Driving in Baja Do We Need a Permit? / Traffic Laws / Crooked Cops


Old 05-05-11, 11:10 PM   #21
BajaGringo
 
BajaGringo's Avatar
 
Status: Queso Grande
Join Date: 02-09-09
Location: San Quintin
Posts: 7,149

BajaGringo is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Today while driving along Interstate 5 heading northbound I counted no fewer than 20 CHP stops. There were more but it wasn't until about the third or fourth one in a 30 mile stretch that I decided to keep score. Several were in the unmarked cars as I went farther north and I am betting they are getting pressured...
__________________

TalkBaja.com - Where everybody knows your name and nobody stays on topic
...
Old 05-08-11, 08:38 AM   #22
J.P.
 
J.P.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: 07-25-10
Posts: 681

J.P. is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

One Christmas about 10 years ago we came across at SanYsidro about dusk in the afternoon in our 36ft diesel pusher towing a Samiaru and 6 grand kids all teenagers. The oldest grandson was riding co piolit he was supposed to be watching for the turn off to the Senic road
Well we missed it and wound up downtown in heavy traffic the kids were hanging out the wondows thying to help me get over as i was in the center lane when one hollered papa there is a motorcycle cop bhhind us motioning us to pull over.so after I pulled over he stopped us and told me it was illeagel to be in the center lane towong a vehicle.and started the usual speel he wanted 180dls and i had about 85dls which i showed him. he took the money and counted it then kept 50dls and said i would need the rest for toll as he gave it back. I explained i didnt have a clue where i was would he help me to the toll road so he said follow me we had a motorcycle escort thru Tijuana red lights and all. all the way to the toll road. to this day they all talk about papa bribing the cops to get a motoecycle escort thru TIJUANA
Old 05-08-11, 09:42 AM   #23
bob r
 
bob r's Avatar
 
Join Date: 12-29-10
Posts: 253

bob r is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by J.P.
One Christmas about 10 years ago we came across at SanYsidro about dusk in the afternoon in our 36ft diesel pusher towing a Samiaru and 6 grand kids all teenagers. The oldest grandson was riding co piolit he was supposed to be watching for the turn off to the Senic road
Well we missed it and wound up downtown in heavy traffic the kids were hanging out the wondows thying to help me get over as i was in the center lane when one hollered papa there is a motorcycle cop bhhind us motioning us to pull over.so after I pulled over he stopped us and told me it was illeagel to be in the center lane towong a vehicle.and started the usual speel he wanted 180dls and i had about 85dls which i showed him. he took the money and counted it then kept 50dls and said i would need the rest for toll as he gave it back. I explained i didnt have a clue where i was would he help me to the toll road so he said follow me we had a motorcycle escort thru Tijuana red lights and all. all the way to the toll road. to this day they all talk about papa bribing the cops to get a motoecycle escort thru TIJUANA
I like that STORY
Old 05-08-11, 03:33 PM   #24
Bajahowodd
 
Bajahowodd's Avatar
 
Join Date: 05-04-09
Location: Too often not South of the border
Posts: 2,375

Bajahowodd is an unknown quantity at this point



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by BajaGringo
Today while driving along Interstate 5 heading northbound I counted no fewer than 20 CHP stops. There were more but it wasn't until about the third or fourth one in a 30 mile stretch that I decided to keep score. Several were in the unmarked cars as I went farther north and I am betting they are getting pressured...
Strange. In that I recall a much greater CHP presence on the highway decades ago. I recall thinking often that I wonder where all those guys disapeared to. Maybe the luck of the draw, but as someone used to commuting over 100 miles a day, not to mention recreational trips, it just seemed to me that the CHP was just nowhere as present as they were 20-30 years ago.
Old 05-08-11, 04:45 PM   #25
bob r
 
bob r's Avatar
 
Join Date: 12-29-10
Posts: 253

bob r is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bajahowodd
Strange. In that I recall a much greater CHP presence on the highway decades ago. I recall thinking often that I wonder where all those guys disapeared to. Maybe the luck of the draw, but as someone used to commuting over 100 miles a day, not to mention recreational trips, it just seemed to me that the CHP was just nowhere as present as they were 20-30 years ago.
This new group of CHP is the offspring of the old CHP Slime!
Old 05-09-11, 07:49 AM   #26
BajaGringo
 
BajaGringo's Avatar
 
Status: Queso Grande
Join Date: 02-09-09
Location: San Quintin
Posts: 7,149

BajaGringo is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

I have noticed a drop in the number of CHP units you see in urban, high traffic areas the past several years. Where I see them more is once you get "out of town"; wide open areas where folks tend to press down a bit more on the accelerator. CHP officers today are there to create revenue, an opinion held by many. Family members in other branches of law enforcement have shared their "terms" for them:

Meter maids with a gun

CHP - Can't Handle (real) Policework

__________________

TalkBaja.com - Where everybody knows your name and nobody stays on topic
...
Old 05-09-11, 08:29 AM   #27
wessongroup
 
wessongroup's Avatar
 
Join Date: 01-17-10
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 2,523

wessongroup is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

In my life, I have been given more "breaks" by CHP than anyone ....

