Cop-out

Ever wondered why you should learn Spanish in Mexico when the majority of the upper class speaks English? I’ll tell you why! – So you can get out of the cop stops that you get into!

With the new laws that they’re implementing it’s making it incredibly hard for foreign vehicles (including from other states in Mexico) to travel in Mexico City or the state of Mexico, and the track record I had of barely being stopped by cops is getting way out of hand. My first 3 years in Mexico I was stopped 4 times, and of those 4 times, twice there was a valid reason. (Yes, like circulating on the wrong day – ahem, or carrying cargo on the Periferico) But in just the last 8 months I’ve been stopped double that, it’s not funny! – Yesterday alone I was stopped twice! – TWICE!!!!

The first time was on the way to the bus station (dropping off Linda and the kids) and of course I’m driving a US license placed vehicle so I’m claiming protection from cops who just seem to see $$$$ signs on our license plates, but alas, they stop me, and I was actually irritated. – I was not doing anything wrong, I was trying to get somewhere in a limited amount of time with the usual Friday traffic, and I really didn’t feel I had the time (and definitely not the money) to try to convince a cop out of a bribe. The cop apparently sensed it and seemed just as annoyed as I was. Ha!

He tells me I’m not allowed to circulate, I tell him I am! :D

I think he was surprised that I was so straightforward and sure. Heh! He goes on to point out that with the new laws no foreign vehicles were permitted to drive Friday, so I tell him that I know about the new law coming in effect the 1^st of July where we can’t circulate from 5am to 11am, I also know about the new law that as of the 5^th of July on Saturdays you can’t circulate with certain plates, but that my vehicle doesn’t circulate Monday, not Friday and today is really Friday not Monday. He insists that “no, you need a permit to circulate today – do you have a permit?” and at that point I realize that he hasn’t once actually made mention of what the repercussion is (which is usually what they do when they’re trying to get a bribe), so I point out that no, I didn’t, I didn’t know I needed one, but that I’m in route to the bus station, I’m trying to get a family on the bus, I don’t have time for this, I’m a missionary and I don’t have money for mistakes like this which is why I try to make sure I know the laws, and I’m just plainly pointing out how frustrated I am with how I can’t seem to get their laws right. Heh! (I was honestly frustrated!)

I think that helped him realize that I was truly innocent in my ignorance. So he gave me the papers back and told me to just be careful because he’s sure I’ll be stopped again! – That was a miracle, but it isn’t over!

We made it to the bus station, dropped off the team, and we’re heading back when sure enough; we get pulled over again! Sniff…

This time I’m not in a rush (though it is about 9:00 at night and I’m not that keen on being out that late – just two girls) and the cops were actually pretty good looking :P so the cop comes up, and points out that today is a day I can’t circulate. I nod my head and tell him the story of the first cop who stopped me and how I had no idea, I was in route to the bus station, etc. etc. etc. and that I’m a good girl, I am, and I try, but I have to get home now and I really don’t usually disobey the laws like this. The guy looks at me and asks me if I have a license! – I guess that’s all he could think of after I gave him my whole tale! :D

So yes, I basically get into asking him to please clarify all these laws for me, and the poor guy even finds himself lost amidst them all, to where he has to go and get his colleague to help answer my questions. – Ha-ha! Thankfully with this cop too I was able to explain my plight, and mistake, and he returned the papers and license, which was another miracle, and his cop colleague even wanted to escort us Home so as to not get stopped again – how sweet, right? ;) Except they didn’t as the cop that was originally talking to me said that “no, we can’t, we have other cars to stop”. (In a casual joking manner) Ha! Oh well…

All is well that ends well and again, LEARN SPANISH – it helps! ;)

I’ll leave you with some pics we took at the Zocalo the other day when I went in for some biz – it was Sharon’s first time so of course we had to see some of the sites and document it.

Sharon was fascinated and grossed out all at once with this frog-like statue - and had to take a pic with it.

I finally got a pic with the flag unfurled on this one!

If I look like I have this huge grin on it’s because I was trying to not laugh. A midget (well-dressed and obviously well-educated) offered to take a pic of the two of us together, so here you have a picture taken from a midget’s perspective. – I guess now I know how tall I look to kids. – Wow!