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So we're doing a brief housesitting and it's *way* out of town. Ran to Soriana today in the homeowner's vehicle and ended up paying our first traffic mordida. We've been mostly in Mexico for the last three years, so I guess it was just our time.

If I ever own a car here, it'll be a beat-up VW bug w/ tinted windows and a MX plate. lol

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It doesn't matter what kind of a car you own...

So, did you do something wrong to warrant getting pulled over? If so, why didn't you just ask for the ticket and go and pay it? It probably would have cost less than what you paid.

Never pay a mordida...NEVER.

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I have lived in Mexico for 15 years. 14 with USA plates. I paid enuf mordida to buy another car. Asking for the ticket

has been a useless act. I have had my car confiscated when everything was legal and I had the Laws in Spanish for the Federales tp read. Their response(and other police at other times) was to the effect "I am the Law here".

In the last year plus, while driving a Mexican plated vehicle, I have never been stopped

This same story applies to many of my friends that drive USA plated cars

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Interesting.

I have lived in Mexico for nineteen years. We have had a Mexican plated car for eighteen of those years. Yes, we have been stopped for traffic violations (deserved)and no I don't pay mordida.

The first year we were here, we were driving a Canadian plated van and never got stopped...not once.

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I have lived in Mexico for 15 years. 14 with USA plates. I paid enuf mordida to buy another car. Asking for the ticket

has been a useless act. I have had my car confiscated when everything was legal and I had the Laws in Spanish for the Federales tp read. Their response(and other police at other times) was to the effect "I am the Law here".

In the last year plus, while driving a Mexican plated vehicle, I have never been stopped

This same story applies to many of my friends that drive USA plated cars

Oldyfeliz,you and I live in the same part of Guadalajara,I've driven a vehicle with expired Utah plates for ten years here and have never had a problem.

Asking for the ticket,(haz me el folio),is not a useless act.

In ten years I've paid one mordida,100 pesos for a seatbelt infraction,just to avoid the hassle.I do keep a copy of Articulo 106 with my papers and that has been helpful in the past,it also helps to have the right attitude when dealing with transitos or cops in general.

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Never say Never. I have been here 16 years, all of last two owned a US plated vehicle and now both Mexican plated cars. You def. get stopped less in Mexican plated but do not even kid yourself and think mordida does nto exist and that you will always walk away with a ticket. You are not gonna argue with the law per say.

I have never as yet gotten a ticket nor have I paid a mordida. My husband has paid mordida, for speeeding in Guadalajara in a traffic jam..LOL. No ticket no way out. My son also has paid mordida, tiny..LOL. How much can you get from a young Mexican looking gringo..

I say if you are local get the ticket, if not ( we travel all over Mexico) whatever it takes to go and be on your way do it. I do lots of respectful smiling. No disrespect or reference to well in US..etc..

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It doesn't matter what kind of a car you own...

So, did you do something wrong to warrant getting pulled over? If so, why didn't you just ask for the ticket and go and pay it? It probably would have cost less than what you paid.

Never pay a mordida...NEVER.

Never is a long time and in some circumstances it might be foolish to stick to your value of never paying a cop to let you go on your way in Mexico. I have been stopped 15 times in 9 years and did pay mordida 2 times. I was asked to "help them out" 4 more times and thought it wise with those police at that time to ask to follow them to the office to pay the ticket. All these times I was driving a California plated car. 4 times I followed them to the office to pay and 3 of the cops didn´t go into the driveway to the office and I waited for them to return and they didn´t show up so I left. The most I paid was $110 USD and was relieved at 4:30 AM to pay it as these 2 cops were very abusive and might have done something ugly to me had I not given into their aggressive demands. The other time I had expired tags and had been south for months and parked my car at my house in Mexicali and the tags were in San Diego and would have had my car impounded and missed a day or two so gave him $300 pesos to go on my way. Using discretion is always a good thing to do and not worry about what might happen if you run into someone who is willing to make your life a nightmare over a few dollars. IMO

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YMMV. In 10 years, 8 with US plated cars, I've gotten 3 tickets and never paid mordida. The most recent ticket was from photo radar for exceeding the speed limit on the Guad Caraterra. With a MX plated are they send it to you via the mail. With a foreign plated car you'll never get one.

