Banditas Blog: ... Cuernavaca and Mexican Policia...

DECEMBER 28th 2008

We drove the many hours from Acapulco, to Cuernavaca. Pretty road weary, but we still had to go to the Police station in Cuernavaca to finish paperwork concerning the fender bender we had......
Well, we drove to the Police Station thinking it would be a simple matter. Clear cut. Just call the delagado (lawyer) that had given us his phone number at the time of the accident, file a police report, and be on our way.

Well, we showed up.... called the delagado...and thats about as far as we got for HOURS....
First of all, the delagado didnt answer the phone..... then, as we patiently tried to proceed on our own with the police, we had to WAIT in line. So, we discovered the local coffee machine and had a seat...... and we sat. For a long time.
We were exceptionally patient. We were exceptionally polite. And, we humbly waited and waited and waited.
Finally, when it was our turn to speak to the man behind the desk, he told us we were in the wrong place......... sigh............ so we went a walking to another department, and went thru the same thing. Waited...and waited and waited, only to be told that we were again in the wrong place. We patiently returned back to the first place, and spoke again to the man behind the desk, who seemed to be trying his best to ignore us.
Of course, NO ONE speaks english, and Chuy had to do all the interpreting........... and when we finally got another chance to speak to the man behind the desk, he reiterated we needed the delagado...........
Ummm. I can only say that it was getting on our nerves by now. About 3 hours had passed, and we were no further along in the process than when we first got there~
We told the man that our delagado wasnt answering the phone..... and then he said that was because he had to call the delagado......... ON and ON it went like that. Crazy ............ and I will admit that I did question their intelligence a few times. I tried my very best to be culturally correct and all, but under my breath, I said a few words.
And, to be perfectly honest with you, I still question their intelligence.
The only good thing about that entire day, and 6 hours later...........was the reliable little coffee maker that kept pumping out .50cent cups of coffee for us!
Eventually it all worked out. And, I wont go into all the boring details, because quite frankly, I dont think I could stomach remembering it all............... it was a trial of all of our patience, integrity, and politeness that all three of us could muster.
My husband is a Mexican, and I really didnt want to offend him with what I thought of Mexicans at that moment....at least Mexican Police that is.
It all finally boiled down to Julieanna having to write out a statement that could be sent to the insurance agency. However, the clincher was, they wanted it in Spanish. Well, we all know Julieanna is not proficient in writing Spanish. We offered for Chuy to interpret for Julie, and thus the statement could be done! WELL, we were told over and over that if we did that, it wouldnt be legal. ............. So, we waited and waited and waited for the delagado to come to the station...after the Police finally called them from the main office............. and after the delagado finally came.... he said to the police, to just let Chuy interpret.
Umm... I think we mentioned that about 4 hours earlier.......
And, eventually that is what happened. Chuy interpreted the statement, Julie signed it as accurate and true........... they stamped it..............and 6 or so hours later, about sunset time, we got to leave.
We were GRUMPY and HUNGRY and TIRED! And, thus at dinner that night, at a very NICE place overlooking Cortes's Palace, we just couldnt get into the mood of all. I think it was one of the least favorite evenings of the entire trip....and the photos say it all.............................
Bottom line...just dont get into a fender bender in Mexico, whatever you do!