# Bosnia - police problem



## Bagshanty (Jul 24, 2005)

We were warned by a site owner in Croatia that police in Bosnia regularly enhanced their salary by running an extortion racket against motorists. Pretend to catch you speeding (or even genuinely do so), start writing out a ticket, but then you can hand over 10 or 20 Euros, and speeding ticket disappears. Consequently we made sure we kept our speed low - the roads aren't up to high speed anyway.

We STILL got pulled in by the police, as a random check. They checked ALL our papers, then walked round the van looking for something to have us on. He found it. Did you know that Bosnia is the only country in Europe where all vans, even mini vans, are required to have a red, yellow and black "80" sticker on the back? No, neither did we. This policeman kindly drew an 80 sticker on the white gel coat of our van to show what he meant - it is still there now, so if anyone knows how to get ballpoint pen off gel coat pleas let me know! He was busy indicating that we would have to pay a 30 Euro fine, whilst we were searching phrase books for the word "receipt". Suddenly, he said we were free to go, and waved us out of the lay-by. Personally, I think he discovered his drawing on the van was permanent.

Reading the only guide book we could find on Bosnia, written by an American aid worker who is now a Bosnian resident (http://www.bradt-travelguides.com/details.asp?prodid=107) who recommends acting ignorant, play for time, and generally make it difficult. (As he spoke no English, that was easy!). We did meet a French couple in a camper who found their 100 Euro speeding fine disappeared when the requested 15 Euro was supplied.

Bosnia is a beautiful country, the people are lovely - just a pity about the police. We saw more police patrols pulling in motorists in 3 weeks than we have done in many years travelling in other parts of Europe.f


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi.
We never would get to 80.

steve & ann. ---------------- teensvan


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Bosnia*



teensvan said:


> Hi.
> We never would get to 80.
> 
> steve & ann. ---------------- teensvan


We would never get to Bosnia


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

teensvan said:


> Hi.
> We never would get to 80.
> 
> steve & ann. ---------------- teensvan


 Is that speed or years ? :wink: :lol:


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

Briarose said:


> teensvan said:
> 
> 
> > Hi.
> ...


Love the dogs! as for 80k that's only 50 mph!!


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Thanks ref the dogs...........welsh terriers, Zebedee and another member on here also has the same breed. often get asked if they are mini airedales.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Their illegal fines sound a darn site cheaper than our legal ones.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Police stories of that sort are pretty wide spread in some countries, they are just augmenting their pay. 

It reminds me of a good story. 

My brother in law lived in Malawi for many years and while there he worked for a multi national company. From time to time he had visitors from head office and had to conduct them on trips. A new regional director arrived, hired a car and decided that they should go on a trip to Mozambique to meet suppliers there. So off they went in the visitors hire car. 

As they approached the Mozambique border my brother in law asked his visitor if he had 50 US dollars to pay his ´fine´ to the Mozambique police. The visitor asked why he should have to pay a fine. My brother in law explained that the police had not been paid for years and levied fines on all foreign registered cars in lieu of pay. The visitor took the news badly and insisted that under no circumstances would he pay a fine unless he was guilty of some offence. 

A few miles later they were pulled over by the police. Two police officers set about examining the car for some reason to levy a fine. My brother in law kept saying ´just give them 50 dollars and we can get on´, the visitor refused to do so. 

A long time later having exhausted their inspection of the car without finding fault one of the police men asked the driver for his driving license. He handed it over, the police man inspected it and said ´it says here that you are 38 years old´, the visitor agreed that this was correct. 

The police man said, ´you are a young man your hair should not be grey, you are fined 50 dollars´.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

erneboy said:


> The police man said, ´you are a young man your hair should not be grey, you are fined 50 dollars´.


Must remember that one. 

Dougie.


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## 108370 (Nov 20, 2007)

Briarose said:


> Thanks ref the dogs...........welsh terriers, Zebedee and another member on here also has the same breed. often get asked if they are mini airedales.


Luke is often called an Airedale puppy


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