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Different place, same permit! (Reply to this comment)
by vodkaboy
Great article. Very similar story in the CIS / Former Soviet Union. Specially Customs and traffic police.
A good tip is to do a little homework and know what permits etc you do need. Then be confident, polite but firm. For example if taking carpets, art or antiques you definitely need an export permit from most countries. Get the permit, then when customs shake their head and say, "Problem" you can produce the permit and say, "no problem".
Asking for a receipt is also a good idea. The one time I was "fined" by traffic police I asked for a receipt. The guy looked stunned and started filling something in; his superior began shouting at him, he gave me my money back and told me to go!
A good read and useful tips!
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Mar 27 '03
6:34 pm PST
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Re: I'm+pretty+naive+sometimes+... (Reply to this comment)
by JAMES23
Nah I need the Loonies for the baggage carts at Pearson when I get home.
James
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Sep 06 '01
5:08 am PDT
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Re: After+pleasantries+were+exchanged... (Reply to this comment)
by JAMES23
Hey get your mind out of that Mexican gutter, tequila boy. This here is a family site.
So Tom speaking from personal experience re that "special permit?" So how was Mexico?
James
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Aug 27 '01
11:11 pm PDT
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After pleasantries were exchanged... (Reply to this comment)
by 4-1-1
...and hints dropped, I unzipped....
Oh man! I thought that I was going to read something quite scandalous here.
The nice thing about "special permits" is that they are widely accepted everywhere.
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Aug 25 '01
8:08 pm PDT
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Been there, paid that.... (Reply to this comment)
by NFP
In 1974, when I did my escape-from-heartbreak, maudlin, self-indulgent heart of darkness tour through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, I bought a book called "The People's Guide to Mexico."
In it was an entire section devoted to the protocol of bribing. Rule one was: Always carry cash, because if you think you need to pay a bribe, do it immediately and unhesitatingly. Don't wait. The longer you wait, the more it'll cost you, the greater the likelihood of a full search during which anything can happen, including a plant by the searchers.
I was stopped at a border station coming out the Mexican state of Chiapas. I had changed my license plates after crossing the border from the US to old tags that -- if stolen, as was often the case -- would not cause me problems when I returned. As the cop was checking my papers, I noticed he looked at my plates and then back at the paper. Realizing he noticed a discrepancy, I immediately pulled the original tage out from under the front seat, showed them to him so he could check THEM against my papers, and then slowly pulled out my wallet. I looked him straight in the eyes and started counting bills. He let me count a few, then nodded his head, I gave them to him, and he let me through.
The sweat from my back had soaked through my shirt on to the carseat. I have no doubt that had I tried to talk my way out of it at fiorst woithout reaching for my wallet, he would have called his officer in charge, and I would have ended up paying far more by the time I had thought of it. I might even have been pulled from my car for a search, and thehy could have planted anythoing just to extort me further.
Good post.
nick
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Aug 25 '01
11:17 am PDT
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Re: This+south+american+boy (Reply to this comment)
by JAMES23
Happy to report that I never had to try any of this in your homeland.
James
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Aug 22 '01
5:02 am PDT
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This south american boy (Reply to this comment)
by amiquilena
Found this article/editorial to be quite excellent and true.
Keep up the amazing work James,
Antonio.
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Aug 22 '01
3:46 am PDT
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A friend of mine... (Reply to this comment)
by mattygroves
...was in the Peace Corps in West Africa. She advised that one way of getting out of uncomfortable situations was to suggest "Is there some fine I can pay?" - to never imply that you are bribing the official. In many African countries, apparently, it doesn't take a large 'fine' to make a difference, as the standard of living is of course so different.
Nice article, cheers
Kate
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Aug 21 '01
7:26 am PDT
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I learned my lesson the hard way... (Reply to this comment)
by mnehr
..when I had a small 'fender bender' in Juarez. It was not even my fault, but I had to pay the cop $100.00 just to let me leave..
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Aug 21 '01
7:03 am PDT
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Excellent advice as usuall... (Reply to this comment)
by thom413
and well-said to boot. I have never had this problem on a trip, but I did read a scary story in the New York Times of a young couple traveling with their 2 little kids in Mexico. The wife left on a short errand with the children, leaving the husband back at the hotel. She was stopped for a "traffic violation", cuffed in front of her kids, and had to pay $150.00 to avoid getting thrown in the pokey. Isn't THAT a vacation story!? Your receipt idea is a stroke of genius.
Best regards,
Tom
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Aug 21 '01
6:14 am PDT
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Sounds a lot like my experiences in Egypt... (Reply to this comment)
by caithnessfan
But I was shaken down by the "Tourist Police" there more than any one else on the country's payroll.
There was the "PERMIT" for having my camera and camcorder in the great pyramid,
The Permit for taking the picture of the member of the tourist police in front of the Egyptian Museum (He literally JUMPED into the shot then charged me for the honor).
Thanks for the tips.
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Aug 20 '01
9:05 pm PDT
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... (Reply to this comment)
by DrFaustus
Thanks... Fortunately, in my few international trips, I've never run into a situation with any "hidden fees," but its nice to have a few of your suggestions for next time I'm down Mexico way...
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Aug 20 '01
4:28 pm PDT
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