A Few Notes and Reminders
1. If you carry anything illegal in Mexico and are stopped, you will have to pay. You will pay the cop his mordita, or you will pay a fine to the judge. How much you pay depends on what you got and how much you got (as well as how much money you got, if the cop decides to play you).
2. If you do anything illegal in Mexico and are caught, ditto the above.
3. There are laws in Mexico, just like in the USA and you are expected to [b]know[/b] them, otherwise you will be stoopid and lose some cash.
4. You do not have to pay the cops. If you did nothing wrong and you're not riding dirty then insist on seeing the judge. The cops will kick you loose.
5. There are dirty cops in Mexico. The current ratio estimate is 4 out of 10 are dirty.
5. Cops in Mexico do not need to have "probable cause" to stop you and you have NO miranda rights. You can go for failing to co-operate. So don;t be an asshole.
6. Several cops have been brutally murdered in the last few months. They are all froggy right now so don't fuck with them, this is NOT the time to be riding dirty.
7. Have your paperwork in order. Your vehicle and YOU must have papers. Have MEXICAN INSURANCE on your vehicle. Sqare away your documentation. Mexcico is NO PLACE to have an accident, even if it is not your fault. You can spend an entire day squaring thing away after an accident. If you are wrong and are not financially responsible (with cash or insurance) you will have big time problems. Don't go there.
8. The cops under the bridge will search you if they WANT TO. Be ready for it by not riding dirty. Do not pay them any money, count your money before you hit the line and don't take any of their shit. Remember, you are in a foreign country. Let them search you. Be polite but firm, count your money before leaving them. Don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor if things get out of hand.
9. If you fall out of the taxi and are a drunken fool, then expect to be manhandled. Yours will be a situation that they are willing to take advantage of. Keep the odds in your favor. Behave.
10. Clean your vehicle up before going to Mexico. It will help you if you are stopped to have a squared away trunk and interior. Make it easy to search by cleaning it up yourself.
11. Don't pronounce TJPD guilty of doing their job. They have the legal right to check you out so you behave yourself and be co-operative. Let them do their thing. They want to know if you have weapons, dope etc.
12. If you have a trick car or if you dress funny then expect to get stopped because that's one of the profiles they are following up. Remember that since major drug mules were taken off the street and they are trying to et dope into the country by other means.
13. One Federal Officer I have breakfast with on Saturday mornings now tells me that one thing that really pisses him off is when Americano Gringos treat him like he is stupid. They get the full monty. Don;t fall into that trap. Be respectful of the badge even though the wearer might be an asshole. Show some class.
14. Maseros, maseras, street vendors and even the girls rely upon a minimum fog factor or stupidity level in Americans to get their scam across. Certain TJ cops are also a part of this group. They believe that you will be intimidated by the badge and become frightened. Some may even fear physical attack. If you resist, do stoopid things or wander off the beaten path then you can expect nasty things to happen. Don't be stoopid. If you're not riding dirty or have done nothing wrong then DO NOT be intimidated. These are guys just like you and me. They've stopped tousands of Gringos in the past. They all lie, most have something on them and most are disrespectful assholes. No big mystery there right? Well, be right there dealing with the guy. Don't be a wimp. This will send a message to the cop that you're not going to turn over for him. He will move on once he finds you are a tough guy.
15. Don't lie. Cop: "Excuse me sir, where are you going?" Gringo: I'm going to Adelitas Bar, maybe Chicago Club and Hong Kong Club too." Cop: "What are you going there for?" Gringo: "I am going there to see the girls." Cop: "What for?" Gringo: "Because I might want to have sex with them." Cop: "Don;t you know that in Mexico, prostitution is illegal?" Gringo: "Yes." Cop: "Then why are you going to Adelitas to have sex with women for money, isn't that illegal?" Gringo: "If it is illegal, then can you tell me why these businesses are open?" Get it?
This might be off topic, but my fellow mongers need a few baseline facts here. Sorry for the mis-spells and bad grammar.
Be Safe and Be Nice
Country John
re: A few notes and reminders
Country John,
Much thanks for an excellent, right on the money, common sense guide for our travels in TJ. That post should be required reading for all newbies headed to our favorite place. Its also a really good refresher for those of us who have been going down for a longer time.
Kudos amigo!