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If this were not true I would have posted in the Smack Talk section.

The Non Sensicals Of Our Traffic Laws
Traffic laws in Costa Rica are upheld by the Dirección General Policía de Tránsito, with some 800 officials or Tránsitos as their known, who patrol the highways and bi-ways of the nation.

Tránsitos are guided by the LEY DE TRÁNSITO POR VÍAS PÚBLICAS Y TERRESTRES NO. 7331.

Their primary job is to ensure that the traffic laws are respected and maintain safety on the roads. Drivers who disrespect the rules of the road can find themselves being fined and/or have his or her vehicle impounded,

Some traffic laws are non sensical, rules crafted with no logic or sense of reason behind them, some with prohibitions but no sanctions.

For instance, the use of a radar detector is prohibited on Costa Rican roads. However, the law does not call for any sanctions for the sue. In effect, a Tránsito can stop a driver for using a radar detector but cannot fine the driver or confiscate the device. Duh!

Another example of non sensical in the legislation is the fact that a vehicle can circulate without bumpers, fenders, rear panels, trunk lids, hoods, you get the picture, include doors, but, the driver can be fined if the vehicle does have side mirrors.

Yet another complete and moronic rule applies to passenger capacity and seatbelts.

The marchamo or circulating permit indicates the number of passengers permitted in a vehicle, but, does not deal with situations of crowding the driver.

So, a vehicle that say has a maxim passenger capacity of five, all passengers can sit on the front seat, crowding the driver and that is allright. However, one more passenger and now a Tránsito can issue a fine.

The same is true for seatbelts. According to the Tránsito official we consulted for this article and a review of the Ley de Tránsito, the traffic laws state that the vehicle has to have the correct number of seatbelts based on its capacity. However, it does make it clear that one seatbelt per person, it only deals with the fact that all passengers must be belted in.

Using the earlier example of the 5 passengers in the front seat, if there only two seatbelts in the front seats, assuming the driver is using his seat belt alone, the other four can share the seatbelt as long as it stretches enough to buckle everyone in and that is perfectly legal.

Other examples of non sensical traffic rules are the fact that once a traffic ticket is issued by a Tránsito, the driver cannot be fined for the same offence, say not wearing a seatbelt, for the following 24 hours. A driver who is pulled over, say for a seatbelt violation, has to only show the fine already issued.

However, there is a catch. According to "our" Tránsito, though it custom for Tránsitos in different parts of the country to respect the issued fine, the rule only applies in the jurisdiction it was issued and a Tránsito in another jurisdiction can issue a new fine.

For example, a driver who is stopped and fined for a seatbelt violation in Alajuela, may be subject to another fine for the same violation in San José.

Another example of the fine traffic laws is the fact that driver, according to the Sala Constituciónal (Constitutional Court) has the right not to incriminate oneself, therefore, though the Ley de Tránsito requires the driver to remain at the scene on accident, if the driver flees the scene he or she cannot be charged and fined for leaving the scene of an accident.

This rule is particularly useful for impaired drivers, who involved in an accident, can flee, sober up and then when caught cannot be charged for being impaired. In several cases witnesses have impeded drunk drivers from leaving the scene of an accident, including physically restraining the driver until the Tránsito appears on the scene.

And the fine for driving impaired? ¢10.000 colones if the blood alcohol content reading is over 0.50 and less than 1.0 (estado de preebriedad - pre drunk?) and ¢20.000 colones if 1.0 or over.

Most drivers are not aware of all the fine print or lack thereof of the traffic laws and fall to intimidation by unscrupulous Tránsitos, who in some cases have been reported to sticking out their hand to turn the other way.

Thanks to Inside Costa Rica.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

in Boston, there is no such thing as a moving violation
however, park illegally, and watch how quickly you get a ticket

are you sure about the blood alcohol numbers?

i thought there was a high chance of death at 0.4%, or alteast some one i know died at that level
is not the US limit commonly 0.080 (lowered fro 0.10)?

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veni, vidi, viagra, veni

I could never figure out the why sometimes a red light means go. And sometime a green light means stop. And a stop sign rarely ever means stop. And sometimes someone on the left has the right of way. Driving in CR is a cryptic science. I will NEVER attempt it in any major city in CR. Maybe on the highways because the laws and protocol seem similar to the USA. But in a major city like San Jose, Alajuela or Cartago...no way.

dapanz1

If you think CR has bad drivers, don't go anywhere near Mexico City, Rio, or Sao Paolo...

ID,

Some of those non-sensical traffic laws seem like they were crafted by the NJ Legislature.



As I found when I was stopped for two moving violations last year on Cerro de la Muerte, a driver is better off taking the ticket than bribing the Transito...it's usually cheaper!

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Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

Is usually about the same price but a lot less hassle. Two weeks ago on a Sunday morning I was coming back to San Jose after spending the night in Atenas. I got stopped for speeding, I was, and the Transito was prepared to write me a citation. I asked if I could just pay him rather than have to go to court or stand in line at BCR to pay. He said Si Senor. Gave him 5000 colones and was on my way. No mess, no fuss, no waiting for him to write me up. Pay the money and go if you really did break the law.

If it is a con job to get you to give him some colones insist on the ticket. They usually will just back down and send you on your way without a citation.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Inside Costa Rica has a problem writing numbers in the style most gringos are use to.

I believe they meant .050 & 0.10.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I was pulled over for speeding on my way back from Guanacaste by two cops who were standing on the side of the road holding a radar gun, but without a police car. One of the cops walked out and stood in the middle of the road and waved me to the side. After they cited me, I asked if I could just take care of it right there, but they both emphatically said no. They said I had to pay the fine at the place where I rented the car from. I was so impressed by the lack of corruption that I actually paid the fine.

Sandino,

It sounds like your Transitos had more integrity than mine...

IRT my Cerro de la Muerte moving violations, I was offered the choice of two tickets totalling $75 or an "express payment" of $55 to the Transito. My wingman, Oscar Malo, was near death after climbing Chirippo...I did not wish to phuck around...so I paid the Transito. As I later learned, the actual fines for speeding and improper pass total much less than $75. (Unfortunately, I was not carrying a copy of the Costa Rican traffic code at the time...if I knew what the fine was back then...I would have taken the ticket.)

PS: I did break the law. The Transito had reasonable cause to in call me on the carpet for speeding & improper passing.

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Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

BlueDevil, I also admit that I broke the law. I was only stating that I was impressed by the fact tht the cops told me that I had to pay the fine at Budget Rent-a Car in San Jose instead of greasing their palms right there and then. I could have returned the car and said phuck-it in San jose. But I decided to pay it because really I'm one of the nicest guys anyone could ever meet.

Eventually you would have had to pay. When they went to pay the marchamo on the car in December the ticket would show up and they would have had to pay it. The date it was issued would have led back to your rental agreement with your credit card info and the charge would have been run through.

It is good you voluntarily payed it when you turned the car in. I am sure they appreciated it and they marked you down as a customer they would make sure to treat well if you rent from them again.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I think this is a con that they pull on tourists. The transito figures that you are familiar with the high cost of fines in the United States and have no idea of how low they are in Costa Rica so they quote you a figure, that the fine will be, much higher than it is. They then of course will take a lesser amount as an "express payment".

In my case I was driving a car registered to me, not a rental, and had a Costa Rican drivers license. He did ask me how long I had lived here and I told him four years. I guess he then figured I had some knowledge of the cost of infractions and gave me a number he knew I would accept as reasonable and would pay rather than get the ticket.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine