Tickets and car impound

I know this has been talked about before but I still need to clarify. Tonight I dropped a friend off at her house and forgot to put on my seat belt when I left. There was an accident or something in Chapala and so the traffic was one lane and very slow. As I am driving by I hear a cop behind me standing on the side of the road yell something. I did not know he was yelling at me. As I am turning onto another street, a transito cop on a motorcycle blows his horn and tells me to pull over. He says he stopped me for no seat belt which I never realized until he mentioned it. He then asks why I did not stop before when the officer yelled and I told him I did not know he was yelling at me. As you might expect, I am one of those gingos who knows little Spanish. He then asks to see my license, FM3, and car import document. I had my original license, and notorized copies of my FM3 and car document. He tells me the notorized copy of the car document is okay but I must have my original FM3. He tells me they are going to ticket me and impound the car. So I'm thinking if he is correct regarding the FM3 and I did not stop when he yelled, even though it was not on purpose, AND he was correct about the seat belt, I could have 3 tickets and maybe the car can be impounded. 500 pesos got me out of the mess.

So I have 2 questions. Is the original FM3 required? With what happened, could they have impounded my car?

Just another interesting day in Mexico.

I have had originals, copies of traffic laws, and car was impounded at a checkpoint ,& I was at the jail doors. This was the Feds. They looked at all of the papers & said it doesn't matter because I had not paid enough taxes on my car. I had original receipts. They can ignore, threaten, & do what they please .
Two days later, & 7,000 pesos. & a deposition that I had to claim guilt,
I got my car back.

Now I'm feeling lucky!!

OhioDan wrote:I know this has been talked about before but I still need to clarify. Tonight I dropped a friend off at her house and forgot to put on my seat belt when I left. There was an accident or something in Chapala and so the traffic was one lane and very slow. As I am driving by I hear a cop behind me standing on the side of the road yell something. I did not know he was yelling at me. As I am turning onto another street, a transito cop on a motorcycle blows his horn and tells me to pull over. He says he stopped me for no seat belt which I never realized until he mentioned it. He then asks why I did not stop before when the officer yelled and I told him I did not know he was yelling at me. As you might expect, I am one of those gingos who knows little Spanish. He then asks to see my license, FM3, and car import document. I had my original license, and notorized copies of my FM3 and car document. He tells me the notorized copy of the car document is okay but I must have my original FM3. He tells me they are going to ticket me and impound the car. So I'm thinking if he is correct regarding the FM3 and I did not stop when he yelled, even though it was not on purpose, AND he was correct about the seat belt, I could have 3 tickets and maybe the car can be impounded. 500 pesos got me out of the mess.

So I have 2 questions. Is the original FM3 required? With what happened, could they have impounded my car?


Just another interesting day in Mexico.

Dan, ya got screwed, and no kiss. Unless, you didn't state all, they can't impound your vehicle, for seatbelt infraction. Always insist on the ticket! Pay it....50% discount paid within 10 days, or throw it away. What is your license plate number....I could use an extra 500 pesos...LMFAO! No original FM3 is not required. No they can't impound your car for seatbelt violation.

sundown wrote:I have had originals, copies of traffic laws, and car was impounded at a checkpoint ,& I was at the jail doors. This was the Feds. They looked at all of the papers & said it doesn't matter because I had not paid enough taxes on my car. I had original receipts. They can ignore, threaten, & do what they please .
Two days later, & 7,000 pesos. & a deposition that I had to claim guilt,
I got my car back.

BULLSHIT....Mexican Plated, MJ in sight.....NO FING WAY! Tell the whole truth...Feds are great! On top of that Dan is driving a van with OHIO plates.

If it had been just the seatbelt I would have taken the ticket. I knew they couldn't impound for just that. It was the other things that gave me the doubt.

OhioDan wrote:If it had been just the seatbelt I would have taken the ticket. I knew they couldn't impound for just that. It was the other things that gave me the doubt.

Dan, what other things....cocaine? I gotta do a back ground check on ma fishing buddies...LMAO

No cocaine, just an AK-47 and a notorized copy of my FM3.

Dan, give me a call....765-3072 still up.....always insist on ticket.....you got boned.

