¡La Policia! (by Todd)
Approximately four times now I have been stopped by the police.
The thing is that they have these "Puestos de Control" (Control Posts), where they randomly stop cars. The first time they stopped me, I was a little nervous. But they just asked for my license and registration, looked at them, and sent me on my way. I had an international driving permit that is supposed to accompany my US one here, but they didn't even ask for it.
It's interesting, though, because Lauren, who has driven around much more than me, has never been stopped even once. I don't know if it's because I'm male, or because I look more Honduran, or what. But it seems like more than just chance now that it's happened several times.
I also think that as soon as they realize I'm American (ie as soon as I open my mouth or show my license), they leave off. Once a police officer asked for license and registration, and when I said, "Just a moment," he said, "It's OK, you can go."
So yesterday morning, when they motioned me to the side of the road at the Puesto just outside Talanga, I thought, "Here we go again." And then, to my surprise, the police officer asked for a ride to a police station just outside Tegucigalpa. I was so surprised at first I didn't even know what to say. It's common to get asked for a lift, but this is the first time I've gotten it from a police office. After a brief debate, Fr. Lucian and I figured it could only help to make nice with the Talangan police.
She was a nice passenger. I realized later, though, I should have asked her why they keep pulling me over!
The thing is that they have these "Puestos de Control" (Control Posts), where they randomly stop cars. The first time they stopped me, I was a little nervous. But they just asked for my license and registration, looked at them, and sent me on my way. I had an international driving permit that is supposed to accompany my US one here, but they didn't even ask for it.
It's interesting, though, because Lauren, who has driven around much more than me, has never been stopped even once. I don't know if it's because I'm male, or because I look more Honduran, or what. But it seems like more than just chance now that it's happened several times.
I also think that as soon as they realize I'm American (ie as soon as I open my mouth or show my license), they leave off. Once a police officer asked for license and registration, and when I said, "Just a moment," he said, "It's OK, you can go."
So yesterday morning, when they motioned me to the side of the road at the Puesto just outside Talanga, I thought, "Here we go again." And then, to my surprise, the police officer asked for a ride to a police station just outside Tegucigalpa. I was so surprised at first I didn't even know what to say. It's common to get asked for a lift, but this is the first time I've gotten it from a police office. After a brief debate, Fr. Lucian and I figured it could only help to make nice with the Talangan police.
She was a nice passenger. I realized later, though, I should have asked her why they keep pulling me over!
posted by at 11/10/2005 03:01:00 PM
1 Comments:
Tsk, tsk, Todd . . . breaking the law . . . y'know, at first glance everyone thinks you're such a good influence on others . . . but then you start squirting people with water guns and infecting people with the wrath of orange, and now you're getting pulled over by the police! Who'da thunk it? :)
~Ali
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