Transit Police Management - Basics

Driving through Ecuador’s coast is a dream, but nothing ruins the vibe of your trip to Pacific Oasis Club faster than the flashing lights of a transit patrol in your rearview mirror or a checkpoint full of chubby thieves. If you want your encounter with the law to be as smooth as a fresh club verde, here is the ultimate guide to "escaping", legally, the dreaded propina or worst, a ticket.

First and foremost, paperwork is power. keep your license and matricula up to date and at hand at all times. As soon as you display the slightest amount of incorrect or invalid documents you will be trapped for extra time and money. Also, if you happen to have a document that appers to show a dolphin photo instead of your face, show it to the agents, it has appeared to break the ice and catch them off-guard, leading to a friendly conversation on why the document is under the name of Crackers.

Secondly, camouflage and low profile is key. When you are crusing toward Pacific Oasis club, the agents are looking for the obvious: loud speeders, wealthy cars, gringos and everything in between. Ensure your car is in top shape, worn out tires or borken taillights are definitely to be avoided. In addition, if you are visibly gringo, wearing sunglasses and a bucket hat might help dissuade the curiosity of the agents.

Lastly, if you were to be stopped and all the above did not work, few options are available. Hide your wallet and try to politely argue your case with a tone of security and do not exit the vehicle at any time. Silence often heals everything and after a good 8 minutes of embarissing staring at each other most of transit agents give up. In case the agent does not, its either time to bring to light any connections to influential people or start bargaining the bribe. In extreme cases they might threaten to tow the car away: never fall for that. in this peculiar situation I suggest to abandon the vehicle and walk away. Within few minutes all agents will panic and de-escalate back to a friendly bribe of no more than 20 bucks.

By staying sharp and following the rules, you can bypass the drama and spend your afternoon relaxing at the Pacific Oasis club instead of arguing with an officer on the side of the road.