Almost getting arrested in Rosarito, Mexico

When my colleague JC and I mentioned we were planning on driving down to Mexico for the weekend, we were met with much consternation in the Disney office ! Everyone had a story to tell and no one seemed to think it was a good idea. Our boss told us he thought we couldn’t drive our rental car down anyway, as the insurance policy didn’t cover Mexico. We checked and unfortunately he was correct. However, we were determined and started researching other options. When we suggested driving down and walking over there was uproar in the office. Everyone told us we shouldn’t plan to stay in Tijuana, the nearest town over the border. Then we struck lucky as found a car rental company which allowed you to drive over the border after paying a small premium. We were delighted, booked the car and planned our getaway !

We left LA after work on a hot July evening and started our journey. JC had more experience driving in the US than me at that stage, so she wanted to drive. The distance to the border is about 220km and we expected to take about 3 hours allowing for the weekend traffic. But it was worst than we expected and we hit traffic jams outside LA, San Diego and though Oceanside. 

There was a queue to cross the actual border and the official checked JC’s passport and our car insurance. As we drove across the border we were delighted with ourselves and were joking about the fuss in the office !

How wrong were we ! 

We didn’t have any accommodation booked and planed to drive down near to Ensenada, 65km south of Tijuana. As we left Tijuana, it was getting dark but it was still quite warm. We were both wearing shorts and shirts, which was all you needed due to the humidity. We chatted away, until we heard a siren and saw the dreaded blue lights flashing in our rear view.

JC immediately said, “what should I do,” to which I replied quite shocked. “Indicate and stop of course, we are not going to get into a car chase with the Mexican police. I am sure it will be fine.”

She indicated and pulled over to the side of the street. It was quite well lit and there were some shops and cafes lights visible just ahead. It took awhile before 2 officers approached JC’s window. They told her to wind the window down, which she did and she politely said hello and asked what the problem was?

“The problem is you drove through a stop sign back there,” replied one of the officers. “That’s very dangerous you know.”

“I didn’t see a Stop sign” replied JC and was met by much head shaking. 

“That’s very bad, if you don’t see road signs,” one of them replied. 

He then started asking JC questions. Where had we come from, where were we going, how long were we staying in Mexico etc. She answered each question politely. The two officers walked around the car pointing a flashlight at our lights, wheels etc.

We both wondered what they were doing and I whispered to JC, “there won’t be anything wrong with the car, we just collected it.”

We waited and waited and eventually one of the offices came back to JC’s side and the other walked back to his car. He asked her for her driving license and she gave it to him. She had a French drivers license. He started huffing and puffing and asking why she didn’t have an American license. She explained she wasn’t American and was over attending a meeting. He then asked for her passport and she produced it, an English one. This made him very irate and he started tapping the window with it, asking why she had a passport from one country and a drivers license from another. She explained she was English but had lived in France for several years and as both were in the EU (this of course was before Brexit) that she had French drivers license. He took the car insurance documents and started checking this to the ID’s and walked toward his car.

“We were told never to let our ID’s out of our sight, when here. I have just handed over my passport and driving license” said JC sounding quite emotional.

“Lets not panic” I said, trying to sound confident. “He might be just checking them with his colleague.”

“I do wish we had changed clothes though” she said. I agreed as we both felt very underdressed given the situation.

After what seemed like an age, they both approached the car again. This time, the other one spoke and he waved the car insurance document over towards me. 

“You” he said, “show me your driving license. There are two names on this document.”

I opened my bag and handed him my driving licence which was issued in England. I had done my test when I moved to London in the early nineties. The policeman started laughing saying to his colleague, “all forgeries”

We didn’t say a word and I said a silent prayer that he wouldn’t ask for my passport as of course I have an Irish one.

In all the conversations with work colleagues, we had never discussed documents and so hadn’t a clue what to do in this situation

Of course it wasn’t long before he came back and asked for my passport. I tried to hold onto it as I leaned towards the drivers window. I hoped he would just look at my name and as the colours were the same he wouldn’t notice. But he grabbed it out of my hand and when he turned it around, he almost lost it and roared at us “Have we found two criminals tonight, why are you in Mexico?”

Of course, now neither of us had our documentation and the situation had become quite tense. Again they walked around the car, flashing the lights on various areas. At this stage, a small crowd had gathered. The policemen shouted at them in Spanish and we had no idea what he said, but several left and a few shouted at us. We didn’t know what they said.

