Police are extortionist

[dollarman1234]

Just wanted to advise other Puerto Penasco (Sonoyta, Sonora) tourist to be careful with the police. I was stopped for supposedly passing a yellow light when blinking, yes yellow light, the police took my license and threatened to confiscate and retain my vehicle until the fine was paid. Fine was set at 100.00 dollars and would not accept a pennie less. The officers said my vehicle match one described in a robbery and was subject to a thourough search. Loss of time and money, furthermore, dissapointed with that experience.

 

[Estero]

From what I understand unlike the U.S., a motorist is required to stop when the light turns yellow. Which is why the light flashes green before turning yellow. In Mexico, even if you clear the intersection before the light turns red you broke the law if you entered the intersection when the light was yellow. $100 bucks was to steep, you should have suggested going to the station.

 

[brokenwave]

Just wanted to advise other Puerto Penasco (Sonoyta, Sonora) tourist to be careful with the police. I was stopped for supposedly passing a yellow light when blinking, yes yellow light, the police took my license and threatened to confiscate and retain my vehicle until the fine was paid. Fine was set at 100.00 dollars and would not accept a pennie less. The officers said my vehicle match one described in a robbery and was subject to a thourough search. Loss of time and money, furthermore, dissapointed with that experience.

Unfortunately for awhile now some of the police in Sonoyta have been pulling over USA plated cars for speeding (showing a radar gun with someone else's speed showing).
Not stopping at a Alto sign for 3 full seconds and I'm sure there were other BS charges are used now, seems to be the same 2 guys from my experience with them.
Never heard of the yellow blinking light infraction before. They are getting creative, must be really slow in Sonoyta this summer.

If you didn't demand to go to court to pay the fine you just contributed to them continuing to harass visitors on their way to Penasco.
Since most people don't speak Spanish and get very intimidated by the police it's just easier just pay them and to go on their way with
a bad experience from it.
There are some forms from the secretary of tourism (Sonora) that I pulled out the last time I was pulled over for a BS charge, they just let me go.
It will be this way until someone in authority tells them this is bad for tourism and forces them to stop.

 

[brokenwave]

From what I understand unlike the U.S., a motorist is required to stop when the light turns yellow. Which is why the light flashes green before turning yellow. In Mexico, even if you clear the intersection before the light turns red you broke the law if you entered the intersection when the light was yellow. $100 bucks was to steep, you should have suggested going to the station.

View attachment 7600

Nice one Estero, I will have to print it out and put in on my dash whenever I go through Sonoyta, love to see the look on their faces if I ever get stopped again.

 

[Hobie Vern]

From what I understand unlike the U.S., a motorist is required to stop when the light turns yellow. Which is why the light flashes green before turning yellow. In Mexico, even if you clear the intersection before the light turns red you broke the law if you entered the intersection when the light was yellow. $100 bucks was to steep, you should have suggested going to the station.

View attachment 7600

Translation Please?

 

[Estero]

Translation Please?

Don't rob the tourists, they are our friends.

 

[dirtsurfer]

Jesus Christ!!! Someone has got to put a stop to this BS. Are the tourist boards, Mayors and business people feeble minded, half witted or do they just plain not give a damn? The newspapers need to publish front page headlines asking this question or are the newspapers in on the take also? Pressure needs to be brought.

 

[TICO-T]

Jesus Christ!!! Someone has got to put a stop to this BS. Are the tourist boards, Mayors and business people feeble minded, half witted or do they just plain not give a damn? The newspapers need to publish front page headlines asking this question or are the newspapers in on the take also? Pressure needs to be brought.

Instead of using Jesus Christ's name in your anger why not pray to Him next time you go through Sonoyta.
Maybe you won't wet your pants when you see a police car.

 

[jerry]

the fact that criminal gangs control the whole town of Sonoyta makes praying to your imaginary friend pretty useless.The assistant Chief was murdered for backing the wrong faction next to his Cadilac escalade... Nice car for a civil servant..

 

[dirtsurfer]

Instead of using Jesus Christ's name in your anger why not pray to Him next time you go through Sonoyta.
Maybe you won't wet your pants when you see a police car.

No offense but this is a very, very common refrain used by many, if it offends you I will not use it again but you assume I was swearing and not calling out to Jesus. And I don't wet my pants. Sounds like you agree with the extortion practice and are on the police side. You should focus on the subject bring discussed and not on a persons style of comment (a common technique used to dissuade an argument is to completely neglect the base subject and lob personal attacks).

 

[YumaJames]

Instead of using Jesus Christ's name in your anger why not pray to Him next time you go through Sonoyta.
Maybe you won't wet your pants when you see a police car.

Judging by the comments that Dirtsurfer has made on this forum over time and the fact that in his Avatar he's jumping a motocross bike at least 30 feet in the air, I would postulate he's about the last guy on this forum that would wet his pants if he seen a Mexican police car.

Probably shouldn't bring this up (religion) and if the moderators deleted this I would absolutely understand, but as a side note, I noticed you capitalized "Him". About 20 years ago back in University I took Religion Studies as an elective. Don't remember much from the class, in fact I barely remember university, but I do distinctly remember the class brought out the fact that all religions in the world worship a male figure, and therefore suggested one of the primary underlying purposes of religion is for male power control. If you do chose to believe in a supreme being, how do you know it's not a chick? How do you know if, after you die, you'll be met and judged at the Pearly gates by some long-haired guy holding a cane and a book of wisdom? Maybe you'll be met and judged my some lady with her arms on her hips. If that's what happens damn I'm screwed.

 

[Hobie Vern]

Don't rob the tourists, they are our friends.

Thanks

 

[playaperro]

Just wanted to advise other Puerto Penasco (Sonoyta, Sonora) tourist to be careful with the police. I was stopped for supposedly passing a yellow light when blinking, yes yellow light, the police took my license and threatened to confiscate and retain my vehicle until the fine was paid. Fine was set at 100.00 dollars and would not accept a pennie less. The officers said my vehicle match one described in a robbery and was subject to a thourough search. Loss of time and money, furthermore, dissapointed with that experience.

Sad experience, Last time i was down crossing a yellow light the car in front of me stopped on the first flash while I was giving it gas, Thank Jesus the next lane was clear, careful out there.

 

[TICO-T]

No offense but this is a very, very common refrain used by many, if it offends you I will not use it again but you assume I was swearing and not calling out to Jesus. And I don't wet my pants. Sounds like you agree with the extortion practice and are on the police side. You should focus on the subject bring discussed and not on a persons style of comment (a common technique used to dissuade an argument is to completely neglect the base subject and lob personal attacks).

It was not an attack, only a suggestion. Safe travels.

 

[dmcauley]

I have never been stopped when I go 4o K through Sonoita, don't give them reason and if you do go to court it only takes a minute or two IF they take you.

 

[brokenwave]

I have never been stopped when I go 4o K through Sonoita, don't give them reason and if you do go to court it only takes a minute or two IF they take you.

I am pretty sure they are targeting innocent people much of the time.
We were stopped in March while I was going 38-40kph, (I really paid attention and had the cruise control set at 24mph.
There was a post here by Jerry about Police badge #18 I read the week before which I was telling to my wife as we drove through the border
And lo and behold we were stopped 5 blocks south of the border, they showed me a radar gun with 57kph on it.
I laughed and said something about "mucho mordida" when he said $40, and I asked if his badge was #18, he said "despacio", (slow) por favor,
and off we went without any $$ being donated.

I was pulled over again in May for allegedly not stopping at the stop sign by Vasquez's, I was stopped for about 1-2 seconds.
I used the Tourism Secretary form to get out of that one, it was the same 2 guys who pulled me over. I have seen the same crew 3 other times
with people pulled over when I was going through Sonoyta and managed to not get pulled over.
It is a nice money maker they have going on, with all the police corruption in Sonoyta, I doubt there will be anything done about this.