Jim W,
I hope you were trying to be funny, if not, You would be better thought of if you spoke of what you know. The Police have the power to do what they please. they can search your car & deposit drugs & confiscate your vehicle.
They can take your vehicle & , they have taken my friends vehicle because they said he was not wearing seat belts. Who are you going to complain to??? Ask for a ticket for the infraction & they refuse. Abd if they take your vehicle , it will be months before/if returned & you will pay storage.
It is easy for us to seat in our seats in front of a computer & be right, brave, & indignent, BUT, when the Police have the Profession of Pistol, Power, & Robbery, Our attitude changes.

sundown wrote:Jim W,
I hope you were trying to be funny, if not, You would be better thought of if you spoke of what you know. The Police have the power to do what they please. they can search your car & deposit drugs & confiscate your vehicle.
They can take your vehicle & , they have taken my friends vehicle because they said he was not wearing seat belts. Who are you going to complain to??? Ask for a ticket for the infraction & they refuse. Abd if they take your vehicle , it will be months before/if returned & you will pay storage.
It is easy for us to seat in our seats in front of a computer & be right, brave, & indignent, BUT, when the Police have the Profession of Pistol, Power, & Robbery, Our attitude changes.

Your post implies you haven't paid proper tax....AKA Mexican plated....Your story is full of holes......I drive into GDL 5 days per week. Drive to Tepic every other month. Stopped twice for speeding....no ticket....by Feds. Drive to Phoenix every 60 days....no issue....Is your wife driving? LMAO

USA plated car. I live in Guad, Chapala, & Autlan.- My post said I had original receipts
The story above was at Union de tula checkpoint, & I was taken to Autlan
to the Federal Ministero Publico. I was accompanied by my Mexican wife & because she "faked a phone call to the US Consulate". & the Federal Officer & the Ministero Publico backed off putting me in jail, after she told them that a representative from the US Consulate was coming next day.
I also had a local Lawyer.
For your info proper tax was paid & I had receipt.
I would suggest to you that you have a difficult position defending the integrity of Mexican Police..
It probably would do more for your reputation to doubt without arrogance!

If I have not interpreted your post correctly & have responded in undue manner, please accept my apology

What sort of tax were the Federales looking for on a US plated car?

Sundown story does not add up. There is more to that story than we are being told and unless we are told the whole story there is no point even talking about it.
The police can do a whole lot of things if you piss them off or if they are after you for some reason but unless this was the case, the story does not make sense.

"Its every man for himself", that is the problem. If "we" form a group then there is "us" versus the intimidation. The "group" would have a cell number that they call and these people would call 2 others. The "group" could acquire approx 6 people to come to the "assistance" of the "victim" and witness the situation. I'm sure that the situation would be somewhat different than simply one person vs the "cop". If you are interested in forming this protection group please pm me. You can choose to allow this or do something to change it, a 2013 resolution. United we stand, divided we fall.

http://theguadalajarareporter.com/news-mainmenu-82/lake-chapala-mainmenu-84/31757-chapala-traffic-chief-answers-faqs.html

the tax the Federales claimed I did not pay was not clarified by the Federales(according to my Abogado), but I had the original receipts from the border entry, and all original documents that was asked for.
The bottom line for Brigitte & others to understand is that these situations exist in Mexico. I have lived in Mexico for 13 years, traveled & worked a lot,
and had many crooked Police stop me. The end result is that money leaves my pocket & enters theirs. Yes there are good Police in Mexico, but this post was in addition to the original , that had to pay Mordidia to a crooked
cop. If anyone wishes to take the position that Mexico' has an acceptable
Police situation., I will say that I am looking at your rear end, because of where your head is. This website has people that, if they have not experienced, (and feel that they are an authority), then a person that describes their experience is determined to be a liar, and the they attack the messenger, rather than entering in to acceptable discourse
Happy New Year

We have a Mexican plated car, Mexican drivers license and we have not had to show any of our migration papers ever. Got two tickets this week so they had oportunity to ask for my papers but they did not.
We have been asked for mordida many times but never harassed about our papers and we have been here just about as long as you and travel quite a bit from Chiapas to Jalisco,
Everyone has different experiences I guess.
Brigitte