Now, Id received an email from Greg (the other rider I was travelling with for a while) a couple of days ago, and he told me he was up in Guatemala now, but he also said he'd had a bit of a "drawn-out" interaction with a traffic cop on his ride out of Nicaragua...
The policeman had apparently given him a bogus ticket for an offence he didnt commit, but hed also spotted Gregs copied license and insisted on seeing the real one... which he then pocketed and wouldnt give back till Greg paid a $15US ticket at the bank in the next town!.... Needless to say, I was duly warned about the possibilities!
... and actually Id had my own little incident with a traffic cop on my way back here from Bluefields... Id very nearly got myself a ticket, But the fact that the cop had had to "chase me down" in his car rather than deal with me at the road check that I "blew through", meant that the policeman had inadvertently left his ticket book back at the road check... And I ended up just getting a "stern talking to"!!
So, in fact, I had been "doubly warned"!
... But, it made no difference, when I came to a certain piece of road where there was a long straight down-hill followed by a long straight up-hill, and there were some cars ahead of me... But they were moving OK, so no issue...
But then they were slowing down quite a lot and so I pulled out into the lane for the opposite direction (no traffic at all coming the other way) to "see" what was going on...
And, I saw the orange pylons of a road check up ahead, so I pulled back in to my lane and kept my place and waited...
But, as I came to the road check, the policeman pointed very clearly for me to pull over and stop... I knew I was in trouble though I had no idea what for!
And so, the policeman and I began our "dance"!
First off we stay polite but dont volunteer anything...
And the policeman asks for my papers for the bike... Which I have on hand and give to him happily.
Then he asks for my license, so I dig that out and hold it out so he can see clearly...
He tries to take it from me but I dont let go...
He asks me to let go but I say "No, you can see all the information you want and spend as long as you like but Im keeping hold of my license thank you" :)
He doesnt like this and he clearly wants to take it!... But he stays polite and tries for the verbal approach...
So then he `spills the beans` and says "you committed an infraction"...
And I said "I dont think so!"...
And he says "Oh yes you did"
And I say "What was it"...
And he says "You pulled out across the yellow line to pass and it was on a bridge too"
And I say "I didnt pass, I was just looking ahead at what the obstruction was"...
And he says "It doesn't matter, if you pass or not, its an infraction".
And I say "Im sorry, where I come from you are allowed to do what I did"
And he says... "Not here you arent!"
And I say really, can you show me the law"...
And, like a good little traffic policeman, he pulls out his little book of traffic laws and starts leafing through it...
And he finds the appropriate articles and shows me them....
And indeed I read the articles, and I look back at the section of road, and Yep, he has got me on a technicality...
Because "every man and his dog" down here (meaning all the local drivers as well as me ) passes at these sorts of places weather there is a yellow line or not, or a bridge or not... Yes, its clear that this is exactly the same spot that Greg got "nabbed" and its also clear that this is one of those police check-points that is specifically put in place right here so as to generate the absolute maximum number of tickets and thus the maximum revenue for his police department/office etc.... Weather there is any danger or not!
... Oh well, what can ya do, Sometimes the law gets abused in the opposite direction too!
Back to me and the policeman...
Well, the guy keeps wanting to take my license but I wont let him have it...
I stay very polite and calm and I be as nice as I can, so there are no tempers involved on either side yet :)
So, now I have to agreed that there is indeed an infraction, and that the policeman has the right to write me a ticket..
OK I say, "Write me the ticket"
But the policeman says "No, I need to take your license and then you go pay the ticket at any bank and come back with the receipt before I give you your license back"...
To which I say "Well, sorry but its not actually mine, Its the property of the Canadian government and I cant give it up"...
... stalemate!
He pulls over a few other cars while he waits for things to "change" with me, so its clear that he is not going to let me go with a warning, and he is going to give me a ticket and he is prepared to wait all day, and he is not going to proceed till he gets my license!...
Hmmm
I ask to see the article that says he can take the drivers license...
It takes a while but he eventually looks it up and hands me his little book to read while he goes and books another driver!
I see him write infringement tickets for two other local Nicaraguan drivers while I wait!
(At least they are not just "picking on the tourists!" :)...
... But Ive read the article in question, and even though its in Spanish, its pretty clear... yes he has the right to take my license...
So, when next he comes back to me (after about 15 minutes) he asks again for my license and this time I hand it over...
He is happier now and though he has a bit of a detailed look at the construction of my license (and his facial expression is not completely satisfied), he accepts it and proceeds to write me a ticket.
Im then given instructions of how to pay it and allowed to go (he still has my license)
And so, I ride off in the direction I was originally heading... Ostensibly to a bank in the next town to pay my ticket, thence to return for my hostage license...
But I decided to not stop and pay the ticket today.... I rode on to the boarder with Honduras and proceeded across the boarder on my planned way!
So, I admit that I have an outstanding traffic infringement ticket in Nicaragua. There is no denying it... He got me on a technicality... But, I have elected to NOT pay it immediately as most people do :)
... I can do that at a later date :)
... Actually, that reminds me, I believe that I have another outstanding traffic infringement ticket in Nicaragua from the first time I rode through over two years ago!... Guess I can deal with them both at the same time... At a later date! :)))
I hope the little policeman with his deliberately obstructive and "revenue generating" road-check enjoys the memento I left him of our little 45 minute interaction !
... A laminated colour photocopy of my license :)))
