Kraig

Are the police out to trap/harass tourists in Costa Rica like they are in parts of Mexico? Has anyone had any trouble in Costa Rica with the police? I'm not paranoid, but growing up in San Diego I know how the Policia/Federales are always looking to harass tourists? Any insight?

Mixter603

When my husband and I were in Guanacaste last year, we were driving from Sugar Beach to Barra Honda and were stopped on the highway for a passport check. Of course, we had completely forgotten to have our passports on us that day and we had to pay the police. Corruption at its best.

We won't make that mistake again.

Earthtraveler

We've never been harrased or stopped by the cops in 4 trips driving. There is a check point near Cahuita where we stop and some times they ask us to open our trunk. Last year we didn't have our passport handy when he asked for it but did have a copy of our photo pages and that was ok.

There are cops with radar in some areas and if stopped for speeding they may ask yuo to pay the fine. Don't pay it. The legal way is to pay at a bank I believe or with

Earthtraveler

Sorry.
...or at the rental company when you return your auto.
Then again I just read that the legal speeding fine is $80. and they will try to make you pay them, for their pocket, but at a lower rate for tourists making you believe you are fulfilling your obligation.
Maybe not such a bad deal $$ wise but unethical.

Bill_H

<b>growing up in San Diego I know how the Policia/Federales are always looking to harass tourists</b>

While I'm sure this happens at times, in fairness to the Mexicans I would like to say that I've driven in several states (Baja Sur, Nyarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Guerrero) many times and have never had a run-in with the police.

Posts like yours give newbies the impression that corrupt police are laying in wait everywhere in tourist Mexico and I just haven't seen that.

Bill

guanacaste

No Costa Rica doesnt have a mainly psychotic, corrupt police force.
Its not the USA down here!


p.s: just because youre paranoid doesnt mean they're not out to get you!

mikemo

Totally agree!
The PFP are very professional.
M (SMdA, Gto.)

wildlawnc

Just got back from Costa Rica and my buddy was speeding between Jaco and Tarcoles and got waved over by a cop with a radar gun. Said we could pay him $40 or pay the fine (less, I think) at a bank. Decided to pay him there instead, but probably should have just taken the ticket and paid whatever fine they had.

raquel_z

And the moral to the story is - don't speed!!!!

There are sometimes spotchecks on the roads. But it is not limited to tourists. I think the only time I was ever stopped when I was with a Tico friend in his car. They just checked his licence and we were off.

raquel

crosscheck

I have lived in Mexico, have traveled often to Costa Rica and have been stopped by police while driving in both countries.

Although I adore Mexico, it is a fact that there are certain federales in certain locations who do stop gringos just to collect bribes.

We were stopped by the Costa Rican police in a &quot;speed trap&quot; situation, more like you would encounter in the US. My husband was driving near Ca&ntilde;as in Guanascaste (on the way from Arenal to Tamarindo), and didn't see a small sign showing that the speed limit had changed. I think he was going 100kph in a 60kph zone and was clearly breaking the law.

The police officers (who had radar) wrote a ticket and wanted us to appear in court several days later. We asked if we could just pay the fine on the spot and one of the officers pretended to call someone for permission.

Eventually we paid them $80, which they said was the amount we would have to pay in court. Unlike the Mexican polic&iacute;a who have no qualms about accepting a mordida, the CR police wanted us to believe that they were behaving ethically.

Don't mean to discourage anyone from driving in Mexico or CR, two of my favorite places on the planet. After many years of living and traveling in both countries, we've had relatively few incidents. I wouldn't be paranoid...Just relax and obey the law.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

These incidents do occur in Costa Rica, but I don't think they're as prevalent as people make them out to be.

The fixed police checkpoints, such as the one outside Cahuita, are for everybody, all the time. Even if you take the public bus, the bus stops and the police come through to inspect passports or identity cards. There's also another one north of Liberia near the Nicaraguan border.

As was said above, obey speed limits and carry your passport or a photocopy with you at all times. (That's the law.) You won't be stopped.

shillmac

I still laugh about the time I was driving with my daughter to Guanacaste from San Jose. We were about half way there and I found a nice smooth stretch of road and was hitting about 90km in an 80km zone. Came upon a policeman standing on the side of the road by his car with (like they do). He put his hands to his head as if to say &quot;ay-yi-yi&quot;! I slowed down. He didn't follow. It was a hoot.

simongandolfi

We are educated by Hollywood movies in which all Latin American cops are portrayed as corrupt vicious greaseballs. I am in my mid seventies. I rode a small Honda last year from Veracruz, Mexico, to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. Officials and cops everywhere were kind and helpful - though curious as to why an old man would be riding such a journey. The most I was stopped was in Peru during a sandstorm on the PanAmerican: cops flagged me down every 20Ks or so to check whether I was OK. I stopped to eat at mid-day. I asked for the check and was told it had been paid by cops! Oh, and I was held up at the Honduras border heading for Copan: the Head of Customs insisted I stay for a couple of beers and watch the Mexico/France match on his office TV.
HIGH POINT? A very pretty police officeress in Salta, Argentine, gave me two daughterly kisses as recompense for having my pocket picked. www.simongandolfi.com and hit the Blog button

guanacaste

hahaha i want to go travelling with you.

LA_FadeAway

Hey Simon, how did you get your car around past the Gap?

LA_FadeAway

Oops, sorry, I'm not too quick. I was thinking small Honda, like a Civic or something, lol. But, still, what did you do about the gap?