July 11, 2011

What to do when you get stopped by police?

The police (or BIB for boys in brown) organize road blocks from time to time to top up their meager wages. Personally, coming from Italy where the police is as nasty as hemorroids in your butt, I've been programmed to stop whenever police waves at me. Not doing so would mean BIG trouble. Here in Thailand though, sometimes criminals pose as policemen to get money from unsuspecting drivers. Sometimes policemen pose as policemen to get money, too. The line is not very clear on this point....


Should you be one of the unlucky ones to get stopped, here are some good guidelines you should follow...


case 1) small road block with just a couple BIB's:

slow down to safe stopping speed
stop if they run right in front of you, speed away if they are not within reach of you
if you stop, keep helmet and sunglasses on and do not give them drivers license
always have 200 baht handy, do not display a wallet or more money
when he is done talking, give the 200 baht while left hand on clutch, and go instantly, no wheelie just fast and firm up to 120 or so

case 2)  A proper checkpoint 


stop, provide license, be polite and your fine is usually 200 baht for each offence, official reciept on the spot, carte blanche for these offenses until midnight
proper checkpoint often have chasers, or radio to next checkpoint


(thanks to katabeachbum for the input)


NOTE: Follow this advice at your own risk!


Check out this funny video about biker baseball
http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=17001

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