Great bunch in my view... but, than that's just me..

A lady CHP officer, at a "stop for drunken drivers", let me drive the rest of a couple miles home on a Christmas Eve.. and I was messed up, company party with the wife.. both were toast ... that was 1988 ..... and it was the last time I was drinking and driving...

And to the day, I thank that officer for giving me such a big break....

She took a big risk in doing what she did, and I repaid her by doing exactly what she asked me to do... get it home and park it... ASAP

Also worked with Law Enforcement a lot in emergency response situations... to hazardous materials accidents on the Highway... some of those folks really didn't have a clue back in the early 70's when rolling up on an accident on the road, or fire guys responding too.. As NFPA Placards were not in use at that time..

Took a couple of really bad accidents to get the thing going, a fire with Lannate on the Golden State Freeway, and a number of others ....

One comes to mind which really pushed it quite a bit... think it was 9 fire fighters down in Texas that were responding to a trailer fire .... in which there were quite a few cases of dynamite ... and the trailer which the guys were fighting... had not a clue.. as the contents of the trailer were not identified... by any sort of placarding.. ... it "blew" and killed all the guys... it did make "placarding" by the NFPA get a "jump" start... and has been a life saver a number of times for first responders... by having easy identification of what they are coming up on ... along with manifests ... GPS tracking of loads... ...
__________________
Suicide hot line... please hold
Old 05-09-11, 08:44 AM   #28
BajaGringo
 
BajaGringo's Avatar
 
Status: Queso Grande
Join Date: 02-09-09
Location: San Quintin
Posts: 7,149

BajaGringo is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by wessongroup
In my life, I have been given more "breaks" by CHP than anyone ....
You are lucky Wiley and I doubt you will ever see those days again. CHP officers giving out just warnings are frequently reprimanded today - the state has turned down the screws and writing tickets is now their job description.

I got one not long ago for simply not using my turn signal when changing lanes. The CHP explained to me that I was making a "hazardous" lane change in front of another car.

That "other car" was several car lengths back but that didn't seem to matter. He was writing the ticket by the time I had rolled down my window...

__________________

TalkBaja.com - Where everybody knows your name and nobody stays on topic
...
Old 05-09-11, 09:53 AM   #29
J.P.
 
J.P.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: 07-25-10
Posts: 681

J.P. is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Before I moved to Baja I owned a small trucking co. I had 7 18wheel trucks.which ran 48 states California being the worst to deal with when you got the red light at the scale house break out the check book they would "INVENT" something wrong with your rig. The price of fuel and Taxiation with a Gun made it a money losing deal to come to C.A.
Old 05-09-11, 11:18 AM   #30
wessongroup
 
wessongroup's Avatar
 
Join Date: 01-17-10
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 2,523

wessongroup is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Trucking .... different story all together... add in hazardous materials... and watch out...
__________________
Suicide hot line... please hold
Old 05-09-11, 11:31 AM   #31
J.P.
 
J.P.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: 07-25-10
Posts: 681

J.P. is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by wessongroup
Trucking .... different story all together... add in hazardous materials... and watch out...
I dropped my Haz. Mat Endorsement , contrary to the public beliefe the added cost of insurance and permits. plus in most cases no increase in revnue it just wasnt worth the trouble.
Old 05-09-11, 03:42 PM   #32
Bajahowodd
 
Bajahowodd's Avatar
 
Join Date: 05-04-09
Location: Too often not South of the border
Posts: 2,375

Bajahowodd is an unknown quantity at this point



Default Re: Just curious...

Something Wiley mentioned. The "drunk driving checkpoint".

Am I the only one that thinks there's just no probable cause to force folks to be "interviewed" while driving on public highways?

Sure, MADD probably hates me. But, at the end of the day, given what strikes me as a clear intrusion on our civil liberties, what are the statistics that show any marked decrease in injuries and fatalities related to drunk driving?

I strongly discourage anyone from drinking then driving. On the other hand, maybe an honest survey of Baja drivers who chug their Tecates and Pacifico whilst traversing Mex 1 would be enlightening.
Old 05-09-11, 03:52 PM   #33
BajaGringo
 
BajaGringo's Avatar
 
Status: Queso Grande
Join Date: 02-09-09
Location: San Quintin
Posts: 7,149

BajaGringo is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bajahowodd
Something Wiley mentioned. The "drunk driving checkpoint".

