I´ve lived in Mexico City for 37 years. One thing is going through a place as a tourist and another is living in a corrupt country. I very rarely get stopped on my bike but it happens sometimes. I can normally get away with whatever I have done by talking and explaining my way out of it. Once in a while that is not possible and I may get a ticket or end up giving a bribe. I always feel terrible when bribing someone but reality is that it is a way of life.
Around 20 years ago I was stopped because my plate was out of date. I explained that I had several bikes and had spent many days trying to get plates for all of them. I then said that if the cop could help me get the plate that would be great as I had run out of patience and given up. He said he had to impound the bike. I said that was fine but that I wouldn't give him any money. I thought he would let me go but we ended up at the pound. Twice on the way he asked me if I had changed my mind. I then spent 2 days getting a plate for the bike and paying fines and finally a bribe. All in all it cost me 10 times as much plus all the extra time. After that I decided that it is very difficult to beat a system that is so well set up.
In the cases where I have bribed someone I did something which I think is true in 99% of the cases. Why should you be allowed to get away with paying nothing like the case of your friend? Doesn't he feel bad about breaking the law?
I still don´t like it but it is how things are. It´s a bit like paying for a TV lincence in the UK, totally stupid but it´s the way things are.

There used to be a licence required for car radios in Belgium; when I lived there back in the 90s no one paid it; even though everyone knew that new cars were delivered as standard with radios fitted, it was just denied to the tax people that the new car actually had a radio.
Pedal bikes also had a tax disc: my boss let me use his and it had this little metal plate thing attached - he was one of those few who had paid for his pedal cycle to be legal on the road.

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Dave

Sometimes bribing is essential to get things done which you usuarly cant do like importing a bike into Peru wich is not registered on your own name. No cirarett will help you there but $10 "pa tu mujer" will do the job

http://reisemotorrad.eu/?report=en_suedamerika

Of corse i dont waste money for stupid police man but i would love to be able to bribe in Europa too...the official fines are just too high. Bribes can make everything possible and turn Earth to Paradise

Well I generally agree that offering to pay bribes is stupid and pretending to not to understand is a great idea that works a lot of the time.

However sometimes you inadvertently pay them also, I was pulled over in Kaz for speeding after trying the no understand routine unsuccessfully, the officer started to write out the ticket, about halfway through he indicated it would be 1000 tenge, which I gave him and when he gave me my license back I realised I had paid a bribe.

As for ta-rider are you f'ing kidding? One of the reasons westerners have the wealth to travel is that our countries (for the most part anyway) function properly.

That was pretty much my thought about the paradise on earth comment.
Anyone who has experienced living in a corrupt country knows that it is not what the citizens of that country want, but they have little or no choice if they wish to survive day-to-day and make a crust for themselves and their family.

Passing through, as a traveller/tourist/adventurer whatever, produces a much less intense experience of what corruption actually is.

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Dave