www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Maybe take a couple dozen chicas along to show how much we mean to the local economy.

Prolijo,

There are two things I take exception to in your posts. I agree with most of it, but two things i don't.

1) I have to have that much money with me. Criticizing me or others for having that much money is unproductive. We need the money to do the things we're there for. It's not like the chica's take checks or plastic.

2) Not getting in the car. Not doing so would be resisting arrest, so yes.. you are advocating resisting arrest if I don't do what the cops say.

As i pointed out in my previous post, my last entry was stamped in bright red legible ink. This color should photocopy very well. If I have a legible copy on my person I will say take me to the station. I think the Mad German was phucked over no matter how much money he had on him or anything else had anything to do with it, I think totry andfault the victim over and over is not only repetetive, but against the spirit in which he posted the thread to start with. ENOUGH SAID

I say we protest over Labor Day weekend right in front of the DR. Those of you married gringo's are of the hook for this one. I'll be glad to notify the media of a noon protest. Just in time for the traffic jam. I'm in. Sorry I quoted the wrong post.

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"You can only keep a secret between two people if the other one is dead." Ben Franklin

1) You explained why you needed to have that much money on you and I don't believe, once you provided that explanation, that I ever questioned YOUR PARTICULAR case. My point in that regard has been: A) your situation was UNIQUE and MOST guys do NOT NEED to carry anywhere near that much cash (ie my remarks were meant more for others) and B) IF you or others DO NEED to have that much cash on you, then you should be getting IMMEDIATELY into (passing) taxis the minute you step out on to the street, at least at that hour of the night(morning). I'll admit that your situation was also unique in that you were only going around the corner to the Hotel Asia, thus UNDERSTANDABLY tempting you to take the risk and skip the cab. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 but I'll bet you'll think twice before you take even that short a walk again with so much money so late at night. True?

2) I never said you should resist arrest, but were they actually arresting you or simply asking you to come with them? And was I suggesting that you flatly refuse to cooperate with them or was I merely saying that you make a few simple and understandable requests before you willingly got in the car? Even simply reading their badge numbers or vehicle number aloud before (or as) you simply stepped forward, might have made a difference WITHOUT constituting any sort of physical resistance to what they were trying to do to you.
1) TMG seems to understand most of what I've been trying to say, but for the rest of his "defenders", for the UMPTEENTH time, I do NOT mean to "blame the victim". Sure, he MIGHT have done some things differently that MIGHT have made SOME difference in the outcome, but NONE of that excuses what these 2 asshole cops did to him, and most likely will try to do again to others. BTW, Mark, TMG may have been "phucked over no matter how much money he had on him or anything else had anything to do with it", but at the very least there's a BIG difference between being phucked over for 10K colones and being phucked over for $100, or else what was even the point of this thread. Anyway, I was merely trying to address those aspects of such situations that we (as victims) have some control over, rather than focusing solely on the actions of the cops, which while utterly deplorable is not really anything we can do much about. All that being said, I'm absolutely CERTAIN that TMG started this thread so that we could all learn from his experience (not simply so that his defenders could form a pity party) and discussing different ways of handling similar situations is ENTIRELY within "the spirit in which he posted the thread to start with", or am I wrong, TMG?

3) As for the redundancy of my posts, the only reason I've been restating my arguments is because the complaints and misinterpretations spouted by the likes of Mark and others have been repeated JUST as often and apparently my earlier explanations have not be understood. I certainly DON'T expect everyone to AGREE with everything I've been saying (or even any of it), but I DO expect anyone with a modicum of intelligence to at least UNDERSTAND what I've been trying to say and apparently that STILL has NOT been the case. Besides any of that, please explain to me,, because I don't understand, how my posts are "repetitive" but all the the counter arguments thrown out by you and others are not? On second thought, don't bother because ENOUGH SAID.

Bullshit. You never needed to enter the police car. It never needed to get to that point. Grow some balls and tell them to Phuck off. These cops are after your money plain and simple. You need to tell them..."I need to go back to my hotel to show you the stamp"..."The law stats that I can make a photo copy of my entry and passport due to theft"..."I have not broken any laws and must leave to meet my friends, now let me go or arrest me". Lawless cops are bad news for everyone.