 

[brokenwave]

Things to do if you get pulled over by the Sonoyta Police.
1. Try the Tourism form,
2. Pull out the photo of the "No Robar Turistas" posted earlier.
3. Demand to go to court.

Other things you can do are:
1. making sure you drive slow enough to cause a traffic back up through Sonoyta.
2. stop at any stop sign long enough for the people behind you to start honking.
3. to slam on your brakes at any Yellow light causing whiplash to all occupants in the car.

Or here is some good info that Russ posted last year.

Got this from my friend in the mayors office in Sonoyta, it's good information

Dear traveler, when crossing the border of Sonoyta, Sonora you suffer any abuse by any police authority ,make sure to file a Complaint. The Mayor’s office is here to help with any problem you may have , make sure to contact us to: 6515121172 or 6511009530 or email [email protected] /* */ ,
We are available 24 /7, every day of the week.

Suggestions:
-Respect Speed limits.
-Use Seatbelt.
-Report any attempt of abuse from any authority.
-Request Identification of the authorities that acts in any unprofessional manner.
-If you’re ask by any police men for any money make sure to request to be taken to the Police Station to file a complaint.
-If given a ticket and its paid the same day it automatically gets 50% discount.
-Request Speak with Qualifying Judge.
If you have any questions contact us at:
6515121172 or 6511017145 or email [email protected] /* */

 

[MIRAMAR]

Talk about extortion: cops in Tucson all have quotas, so they are camped out north on Tucson Blvd and Benson going to the airport, yes I got hit there for $300 for "speeding" coming off the freeway, and there's no such thing as a warning now.

 

[jerry]

I have never been stopped when I go 4o K through Sonoita, don't give them reason and if you do go to court it only takes a minute or two IF they take you.

I have gotten two...once when going 36k and another for going 25 mph?......apologising for crooks in all parts of the Sonoran experience just disrespects Mexico and its people.."It's just their culture" gives carte blache to ripoff the the people of Sonora and visitors.It sets the bar so low that it stops the economy from growing.Who would invest it a country that does not enforce it's own laws in a just manner?

 

[jerry]

Things to do if you get pulled over by the Sonoyta Police.
1. Try the Tourism form,
2. Pull out the photo of the "No Robar Turistas" posted earlier.
3. Demand to go to court.

Other things you can do are:
1. making sure you drive slow enough to cause a traffic back up through Sonoyta.
2. stop at any stop sign long enough for the people behind you to start honking.
3. to slam on your brakes at any Yellow light causing whiplash to all occupants in the car.

Or here is some good info that Russ posted last year.

Got this from my friend in the mayors office in Sonoyta, it's good information

Dear traveler, when crossing the border of Sonoyta, Sonora you suffer any abuse by any police authority ,make sure to file a Complaint. The Mayor’s office is here to help with any problem you may have , make sure to contact us to: 6515121172 or 6511009530 or email [email protected] /* */ ,
We are available 24 /7, every day of the week.

Suggestions:
-Respect Speed limits.
-Use Seatbelt.
-Report any attempt of abuse from any authority.
-Request Identification of the authorities that acts in any unprofessional manner.
-If you’re ask by any police men for any money make sure to request to be taken to the Police Station to file a complaint.
-If given a ticket and its paid the same day it automatically gets 50% discount.
-Request Speak with Qualifying Judge.
If you have any questions contact us at:
6515121172 or 6511017145 or email [email protected] /* */

There is a new regime taking over in Sonoyta and right now the violence has dropped so the state police have pulled out...from July report "This month of June that concludes is one of the most violent in executions and taken up in our urban area, with close to 10 killed and 6 taken up, between the executed a high command of the police municipal sonoyta..