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Police corruption at checkpoint on Dakar to Saint Louis road (N2 near Kébémer)
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<blockquote data-quote="TimCullis" data-source="post: 237" data-attributes="member: 412"><p>I do hope you understand that I won't be sympathetic about this. You knew it was corruption and handing over such a massive amount of money just increases the likelihood that they will do it again to other travellers. </p><p></p><p>A few years back I was travelling by motorbike on that same road south of St Louis with two other bikers I had met a day earlier. We were stopped at a military checkpoint and told to pull over a couple of metres to the side of the road, which we did. After handing over our passports for inspection the soldier told us we had committed an infraction by not using our indicators when pulling over and the fine was €30 each. We told the soldier we wouldn't pay. </p><p></p><p>He retreated to his hut holding our passports hostage. We discussed what to do. One of the other bikers said he would go and talk to him, walked into the hut where the soldier was on the opposite side of a desk with our passports on the desk. The biker swooped on the passports, walked out and handed them back to us whereupon we put them inside our jackets. The soldier ran out ranting and raving but we ignored him, started the engines, and just before we were about to set off the soldier said (to avoid losing face), "You can leave." Result: no payment.</p><p></p><p>Coming back solo a couple of weeks later, I came across the same checkpoint with a different soldier on duty. The soldier told me to pull over to the side of the road, so I indicated and did so. He didn't know what to do as I has interrupted his script! The soldier proceeded to inspect the bike, check all the lights were working, etc., despite cars falling to pieces passing by without inspection. Result: no payment.</p><p></p><p>You shouldn't be scared of facing down corrupt police and soldiers. And even if they don't speak good English they all know the word 'corruption' which is the same in French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish... In addition, I always make a point of having the telephone number of the local British Consulate (Consulat Britannique) in my phone when travelling (+221 33 868 60 31 for Senegal). The police and military aren't about to shoot you for a bung, and will just move on to easier targets.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TimCullis, post: 237, member: 412"] I do hope you understand that I won't be sympathetic about this. You knew it was corruption and handing over such a massive amount of money just increases the likelihood that they will do it again to other travellers. A few years back I was travelling by motorbike on that same road south of St Louis with two other bikers I had met a day earlier. We were stopped at a military checkpoint and told to pull over a couple of metres to the side of the road, which we did. After handing over our passports for inspection the soldier told us we had committed an infraction by not using our indicators when pulling over and the fine was €30 each. We told the soldier we wouldn't pay. He retreated to his hut holding our passports hostage. We discussed what to do. One of the other bikers said he would go and talk to him, walked into the hut where the soldier was on the opposite side of a desk with our passports on the desk. The biker swooped on the passports, walked out and handed them back to us whereupon we put them inside our jackets. The soldier ran out ranting and raving but we ignored him, started the engines, and just before we were about to set off the soldier said (to avoid losing face), "You can leave." Result: no payment. Coming back solo a couple of weeks later, I came across the same checkpoint with a different soldier on duty. The soldier told me to pull over to the side of the road, so I indicated and did so. He didn't know what to do as I has interrupted his script! The soldier proceeded to inspect the bike, check all the lights were working, etc., despite cars falling to pieces passing by without inspection. Result: no payment. You shouldn't be scared of facing down corrupt police and soldiers. And even if they don't speak good English they all know the word 'corruption' which is the same in French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish... In addition, I always make a point of having the telephone number of the local British Consulate (Consulat Britannique) in my phone when travelling (+221 33 868 60 31 for Senegal). The police and military aren't about to shoot you for a bung, and will just move on to easier targets. [/QUOTE]
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Police corruption at checkpoint on Dakar to Saint Louis road (N2 near Kébémer)
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