Bullshit. At least I was much more diplomatic than that. Not to be repetitive, but as has already been mentioned:

1) Even I admitted that it is far easier to talk about growing balls if you're sitting comfortably in your chair back at home in the US and/or have never really been in a similar situation with SJ cops.

2) In this PARTICULAR case, asking them to take him back to where he had his original passport in ESCAZU was not a reasonably possibility (though it probably would be in the case of MOST of us who DO stay much closer to where we'd likely be stopped).

3) In most cases, it may be fine to give the cops the choice of either letting you go or taking you in (to the police station) IF you're prepared for the possibility of being taken in and having to spend some time explaining to their sargent why you should be let go (assuming they actually took you directly to their police station after you got in the car). HOWEVER, in this PARTICULAR case, that was not a risk that TMG could afford to take (another reason he probably should not have been out on the street to begin with at that hour given the reported frequency of these occurances). Then again, who was to know prior to this case that, if push came to shove, the cops couldn't be bought off for a relatively minor 10K?

4) As has also been pointed out, there are a number of actions that can be taken that fall somewhere between flatly refusing to get in their car (and thus being heavily confrontational with a couple of tico cops with badges, handcuffs and guns and which could just as likely stiffened their resistance) and meekly getting into their car without so much as one word of protest (not that I'm sure TMG didn't have ANY words to say).

5) Trying to explain the law (in broken spanish) to a couple of stupid cops that don't really care to understand, is probably a fruitless exercise (although indicating you know the law might be some help).

Chances are that you're right that by standing up forcefully for your rights, the cops would back down. But you can't be absolutely certain of that and if you call their bluff you have to be prepared that they might call yours. In MOST situations that MIGHT be a chance that SOME guys are willing to take. OTHER guys CLEARLY believe it is EASIER to just pay the 10K bribe than to RISK having to waste a lot of time having to talk their way out of the situation. Personally, I agree that only encourages more frequent and/or egregious cases like this one. Furthermore, I also believe that generally the risks of the cops actually pursuing it are really small (after all they already really know the law themselves) IF the cops can be dissuaded while still on the sidewalk (again, in this PARTICULAR case, the perceived cost vs consequence ratio may have offset those odds). The only real question is where to find the real balance between resisting enough to dissuade them from extorting you but not resisting so much you PROVOKE them and risk making matters even worse.

Part of this is understanding the tico mentality. Aggresive confrontation is a GRINGO reaction that only fosters resentment on the part of ticos and stiffens their resistance. Being amiable yet firm enables the tico cops to back down in a way that does not make it seem like they're just giving in to gringo demands, but simply deciding on their own to accept your explanation. For example, politely asking for badge numbers to verify their authority to stop you and ask for your ID (which actually exists) is perfectly reasonable and leaves unstated that the real purpose of the question is so you have the information to report them later.

enough for "nuff Said"

oops, double post

I can't seem to win in this thread with you guys, no matter whether I'm being critical of TMG or defending him. So I guess this time, it'll really be 'nuff said.

Aww Prolijo I miss you already

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heredia porn king

I arrived Thursday with a color copy of the data/photo page of my passport in hand when I went through CR Immigration. I kindly asked the official if he would stamp my copy and he landed a big, bright, bold red entry stamp on my copy too!

The policia will have no excuse. If they phuck with me with it will be to steal cash from a gringo and not for a valid legal concern.

Still, if I encounter the two cops as TMG it will do no good. They are out to kidnap any vulnerable gringo, with or without valid papers. They don't care which.

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Women are like beers. I've never had one that I didn't like. Just some that I like more than others! --Western

Again, TMG, thanks for posting this. I have found myself double checking myself now before leaving the house to make sure I'm not carrying unnecessary amounts of cash and usually am.

As well I cleaned out all the clutter from my vehicle so a peek inside looks boring to thieves, both kinds.

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* These are the "Good Ole Days". Enjoy Them.

* RENT but, "Don't Buy a Home in Costa Rica" until you have lived here for THREE years.

The embassy could care less about mongers and --yes-- reporting the incident to the police is a waste of time. Wait them out? I don't have time for that crap. This kind of thing is becoming a pattern as of late and the crooked cops will probably only get bolder eventually resorting to beating non-paying gringos.

I am seriously considering scratching CR of my list of monger destinations. Think I'm wrong? Tell me why this situation is going to get better.

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The sexiest part of the human body? The brain.