Traffic tickets

I'll second that thought!

Good
I hope where ever YOUR Topic came from regarding the BRIBING of  our GREAT police force ,,you learned something SOME opinions about our NICE UN Bribed Police need not be insulted ..YOU would not enjoy Costa Rica with that attitude towards them....so much garbage you have heard PLEASE research and I hope you respect our police SHOULD you ecver visit here ....

NOW true where is the DISLIKe button?

Sorry, but I was just asking a question, no reason to get that upset over someone else's experiences and opinions. Thank you all for sharing your experiences !!

cupacoffee wrote:

Please let us know where the 'don't like' button is... ... as this subject has turned into utter garbage

Thank you - I completely agree.

- Expat Dave

Also agree !!!!

Unanimous!

Then don't start the GARBAGE ..then turn your nose up at it !

Better stay where you are then our "cops" won't bother you!

Hello everyone,

Please can we get back to the topic here ? Be careful to avoid any unnecessary debates. The forum should be used to share infos in the most diplomatic and respectful manner.

P.S if ever you find that a member's post does not respect the code of conduct of the forum, you can report that post (report button above all posts ). We will look into the matter and take proper action.

Best of luck
Bhavna

Bhavna wrote:

Hello everyone,

Please can we get back to the topic here ? Be careful to avoid any unnecessary debates. The forum should be used to share infos in the most diplomatic and respectful manner.

P.S if ever you find that a member's post does not respect the code of conduct of the forum, you can report that post (report button above all posts ). We will look into the matter and take proper action.

Best of luck
Bhavna

I agree and do apologize to all for letting someone get to me and saying things off topic and taking it too personal.

- Expat Dave

More report of police being accused ...and caught

I have lived in Costa Rica a total of about a year and am currently living here "permanently". Have visited for 20 years.

I have been stopped twice in the San Ramon area for them to check my papers.  They never said why they stopped me but the last time they said I had to renew my visa within 90 days. It seemed like that is why they stopped me to check that I am here legally. Weird.

Last time they stopped me I said, "Oh, by the way is it necessary that I carry my passport, or will an official certified copy be good enough?" (in spanish) and they said I had to carry my real passport. Expat Dave says that is not true so who knows? I hate carrying my passport as I often work or walk in the hot sun and my passport gets all sweaty and bent and so on.  For now I am carrying it but it increases the risk of losing it or having it stolen.

I have never gotten a ticket but I do understand people's concern about how high the fines are here. I was reading an article today in the Tico times about $600, $500, $400 fines for simple things like uturns, driving with expired plates , speeding, etc.

I think these kinds of fines are outrageous for a country where people live on $3-5 an hour!

And it does seem to give the police a lot of power to arbitrarily decide who to stop for whatever reason.

I see people parking in the middle of the highway - no problem. People walking in and out of cars in the middle of the street. No problem. Cars with filthy exhausts polluting the air and my lungs: no problem. Yet I see the police arbitrarily stopping people for no reason at all and I see fines they CAN hand out for half a month's social security payment for simple things like a uturn. (I have been FORCED to make a U Turn on a one way street that is NOT MARKED as "one way" so to me this ability to give huge fines for something like a uturn is not just.

I'm a big fan of Costa Rica but I find these trends to be more like the USA (handing out exorbitant fines, for example) disturbing to say the least.

Meanwhile I saw an article in the TT where a couple guys who poached 60 and killed 30 birds illegally (something like that) were let go...
Go figure...

I totally agree !!!

Re carrying your original passport:  Now I'm not so sure.  I was told that you do not need to carry your original passport by the attorney that I was using at the time.  Since then I've learned that often some attorneys, if not most, are giving you their "opinion" not necessarily citing the law.

I was stopped AGAIN about a month ago.  Although I have my Cedula the policeman who stopped me asked for my passport.  I told him that I was informed that it was not necessary to carry it at all when you have your residency.  He said that Gringos must carry them at all times. 

I think a big reason that I am stopped more often than most people is that I go to town almost everyday or just go for a ride on my moto.  Or, maybe I just look like a drug dealer?

My last police stop occurred in San Ramon on my way back from a trip to Price Smart.  We took some friends with us so the 4Runner was packed.  The cop wanted to make sure that I had my extinguisher, jumper cables, reflective triangles, etc.  Needless to say, they were neatly packed in a container underneath all of our groceries.  I was very surprised that he actually made me take all the groceries out and show him that I had all the required safety tools. 

