I have been traveling in the Yucatan for six years, almost always by car, and I have never been asked to pay a bribe. I have never been pulled over for any traffic infraction, actually. I have been busted for going the wrong way on a one-way street (unintentionally), but the cops were almost embarrassed to point this out. And I did get in a car accident recently that was clearly my fault, but the cop didn’t even write me a ticket.
I mention all this because of this recent story in the New York Times, about a woman getting shaken down for $300 for going one mile over the speed limit.
I cannot stress enough that:
1) This is extremely rare anywhere in the Yucatan. I have heard other anecdotes of people getting pulled over, and the police “suggesting” that it might be easier to pay their fine on the spot. But I’ve never heard of anyone being threatened with jail. This is a rare and brazen incident.
2) If this does happen, just don’t pay the bribe! You will NOT be put in jail or plunged into bureaucratic hell. All you need to say is that you will pay the ticket immediately at the police station, and you are happy to follow the officer there to pay. Despite the impression you may get from the media, the Mexican system is not so corrupt that everyone in the police station is in on the game, and you’ll be tossed in jail and left to rot.
Just as important, paying the bribe helps perpetuate a system. Yes, insisting on paying only the regular ticket, at the station, might take a little nerve in front of a guy in mirrored sunglasses who doesn’t speak your language, and it might take a few hours out of your vacation. But it’s the right thing to do. And it just might be a cultural experience. You wouldn’t pay a bribe in the US, right? Why do it in Mexico?
One key thing: whether you’re dealing with an aboveboard cop or a vaguely shady one, you may be asked to turn over your driver’s license. This is actually legit and within the bounds of the law (actually not true, I learned–see next post)–it’s their collateral to make sure you pay your traffic ticket. So, yes–this is anxiety-inducing. But stick with it–be polite, apologize for breaking the law, and say you’re happy to pay the ticket and get your license back. Play dumb a bit, and don’t get angry. What usually happens (I hear, from talking to people who have dealt with this) is that in the end, it’s just too much trouble for the cop to take you to the station, and you won’t even get a ticket.
