Bribery

Today I drove up to a police checkpoint and was told they were going to seize my vehicle and give me a fine for having a copy of my driver's license and not the original. I had heard somewhere that keeping copies of title, insurance, plate application, passport, visa, and driver license are fine, but I guess not. It's funny they didn't care about my passport copy (with expired copy of my visa), but just my license. I asked if I could go home (5 mins away), retrieve it, and return, but the cop refused. She told me to call a friend to bring it...I'm at a loss as to who I would want entering my room, digging through my cards, money, passport, etc., and bringing my license to me, so I said no. I called the lawyer I work for and had him talk to the cop. The cop agreed to let me go home and come back with the license, but I would be receiving a $150 fine. I returned with my license and another officer yelled over to the first "Es el tu gringo?" "My" officer pulled out a flip-phone (yes, a flip-phone), and proceeded to pretend like she was using some kind of high-tech device to scan my ID. I told her over and over I didn't understand, it was an honest mistake, I didn't know a copy of my license was not OK (because copies of EVERYTHING else are OK), and I would always make sure to keep my license with me in the future. I also said $150 was a large fine to which she exclaimed she could think of a way to make it a little less. A-ha, now we're talking. How much? $20. How about $19, it's all I have? Ok. A different cop (19 y/o) comes over and asked me if I understood, so I hold up the money and the cop pushes my hand down out of view of the window. He asked for my title so I give it to him. He blocked the window with his body, and while pretending to read my title paper, slips the money into his hip belt and exclaims "Hermano, toda esta bien!" So I drove away.

I am not happy about contributing to corruption, but hey, $20 beats $150 plus all the hassle that comes with it.