May 6, Zacatecas to Ciudad Jimenez - 410 Miles

Today's ride was part of the "long road home", and was basically through the Chihuahuan desert.  We did have the "afternoon sandstorm" of this area, with threatening skies but of course no rain.

The interesting part of the day started when I got stopped for a traffic violation, by a Mexican motorcycle policeman in the town of Gomez Palacio.  

We've all heard the stories of Mexican cops stopping people, citing an offense, and then allowing themselves to be bought off by a bribe.  Well, it's true!

I was indeed guilty of making a turn where I wasn't supposed to, and not giving the right of way in a yield situation.  You know how it is, when you are driving in strange territory, not knowing the local laws and signs, and all the time trying to see and read signs which direct you to turn left or right.  Well, I fit into all of those things, made a mistake, and wound up with the motor cop riding up beside me and pulling me over.

I didn't speak adequate Spanish and the motor cop didn't speak any English.  I gathered that the first things he said to me were intended as a lecture on the proper way to do things, but then he saw my map on my motorcycle, recognized me for an American tourist, and started helping me out in how to get to the proper road leading to our next highway.

This confused me, so I got Alex to come over, since he speaks fluent Spanish.  The motor cop told Alex what the offenses were, and then said he would have to take me into the police station and have a fine levied.  He first indicated that the fine might be as high as 750 Pesos (about $75 U.S.), but then started backpedaling and said that if I were to give a "donation" to the police, which he would collect, he could let me go.

Alex started bargaining with him, and he started out wanting the "donation" to be 500 Pesos (about $50 U.S.), but quickly came down.  Part of the deal was that he would "lead us to the right road" to continue our journey, and then fine me.  What that really meant was that he wanted to get to an area where no one would see the money change hands.  So we followed him, and Alex told me over the CB radio that the motor cop had said the "donation" had to be "discreet".

When we came to the spot of his choosing, he and Alex continued bargaining, but Alex had told him that we would not be willing to give him more than 100 Pesos (about $10 U.S.).  

Alex told me to get the 100 Pesos ready, so I opened my wallet, only to find that I only had a 500 Peso note, a 200 Peso note, and a 20 Peso note.  

Well, I didn't think the motor cop would make change for the 500 or the 200, so I borrowed a 100 Peso note from Jim while Alex continued bargaining, because the motor cop had not yet accepted the 100 Peso figure.  I then went to the motor cop, let him see my "discreet" hold on the 100 Peso note, and when he seemed ready, I shook his hand, with the 100 Peso note palmed between my hand and his, and that sealed the deal.  He got on his bike and rode away.

Since I didn't have to go to the station, and didn't get put in a Mexican jail, it was worth the 100 Pesos just to see how this kind of a bribe would work.  All's well that ends well.

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