Quote 1: Clearly you were't referring to me with your comments, considering I'm only 1/4 British and 3/4 other European nationalities. Where are you from, by the way? Can't see from your profile.

Quote 2: Imagine you ride up behind a line of stationary cars who have been stopped at a checkpoint. You have 2 choices: Wait in line for your turn to be spoken to, or ride slowly down the inside (hard shoulder/ditch) and without "seeing" the uniformed person (and if there's a nice big truck in the way, them not seeing you either) continue on your way... Some choose the former, others the later. I've done the later for the past 20 years. So far, so good.

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Hi all, the OP was worried about being stopped by officials looking for a handout. This happens all over, as one said, it's a part of independant travel. There has been some good advice, and no situation is going to be the same, so you have to read the circumstances.

I think there are four catagories.

First is the random stop, because they see you and try their luck. They don't like timewasters, if you are friendly you can usually be on your way without too much hassle.

Second is "breaking the law", pulling you over for a minor traffic violation. If you did it or not is hardly relevant, but then this may be is a good time to negotiate, or you can insist on driving to a policestation with all the hassle you will get there.

Third I think would be the spurious fees at a border, this is usually well organised, and "they" hold the high cards. They can just refuse to let you in, or out, and you are stuck.

Fourth would be the checkpoint. Driving to the front of the queue on a bike is normal, but they are really on the lookout for "weasels" who try to sneak through. Not seeing the soldiers/police or pretending you have been checked can have serious consequences. They carry guns, and are allowed to use them. This is definatly not a good idea. Locals often have to pay for not having their stuff searched and thrown about. I have met overlanders in cars and trucks who had all their gear searched and stuff stolen, but on a bike I have been lucky.

I suppose the best advice is to keep a low profile and use your finely honed human relations skills to ascess the situation. Some you win, and some you loose.

Safe travel

Peter, in Oslo

Thanks all, the different approaches here have been helpful. Here is my score so far:

64 fiches passed out, so 64 stops -- 61 uneventful.

1 -- At a normal roadblock checkpoint, was asked to step out of the car just south of Al-Ayouun, and invited into the guard shack for a "chat" -- 2 guards inside were all smiles, handshakes, and friendliness before asking me if I had any rum, whiskey, or in the car. My offer of "choix de lait or l'eau" was not appreciated, and I was sent on my way. Wasted 10 minutes.

2 -- At a checkpoint south of El Jedidah, a gendarme was very very interested in a "cadeau de poste" -- the more he asked, the worse my french got. When he helpfully suggested that he accepted sunglasses, perfume, or cash, I switched to english entirely and frustrated him -- until I was sent on my way. Wasted 5 minutes.

3 -- At a checkpoint just before the "shortcut" to Diama, a guard took my fiche, read it thoroughly, then placed it on my car's window sill and asked me for a "bic" -- when I didn't understand, he asked for a stylo. I had a pen handy and figured he wanted to make a note of something -- so I handed it over, and the cheeky bugger just walked off with it. Luckily it was a janky hotel pen, and the surprise and story are worth more than the "loss".

==

My border tactics have been mixed. I've been going with the "I need an official receipt" route, since it removes me from direct confrontation -- let's face it, the "they hold all of the high cards" concept is dead-on, and I have ZERO official sources to reference on these junk fees, so I just do my best.

One of the immigration clowns in Diama has some ancient receipt book and happily tore me out 4000oug worth of useless receipt, and wrote a mini-novella in my passport that I can't decipher. Sigh. The trick otherwise got me out of 20EUR of BS on two other occasions for less-prepared scamsters. I wish I had a few more tricks

So overall, the score is decent and I am way under my "nonsense budget" limit. We are switching our route and thinking of doing the Gambia, which as US travellers, subjects us to all manner of potential headache over and above the $160 apiece visa.

Cheers all & thanks again!

- Mike

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Start unpacking your camping gear!

Most officials give up as soon as they realize you have time to argue or just smile helplessly ad infinitum.

I usually smiled, said - in my worst local language, hard for the locals to understand - how I liked their country, their food, and then tried to sit at their desk and look like I had all day. I usually had more time than money, so it wasn't a act. I just slouched down on the chair and smiled like an idiot. Most of the English speakers I encountered seemed more interested in practicing their English than anything else. I never offered a bribe or paid a bribe-that did not seem like a safe thing to do.

Copies of these might also help

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...=_AQFS454c&s=1

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Tony: the forms for argentina are corrupted, ( don't read well) or the spanish is not proper castilian and obviously NOT government forms, IMHO any cop will realize they are bull. Still I'm curious if you actually used them and what was the effect they had..

