Traffic Cops: the worst thing abt living in Latin America

So today I was driving home alone and was in an especially congested part of the city when two motorcycle cops pull up alongside me and wave me over.  So I carefully made my way to a narrow side street and parked.  The following is how the conversation went down and has been translated into English:

OFFICER #1:  "Are you trying to run from us?"
ME:  "Ummm, no - here I am.  If I was running I wouldn't have pulled over."
OFFICER #2:  "But we've been following you for two blocks and you wouldn't pull over.  You ran a pedestrian crosswalk when an officer tried to stop traffic and he radioed us to pull you over."
ME:  "WHAT??!!  That's insane b/c when a cop steps out on the street to stop traffic I always stop - otherwise I would've run him over, right?  Plus I'm always super careful here - especially at this hour when the school kids are getting out.  I didn't see anyone step out to stop traffic."
OFFICER #2:  "He was trying to stop traffic from the sidewalk.  He waved at you to stop but you went on."
ME:  "The officers always step out into the street to stop traffic.  I don't believe you."
OFFICER #1:  "Well our commander happened to be there too and he told us to write you up.  Actually we've giving you two infractions - one for not stopping for him and the other for not stopping for us."
OFFICER #2 (chiming in):  "Yeah, and that's a lot of money - two infractions!" 
OFFICER #1 then asked if I had a calculator for him to tell me the amount (could he not count that high?!).  I pulled up the calculator on my cell phone and handed it to him.  He punched in some numbers and then emitted a low whistle and showed it to the other officer before showing it to me.  It was $1,330 pesos ($95 USD).  "Es muuuuucho dinero" he said, elongating the "u's" for emphasis.
ME:  "I can't believe you're trying to give me two infractions.  Have you had a bad day? (I laugh & so do they).
OFFICER #1 & #2:  "Well look, you can pay us half right here.  That would save you a trip downtown to the station and you won't lose your license." (They confiscate your driver's license in most countries of Latin America when you get a ticket). 
ME:  "Well just write me the ticket."  I threw up my hand for emphasis.  The officers were trying to trick me into paying them on the spot.  The "half" ($665 pesos or $47.50 USD) would go right into their pockets.  The majority of drivers don't pay it but, after the cops' offer of half, the bargaining with them begins.  It's a strange unwritten custom. 
The officers shook their heads and exchanged surprised looks for my desire to take the ticket instead of taking a cheaper and more convenient way out.  The surprised, incredulous looks were bluffing, of course, pure theatrics.  And then:
OFFICER #1:  "So you want to pay the whole thing rather than only half then?  That's a lot of money, my friend.  But if that's what you want..."  They both waited for my reaction.  

ME:  "Well go ahead!"  I decided to call their bluff and see where it got me by pulling out my map book and politely asking them to show me exactly where the central office was - where I had to go to pay the ticket & get my license back.  As such, this was bluffing on my part. 
OFFICER #2 (putting the ticket book away):  "Ok, ok, let's be reasonable.  Why not just pay us and get on with your day?"  He smiled a big smile.
ME:  Returning his smile:  "Look, I've lived here for six years.  You think this is the first time I've had to deal with traffic cops?  I'll give you $100 pesos ($7 USD)."
The officers again exchanged looks.  The first one walked away and got back on his bike.  I guess he was done. 
OFFICER #2:  "$400 pesos."
ME:  "Give me a break!  Here's a $200 peso note ($14.28 USD) - take it or give me the ticket...I've got to go."  I handed him the crinkled up bill.
OFFICER #2:  "Alright then.  We'll stop traffic on the street behind you [the avenue I was on when they pulled me over] so you can pull out safely.  Have a nice day!"

So I was on my way only to be pulled over by another motorcycle cop about 10 mins later.  The second stop, however, the officer just reviewed my papers to see if everything was in order.  That stop lasted less than a minute whereas the first one was about twenty minutes.  Thankfully this is not normal - getting so much attention from the police!  

So here comes the ethical reflection on this:  It's not like I pay bribes every time I get pulled over.  In fact many times I've talked them out of giving me a ticket by being nice and cooperative.  That's a technique I learned from Pastor Victor in Nicaragua, an expert in these things if there ever was one.  And yes, I've heard time and time again how horrible it is to contribute in the corruption like this and many Americans who live in Latin America have piously told me they simply do not pay bribes.  They just refuse to "become part" of the corruption, end of story.  Well I do understand and I respect their conviction but that's going counter to the culture here.  Good luck trying to live in the ethical black/white in a culture notoriously gray!  Until things change from the top down and these guys are paid more, the "mordidas" (bribes) will continue to exist.  Everyone here hates it but it's woven into the system itself so deeply that only a top-down reform would make it better.  So while I don't like doing this sometimes you just have to exercise some cultural flexibility...

Comments

[Dennis]

Soooooo typical!! It's such a tough situation that you are put in, too.

Besides the fact that they were just pulling you over and they had no basis, it's a tough situation.

[Mom]

That's a hoot! But not funny to you, of course an aggravation.

[Johnny Brooks]

Big problem here in Kenya. Corruption is endemic, and it is not my mission to get rid of it.

Without paying the bribes, I could not do the work I do.