He ended it with, "I could give you a ticket for not having your passport."  But, once again I did manage to drive off without a ticket.

- Expat Dave










*

Couldn't see how to quote the post here...
Anyway, Dave wrote "The cop wanted to make sure that I had my extinguisher, jumper cables, reflective triangles, etc.  "

The law says we have to carry all of that? I had no idea.
And what is "etc" or where can I find that info?

I will ask my 2 attorneys (one for residency, one for real estate) about the passport issue.
I wouldn't be surprised at all if the cops were wrong when saying we have to carry our passport. I read that a certified passport copy was acceptable but then again that was on a forum and forums (no offense) sometimes give wrong info... so it's always best to double check with an attorney and ask to see where you can find a copy of the law/rule.

Check out the RITEVE website: http://www.rtv.co.cr/

cupacoffee wrote:

Check out the RITEVE website: http://www.rtv.co.cr/

Didn't see anything about cones or triangles there but did find this which made me laugh sardonically:
"Mufla, humo y ruidos: Si acelera su motor gasolina y echa humo, no debe hacer la RTV. Tampoco si hay perforaciones en la mufla, ruidos anormales o tiene el respiradero desconectado. Además, tiene instalado un silenciador."

It says smog would cause one not to pass. Ha ha. Then a lot of people must be finding some way to pass inspection without really passing inspection...??!

It would not surprise me at all if there was no law requiring carrying reflective triangles; however, it is the first thing they ask to see every time.  And there's no doubt in my mind they'd give you a ticket if you didn't have them.  I say this with a bit of humor.  You have to see things this way if you want to survive living here.

Key to surviving Costa Rica:  Go with the flow and never ask why.

- Expat Dave

I just found this link:   http://costaricalaw.com/costa-rica-lega … ed-by-law/

Required:
A fire extinguisher
At least two safety triangles
At least one reflective vest
A spare tire and the equipment necessary to change it

The fine for failure to comply with those requirements is 20,000 Colones.

redbeard wrote:

I just found this link:   http://costaricalaw.com/costa-rica-lega … ed-by-law/

Required:
A fire extinguisher
At least two safety triangles
At least one reflective vest
A spare tire and the equipment necessary to change it

The fine for failure to comply with those requirements is 20,000 Colones.

Thanks for posting that!

What I note about Costa Rica law vs U.S. law is that generally speaking the laws are ignored until an officer wants to enforce one. The way laws are even written it often leaves much "grey area" as to what the law says or what the details are of the law. The marijuana law is one such law I've heard discussed this way.

So it seems to me the above law is written just SO they can ticket you if and when they choose to.
How many Ticos travel with these items?
How many Ticos are ticketed for not having them, or even asked if they have them when stopped?
I would love to know the answers to those questions.

Meanwhile I'll try to find a fire extinguisher that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I do have a safety reflective vest by chance... but no safety triangles.
Maybe the local Rey or other China store has this stuff cheap. And hey, it doesn't have HAVE to work, so no problem buying it at the Rey! LOL.

No one give you a number of Ticos or 'extranjeros' that are fined for not having these items, but neither group will receive a RTV sticker, if they don't have them during inspection.

It is now common to see triangles in front and behind a broken down vehicle rather than some  tree branches on the road.

Best to spend you money on a real fire extinguisher....

kohlerias wrote:

No one give you a number of Ticos or 'extranjeros' that are fined for not having these items, but neither group will receive a RTV sticker, if they don't have them during inspection.

It is now common to see triangles in front and behind a broken down vehicle rather than some  tree branches on the road.

Best to spend you money on a real fire extinguisher....

I was wrong. It turns out everyone DOES have to have a fire extinguisher and such, because it is part of the annual inspection. I am happy to say I was wrong that everyone does have to have them.

I also thought - based on so many things being very high priced here - that a fire extinguisher was going to be expensive but we found a kit that includes the triangles, exting. and jumper cables for about $40 and I saw one decent looking fire exting. by itself for around $10 mil or less than $20 at this time.

I bought the whole kit in a bag and had a fire extinguisher was included at Walmart by the airport for around $30.