Hi,

You cant carry enough candy for all the thieves in Uniform out there haha but what i have learned and told my self was:
- Don't ride the biggest BMW and don't look fancy. I always told them my friends are waiting in the next city and i just have enough petrol money to reach it.
- Enjoy the time in the climate controlled police station. Take out your book and make your self comfortable at the chief officers seat. Pretend you have time and like it there then they trough you out.
- Ask them if you can sleep there because you cant afford a hotel.
- Don't understand what they say
- Take them by their nationality and say you write a blog and people in the neighbor country have been soooo friendly and ask if all people in his country are thieves.
- As soon as you stop ask were the next petrol station is. If he points forward say thanks and off you go.
- Just wave back or pretend not to see them and drive on if they wave to stop you. Most of them don't carry guns and only 1 out of 1000 times they came after me with their car and then escorted me to the next petrol station

Sometimes its also a good thing just to pay as describet here: http://afrikamotorrad.de/?report=en_faq

Hi

When traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Thailand, at the border check point locals told me to put 1 malaysian dollar in my passport, otherwise life would be a hassle. At first I thought why should I do it and assumed that it is only for the locals.

Then it was my turn to present myself before the immigration guy, and he started looking at me head to toe while his hands were busy turning the pages. I was just waiting with a grin, until he finally said "one dollar" with a staring eyes. Ow man, this one dollar practice is for everyone crossing the border! Bad luck for methat I don't have a one dollar malaysian note, so I finally have to gave him a 2-dollar note instead. After that, the official stamped my passport and returned it to me saying "welcome to Thailand" with a fresh big smile.

Lesson learned is to check with the locals. We're traveling for fun, and when a $0.35 could make our life in such a difficult situation, I'd rather pay.

This story happened at the Malaysia - Thailand border of Wang Kelian. A very busy border with thousands of people passing through every day while donating 1 malaysian dollar to the Thai immigration officials. They will be able to afford a brand new GS every week

The easiest way is to not visit such countries. Second easiest is to always have local friends / riding buddies.

If neither are an option, being extremely friendly and talking in their "values" helps a lot. For example, in plenty of corrupt places the concept of family is very important, so you can talk about visiting some cousin of yours.

Whenever they ask for a bribe or whatever, simply assume they're offering you something instead, and very enthusiastically thank them for the offer but decline. Then go talk on and on about the nature, your trip, your interactions with locals, how you tried some dishes and loved them and so on.

Doesn't work always, but it's both great fun to do, and it has a really nice success rate.

Me and a friend got pulled over by the cops in Malawi whilst on the highway.

We'd already been caught/scammed/fined the day before because we were riding around town without all our documents on us. And that's a crime..(It actually is) Fair cop.. Probably.

This time I got off my bike and while the cop gestured the international sign for money with his fingers I fell down and pretended to be unwell. My riding partner waved his hands and shouted "Malaria, Hospital... Malaria, hospital"

The cops immediately waved us on not wanted a dead tourist on his hands..

That worked twice..

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

i guess its well covered in the above, i traveled from Dubai to Capetown (via Yemen) and saw it as a personal challenge not to pay and i dident pay anyone in that trip ! with lots of banter, smiles and wasting their time i managed to evade the numerous attempts to extract money from me and the biggest challenge was always near the borders !

i agree with all above that giving money is only encouraging them although i think that if the pressure was really on i most probably would have capitulated and paid something !

best laugh i had was when in Zambia the uniformed requests for condoms was equal to those for money !!

difficult to explain to my partner next time Im off to Africa why i need a sackfull of condoms !!!!

Sadly, for every traveller who tries hard not to encourage bad cops by fighting fines; there are ten more in fancy land rovers and new GS's who carry a pocket full of cash to throw left and right at anyone who asks. Because they can afford not to be held up for 20 minutes.

I've met them... Nothing gets in the way of their cold Gin and Tonic in the next city.

So in some countries, it becomes an actual living for corrupt cops and turns good cops, bad !! Because they're poor and see it as an easy way to feed their families.

So if you're one of those people who carry's a special wallet full of dollars to pay bribes then you're "An Enemy of the people", as the Daily Mail would say

There's paying a genuine fine and then there's ruining it for everyone else....

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

In some countries police corruption is a way of life and you're not going to stop it happening by refusing to pay. They already make a good living from scamming the locals, and the locals are going to be better at arguing back than you are. Some may decide you're more work than you're worth but equally you may get one who decides he's going to make life hard for you.

On the road the usual scam is to say you've been speeding or crossed a white line and then it's your word against theirs. Your best bet then is to try and bargain them down. Just haggle. Carry a dummy wallet with a little cash (as much as you can afford to lose, but not ridiculously little or they'll smell a rat). Remember they can use Google Translate and some may insist on accompanying you to an ATM if in town (or taking you there minus bike!). Do not hand over passports or driving licence, if they have originals they have you over a barrel. Get several laminated copies made - translated copies can be useful stamped by a lawyer, and freely photocopied! If they say these aren't originals say you're waiting for a visa or something and that's what the visa office gave you (OK maybe not at a border!). Laminated licences won't be queried. Then if need be you can walk away from the copies promising to return with cash.

If you try too hard to get away free sooner or later somebody is going to push back. Be the dumb tourist who's got barely enough money to get the the next petrol stop. A little grease can oil squeaky wheels.

Interesting to note you're based in Kazakhstan. The only country I've encountered bent police.

Here's a picture at a Kazakh traffic checkpoint in 2012. Can anyone spot the corrupt copper? We all sat it out with him and his sidekicks (in background). No "fine" was paid...

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CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective