some people here have said $100 is enough, but I've only done $500.
On occassions where I had to stop for simple checkpoints, not doing anything wrong, I would give the docs with no cash. Sometimes, not always, I would then be asked for a "donation" after they said everything was good and gave my docs back. I just say sorry I don't have it, maybe next time.
Of course, I am speaking to them in Spanish and we can both understand each other completely.
In your case you are pretty sure you didn't do anything wrong but they said you did. I haven't had that happen to me yet, but as a previous poster said video camera, record name, etc. I do carry a camera most of the time just in case I need it, but I haven't had to use it for anything like that yet.
If I think I'm being scammed like that I would refuse to pay and ask them to explain to me better what they think I did wrong while the camera is running. That would likely lead them to taking my car and having me go to their station to pay and get it back.
I would take some more video of the street and any stop lights around in case there wasn't one close by and head to talk to the boss with my video. Might still have to pay at that point to get the car back so maybe a lot of hassle for nothing and that may be more than some people would want to deal with but I devote a lot of time to principle things like that. I don't like nor tolerate people just blatantly scamming me.
After that all you have left is to report it to your Embassy and to through the local chain of command and the local prosecutors office which probably will get you no recourse or you can drop it and go on about your day.
I have been stopped a couple of times and I already knew I was wrong. In those cases I did like Gorgon. $500 pesos between the docs. Some people here have said $100 is enough, but I've only done $500.
On occassions where I had to stop for simple checkpoints, not doing anything wrong, I would give the docs with no cash. Sometimes, not always, I would then be asked for a "donation" after they said everything was good and gave my docs back. I just say sorry I don't have it, maybe next time.
Of course, I am speaking to them in Spanish and we can both understand each other completely.
In your case you are pretty sure you didn't do anything wrong but they said you did. I haven't had that happen to me yet, but as a previous poster said video camera, record name, etc. I do carry a camera most of the time just in case I need it, but I haven't had to use it for anything like that yet.
If I think I'm being scammed like that I would refuse to pay and ask them to explain to me better what they think I did wrong while the camera is running. That would likely lead them to taking my car and having me go to their station to pay and get it back.
I would take some more video of the street and any stop lights around in case there wasn't one close by and head to talk to the boss with my video. Might still have to pay at that point to get the car back so maybe a lot of hassle for nothing and that may be more than some people would want to deal with but I devote a lot of time to principle things like that. I don't like nor tolerate people just blatantly scamming me.
After that all you have left is to report it to your Embassy and to through the local chain of command and the local prosecutors office which probably will get you no recourse or you can drop it and go on about your day.