Am I the only one that thinks there's just no probable cause to force folks to be "interviewed" while driving on public highways?

Sure, MADD probably hates me. But, at the end of the day, given what strikes me as a clear intrusion on our civil liberties, what are the statistics that show any marked decrease in injuries and fatalities related to drunk driving?
I totally agree. If you know anybody in LE that actually works those checkpoints then you know they make a lot of jokes - referring to them as different flavors of municipal cash registers. They usually arrest very few drunks. But they do get a lot of folks with expired licenses, tags, no insurance, etc etc etc

And of course all of those generate more tickets and more revenue...

__________________

TalkBaja.com - Where everybody knows your name and nobody stays on topic
...
Old 05-10-11, 06:10 PM   #34
J.P.
 
J.P.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: 07-25-10
Posts: 681

J.P. is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

I think our goverment knows the people would revolt if they increase TAXES any more so they take money by Police Power. Drunk Check Points, Red light Cameras, Parking Enforcement, and the list goes on
When I lived in Houston I got in the system and put on probation .When I went through the Intake program they told us that 1/3 of the population there was on probation, at the time the population was around 3 million people the monthly probation fee started at 15dls. a month.It doesnt take rocket science to compute that at 15million dls per mo.and that was just the begining Fines, Restutition and other peanelitys.It was a standing joke there was more people in prison for drunk driving than for any other crime the probation dept was a 11 story office building and they actually had a Bank set up on the third floor.

Just a foot note. That Houston experince was in 1983 Wonder what it would be like now.

Last edited by J.P.; 05-10-11 at 06:17 PM.
Old 05-11-11, 11:29 AM   #35
wessongroup
 
wessongroup's Avatar
 
Join Date: 01-17-10
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 2,523

wessongroup is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

My son got a ticket for doing 50 in a 45... $350 ........ then a ticket for no seat belt $175 .... this past month... in Mission Viejo

Think ya got a point on the money... big time .. also there have been a large number of stops for "texting" and/or talking on a cell phone while driving... per the guys who stopped the kid...

He doesn't have a cell phone ... says they are only for dating... and he doesn't want to spend his money that way... at this time..

TJ is way close... and eliminates all the rest... per him....
__________________
Suicide hot line... please hold
Old 05-11-11, 05:56 PM   #36
Marty Cortez
 
Marty Cortez's Avatar
 
Status: `
Join Date: 05-08-09
Posts: 3,677

Marty Cortez is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by wessongroup
My son got a ticket for doing 50 in a 45... $350 ........ then a ticket for no seat belt $175 ...
DAYUM!

Thanks for the warning; gotta redouble my doddering senior driving habits.

Can't (mentally)afford to dump hundreds to a hungry gummint for doing not much at all.
Old 05-11-11, 06:56 PM   #37
ELINVESTIG8R
 
ELINVESTIG8R's Avatar
 
Join Date: 04-07-09
Posts: 623

ELINVESTIG8R is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

For me either side is the same. I really do try to obey the rules of the road but when I don't I accidentally show them my doohickey as I am getting my license from my wallet. I just get a warning such as “you should know better, slow down.” It has worked every time for many years, even with guys who have stopped me before. I know how disgusting right!
Old 05-11-11, 07:44 PM   #38
Marty Cortez
 
Marty Cortez's Avatar
 
Status: `
Join Date: 05-08-09
Posts: 3,677

Marty Cortez is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by ELINVESTIG8R
My dad loved his "honorary" shield some shifty sheriff gave him.

Stolen in a burglary at the Sheraton Shelter Island; a sad day indeed.
Old 05-12-11, 04:34 AM   #39
ELINVESTIG8R
 
ELINVESTIG8R's Avatar
 
Join Date: 04-07-09
Posts: 623

ELINVESTIG8R is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marty Cortez
My dad loved his "honorary" shield some shifty sheriff gave him.

Stolen in a burglary at the Sheraton Shelter Island; a sad day indeed.



Dirty Thieving Bastards
Old 05-12-11, 10:46 AM   #40
wessongroup
 
wessongroup's Avatar
 
Join Date: 01-17-10
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 2,523

wessongroup is on a distinguished road



Default Re: Just curious...

Quote:
Originally Posted by ELINVESTIG8R
Dirty Thieving Bastards

Again like it when you talk dirty... no ALLEGED Dirty Thieving Bastards... just feels right
__________________
Suicide hot line... please hold