“Okay ladies, you need to drive up the road and take the next right turn and pull over” we were told. 

I asked if we could have our documents back and I was ignored. They walked back to their car and got in. 

“I have to do what they said”, said JC and I agreed with her. 

I said, “we just have to make sure we don’t get separated”. She started the car and slowly drove up the road and turned right. To our dismay, there were no street lights on that street and she pulled over and we waited. After a few minutes they approached us again and told JC to get out of the car. She hesitated and said, “I am sorry about the stop sign, and why do I need to get out of the car”. 

One of them replied, “because we have a big problem.” She got out of the car and stood by the front side. I immediately opened my door and started walking towards her. One of them shouted at me, “stay in the car” but I ignored him. This wasn’t out of bravery but more due to self preservation. 

One of them then gave us quite the monologue saying he didn’t believe we were at meetings in LA. He said it was very suspicious that we had different documents and he was concerned about why we were in Mexico. When he stopped to take a breath JC said, “we have ID’s from our work, you can see we work for a US company.” They both laughed with one saying “they have more forged documents, big surprise”. They walked away and left us alone. 

“That was a great idea”, I said to JC. “Maybe if they see we work for a large American company, they will let us go.” 

She agreed but then said, “It would be quite a headline, English and Irish Disney employees shot at Mexican border. Oh God, why did I say that” and laughed nervously. 

Eventually they came back and were very stern looking. One asked to see JC’s work ID and she explained it was in her bag and asked if she could get it out of the car. She was told to do so and she passed it over. We both really hoped that the Disney logo would be instantly recognisable. He asked if I had the same one and told me to get mine. I did and he checked it to JC’s and to my ID. Again they walked away and they now had 3 pieces of ID for each of us.

Another few minutes passed until they came back. One started talking again and this time was all smiles. He said that we were in big trouble and should be arrested and taken to the nearest police station to be charged with driving through the stop sign and having forged ID’s. He said the police station was very busy and that it would probably be Monday or Tuesday before the senior officer could see us and that we would have to remain in the station. He then said, he didn’t think that was necessary and that we probably had just made a mistake and that he was a reasonable man.

We both smiled and nodded profusely, saying he looked like a reasonable man! He then said that if we paid the fine straight away, he could resolve the matter for us. 

I said, “that’s very good of you, we appreciate that. How much is the fine.” 

He replied “$50.” 

He then said we were to get back into the car and talk to one another and decide what we wanted to do. We got into the car and I reached down for my bag to get $50 out. I was thinking this is the best $50 I have ever spent, this is now over. 

One of them approached JC’s window and asked what we wanted to do. I said “thank you, we will pay the fine, here is the money” as I passed it towards him. 

He took it from me and passed over our stack of ID’s. JC checked that we had everything.

To my dismay she said “Can we have a receipt please” I almost screamed at her as the officer threw the money into the car and said, “I was trying to help you, now you need to come to the station.”

“No, no”, I said, picking the money up “we don’t need a receipt.”  I held the money towards him. I was ready to give him a 2nd $50 if he asked for it. He grabbed the money and said “good night ladies, drive safely and look out for stop signs.”

They walked back to their car and JC’s started softly sobbing saying to me, “sorry I don’t know why I asked for a receipt, my mind just went blank.” “Its okay,” I said, “lets just wait until they leave and I can drive if you like”.  Her two hands were shaking. I am not trying to be the hero of this story but it was easier for me to be calm, as all the aggression was directed at her and I was mostly ignored.

But they didn’t move their car so JC’s had to drive off. We both agreed, we didn’t want to get out of the car again. JC turned left saying “I want to drive back over the border and get out of here”. 

I said “it’s very late now to do that, we did pass a hotel just a few minutes ago. Lets drive to that and see if they have a room. If they do, lets stay there and we will laugh about this over a Marguerite at the bar! If they don’t have a room, I agree we should drive back to the US and I will drive”. 

So we drove to the hotel, they had a room and we did laugh about it later than night over lovely Marguerites !!

We stayed for the weekend and had a lovely time touring around. The Mexican people are really friendly, the scenery amazing, the food excellent and it was very cheap after LA.

And guess what, we drove along that road again in daylight and there was no stop sign !!! Shock, horror …..