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Avoid: mordida, traffic tickets, licensing, operators licensing, vehicle repairs and upkeep, vehicle insurance, concern over police harassment, simplify your lives - RIDE THE BUS - get driven around in a quarter million dollar vehicle to where ever you need to go, enjoy the sights on the way, be entertained and meet strangers - all on the bus

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Around Lakeside, you should fear the expat drivers with expired plates and/or an Importada Temporal that was not properly renewed when their INM status changed or renewed. They think they are insured, but have never read the fine print and do not know that they are driving an illegal vehicle and are usually not insured, as a result. The insurance agents do not tell you that detail. Also, Aduana does not notify you that your car is illegal. You find out the hard way.

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Riding the bus is a delightful idea if you're not handicapped. My hubby couldn't even stand and wait for the bus, never mind get on one.

This is definitely a country for driving defensively. But I've seen infractions by both gringos and Mexicans alike so I'm not pointing fingers at anyone...but I gotta tell ya that my eyebrows hit my hairline on a daily basis. OMG!

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hmm, I've been driving in Mexico for 11 years, 9 years lakeside and last Wednesday I was talking on my cell phone while passing Soriana and got pulled over. I was like duh! Normally I at least have a head set for my cell phone but for some reason didn't have it with me and was making way too many plans while on the phone. I deserved a ticket. Cop came to the door, I exclaimed, "oh my goodness, I was talking on my cell phone and completely forgot what I was doing, I need a ticket...this is my first time ever being pulled over!" He asked for my license and registration. He asked how long I've lived here. Asked if it was my first time being pulled over here, "yes, first time!" I answered. I asked for my ticket, I was at fault. He refused me my ticket. I said, "but you need the money." and insisted he give me one. He said it wasn't that much and it was his job to keep me safe and give me a warning.

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my other 1/2 bought a decent looking used car a few months ago. He was pulled over in Tlajolmulco for having a cover on the license plate. I was sitting in the car trying not to be nervous when my husband took out a screw driver and took the license plate cover off. Apparently, his vehicle could legally be impounded for having the cover because it could possible distort the letters and numbers. The officer asked what he was doing? My husband said he tries to teach others to do what is right and if a cover on his car is wrong, he's going to take it off. The officer shook his hand and we came home.

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  • 4 years later...
On ‎3‎/‎14‎/‎2015 at 10:05 PM, Oldyfeliz said:

I have lived in Mexico for 15 years. 14 with USA plates. I paid enuf mordida to buy another car. Asking for the ticket

has been a useless act. I have had my car confiscated when everything was legal and I had the Laws in Spanish for the Federales tp read. Their response(and other police at other times) was to the effect "I am the Law here".

In the last year plus, while driving a Mexican plated vehicle, I have never been stopped

This same story applies to many of my friends that drive USA plated cars

yes, that's good advice. I've been here for almost twenty years. and I have found it best to drive a Mexican plated Honda white CRV, which makes you almost invisible, as in PV it is a very common car.

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3 minutes ago, bobby brown said:

yes, that's good advice. I've been here for almost twenty years. and I have found it best to drive a Mexican plated Honda white CRV, which makes you almost invisible, as in PV it is a very common car.

Went to Morelia with my nephew in his white CRV. I came out and there were four(4) white CRVs parked in a row. I had to wait for him to catch up to me and point out the right car.

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4 minutes ago, Mainecoons said:

Yup, same experience here.  Once the Texas plates were gone, no hassles while driving a plain vanilla Honda CRV, nondescript grey color.

 

I'm on my 4th Jalisco drivers license and just getting it renewed the other day,,, smooth as silk,,i'm in the system and have all my papers. I guess I'm not fun any more to get over on the Gringo,,,,HA

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