cancun police warning!

[Kate82]

thanks for the info. this is insane! I will let my guests know not to drive when we are in Cancun.

[JoLo908]

Totally makes you want to just take a cab!

[uspoiledme]

We had the same thing happen to us the last time we visited Jamaica.

[chocolatedrop04]

This is totally crazy. Thanks for the info I will tell everyone not to rent cars. Geesh if I thought that I got attitude about having a DW in mexico before, I'll def be getting it after this lol

[mrsscottyb]

I had the same thing happen to me and my FI last year in Cancun when we went to meet our wedding coordinator for the first time. Luckily we knew what to do and had a small amount of money in our pocket. It still was very scary getting pulled over by the Federales! The next time we rented a car, the rental agency gave us a laminated sheet to show the cops and also told us to tell the cop you want to speak to his supervisor. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing either! I'd rather just part with my $20 bucks and leave it at that. The last place I would want to end up is in a Mexican jail cell!

[hanna]

Yep, us too. Rented a Jeep and drove from Cancun to Xel-Ha.. got pulled over around Playa. We were scared.. and my fiance didn't want to seem like he was bribing the cop.. so he asked if there was any way for us to pay for the fine now.. and the cop just told us to give him what cash we had.. unfortunatly we had about $100 in his wallet.. wish we would have known ahead of time and only put a $20 or so in there...

 

So, for our wedding we had a couple guests rent cars. We advised them it probably isn't worth it.. especially one you add up rental fee, insurance and possible fines.. So, luckily they listened to us and cancelled their rental cars.. so not worth it down there!

[~*DiAnE*~]

Thanks for the post - my friend is getting married in Cancun next month and didn't mention it to me - so I will make sure and pass this along!!!

[Matt Adcock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanna Yep, us too. Rented a Jeep and drove from Cancun to Xel-Ha.. got pulled over around Playa. We were scared.. and my fiance didn't want to seem like he was bribing the cop.. so he asked if there was any way for us to pay for the fine now.. and the cop just told us to give him what cash we had.. unfortunatly we had about $100 in his wallet.. wish we would have known ahead of time and only put a $20 or so in there... So, for our wedding we had a couple guests rent cars. We advised them it probably isn't worth it.. especially one you add up rental fee, insurance and possible fines.. So, luckily they listened to us and cancelled their rental cars.. so not worth it down there!

I think that advising your friends NOT to rent a car here is absolutely over the top.

Ok, just a few facts. I'm clocking in almost 2 years in this town. I drive everywhere in this place (playa del carmen) Only pulled over 1 time.

Yeah, the police are for sure corrupt, i've hear about it all the time..

Well, in 2 years, it finally happened to me a few weeks ago. I drove to drop a few friends off at the bus station and i forgot my license...i had NADA for paperwork on me. I gave the guy all my spanish and he wouldnt speak a word of english and all he wanted is money.....

I pulled out $200 pesos (literally all I had on my) and put it in a piece of paper and gave it to him.

Have a nice day guero. It was that easy.

For all those folks who drive from CANCUN into Playa or out of Playa further south..... SLOW DOWN. 80kilometers per hour. The regularly station themselves on the highway 370 with radar and they pull you over if you are going to fast. Of course, the will take a pay off, we have friends who have been there.

Also, I think I read something about following to the jail or going to take you into a police station..... are you serious? The police's last intention is to take honest tourists to jail....not a chance. They just want to intimidate you. And, taking the time to go to jail over a traffic violation...yeah, when was the last time that actually happened to anybody? unless you were driving 200mph. Just be prepared if they talk like that, pull out dinero, play it cool, and all is good to go. Knowing how to react is more than half the battle.


Do not pull out 100 dollars, holy cow..... prepare a pocket with your pesos before you drive, and dig the cash out of that one, if you are fearful of traffic cops. Otherwise, just try to drive safely and you might be surprised how you avoid the police.... and they really avoid you.

Good luck and police free wishes on your next trip here... Just remember to pack $200 pesos in your pocket...thats sufficient. OH, play stupid too....no speakie espalonie senior....

[zorlack76]

Well, one thing is for certain, the cops are grossly underpaid in Mexico. That is prolly why they have to be crooked. They need to feed their families too, and I dont think they are stealing your money maliciously...just trying to be able to eat. Keep in mind...their crooked bosses too...they prolly have to give their bosses a cut of the money they take from you. If you give them 50 bucks, they prolly gotta give thier boss 50% or more of that, so Im sure they dont get to keep the whole thing.

[hanna]

I think that advising your friends NOT to rent a car here is absolutely over the top.

QUOTE]

 

Matt - for someone who travels down there frequently and is savy with the authorities and the country - then perhaps handling the situation would be easy.

 

However, the guests that I advised to cancel their rental cars have never traveled outside of the US, and will only be commuting from the airport to the hotel and back - so I disagree that advising them to cancel their rental cars is over the top.

 

I think that everybody makes decisions based on their situations, and I would rather advise my guests to be safe than sorry. I know that being pulled over and intimidated would scare them and perhaps ruin their vacation. I would prefer to know that a reputible travel company transport them back and forth and they can just relax and not worry about such things.