Chilean carabineros took my license

[Misery Goat]

That's funny b/c I had heard from several sources the cops won't bother giving foreigners tickets. I blasted the main road south from Santiago to the lakes district and passed a number of cops while traveling well above the posted limit. One cop had his radar gun pointed right at me and didn't even bat an eye when I flew past him.

And I would have no problem using a laminated dl in Latin America. I met a number of folks using them.

[Acampao]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

I'm interested in your thoughts on giving the officer a laminated photocopy of a driver's license?

I would like to hear first hand experiences from people actually doing it. It's obviously illegal but you can probably get away with it. Most important question is, do you want to have a criminal record of unpaid tickets behind you as you travel the world? Are you just quitting after this ride and never show up again in any country you traveled through? If so, I would like to be remembered for more enjoyable offenses... What do you want to be the script in your tombstone?

[nevermind]

Originally Posted by Acampao

Most important question is, do you want to have a criminal record of unpaid tickets behind you as you travel the world?

You are right, Pedro. This behavior isn't right!!! These globe-trotting, habitual-law-breaking criminals must be punished. Do you think beheading is too weak?

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by Acampao

I would like to hear first hand experiences from people actually doing it. It's obviously illegal but you can probably get away with it. Most important question is, do you want to have a criminal record of unpaid tickets behind you as you travel the world? Are you just quitting after this ride and never show up again in any country you traveled through? If so, I would like to be remembered for more enjoyable offenses... What do you want to be the script in your tombstone?

I have no problem with paying for tickets I deserve. I'm used to dealing with local Policia in Baja California where you you have to pay the "mordida" for running a red light or stop sign that isn't there. Usually you ask if you could pay the fine to the officer who pulled you over and he "takes care of it" for you. Funny, how you can get the fine reduced on the spot from $100 down to $20 by showing an empty wallet.

So I guess the question is how legitimate are the traffic stops? Is the corruption bad enough that these guys/municipalities are using tourists as geese with golden eggs? If so then a bogus copy would be fine by me along with continuing out of the country. If it is legit, then my bad, give him the bogus copy and then go pay the fine.

[Acampao]

Originally Posted by nevermind

You are right, Pedro. This behavior isn't right!!! These globe-trotting, habitual-law-breaking criminals must be punished. Do you think beheading is too weak?

Don´t worry Bubba, we are not in the US, no death penalty here (you won´t get life in prison for a third minor offense either).

[Acampao]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

I have no problem with paying for tickets I deserve. I'm used to dealing with local Policia in Baja California where you you have to pay the "mordida" for running a red light or stop sign that isn't there. Usually you ask if you could pay the fine to the officer who pulled you over and he "takes care of it" for you. Funny, how you can get the fine reduced on the spot from $100 down to $20 by showing an empty wallet.

So I guess the question is how legitimate are the traffic stops? Is the corruption bad enough that these guys/municipalities are using tourists as geese with golden eggs? If so then a bogus copy would be fine by me along with continuing out of the country. If it is legit, then my bad, give him the bogus copy and then go pay the fine.

Two pieces of advice if you want to hear them: 1. Don´t even think of trying to bribe a cop in Chile. It will surely end with you in jail. 2. Producing a counterfeit license (i.e. a xerox of the original) is a much more serious offense than speeding.

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by Acampao

Two pieces of advice if you want to hear them: 1. Don´t even think of trying to bribe a cop in Chile. It will surely end with you in jail. 2. Producing a counterfeit license (i.e. a xerox of the original) is a much more serious offense than speeding.

I will remember your advice! Thank you!

[Vladtux]

Originally Posted by Acampao

Two pieces of advice if you want to hear them: 1. Don´t even think of trying to bribe a cop in Chile. It will surely end with you in jail. 2. Producing a counterfeit license (i.e. a xerox of the original) is a much more serious offense than speeding.

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

I will remember your advice! Thank you!

These are golden rules in Chile!

and I hope you can recover you license soon!

[kantuckid]

Originally Posted by Acampao

Two pieces of advice if you want to hear them: 1. Don´t even think of trying to bribe a cop in Chile. It will surely end with you in jail. 2. Producing a counterfeit license (i.e. a xerox of the original) is a much more serious offense than speeding.

As to counterfeit license: I have one for disposable use in Mexico. I gave the GED class for many years & we had training to spot copies (to prevent taking the test for others) & I can assure you that most cops wouldn't spot my copy.
It seems that your "cup is half full"? The OP doesn't qualify for prison yet, at least ,so it seems to me?

[SR]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

I'm interested in your thoughts on giving the officer a laminated photocopy of a driver's license?

Maybe a bouncer at a bar. Personally, I wouldn't try to give a fake ID to Cop in Latin America any faster than one in the US or Canada. And to avoid the inconvenience of paying a what is usually less than a $15 ticket? Lower pay, yes, less training, possibly, sub-human intelligence, no. If it was such a great idea, then everyone would have a pocket full of them, including the locals.

[H96669]

Fake documents....I'd never give that to an official anywhere. Even a US border guard questioned my perfectly legal documents way back then. Sheeesh....!

Getting to be more and more of a moot point that, our "enhanced driver's licenses" can't be photocopied. I sure tried with the very good copier at work if just to see what happens.

[FateMaker]

im changing my name and flying to Buenos Aires for plastic surgery, that outta do it

[Acampao]

Originally Posted by FateMaker

im changing my name and flying to Buenos Aires for plastic surgery, that outta do it

Stay there...

[conrado]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

I have no problem with paying for tickets I deserve. I'm used to dealing with local Policia in Baja California where you you have to pay the "mordida" for running a red light or stop sign that isn't there. Usually you ask if you could pay the fine to the officer who pulled you over and he "takes care of it" for you. Funny, how you can get the fine reduced on the spot from $100 down to $20 by showing an empty wallet.

So I guess the question is how legitimate are the traffic stops? Is the corruption bad enough that these guys/municipalities are using tourists as geese with golden eggs? If so then a bogus copy would be fine by me along with continuing out of the country. If it is legit, then my bad, give him the bogus copy and then go pay the fine.

I've travelled a lot on a bike in Chile as a foreigner.

My experience with the carabineros (and yes, I have been stopped more than once and also fined) is that they are extremely correct. No corruption going on there.

Can't say the same about the Policia Caminera in Argentina, tough.

[bananaman]

Amateurs...

All you have to do is find a friendly face at your local DMV and ask them for a spare copy (or three) of your license. Here's what I did: 1) I told them I lost my license. So I got another one. Then I lost that one, and got another one. Finally, just to take things too far, I got another one. I left two in Wisconsin, in a big envelope marked "SPARE ID: Drivers License, Passport, Title, Registration, Insurance Cards." I also saved my expired licenses. I started out handing out my expired license, in Nicaragua. By the time I got to Chile I was down to only one expired license and two current licenses.