Well most of us have read about the increased traffic fines in Costa Rica and last week I had one of those personal “learning experiences” with the new and improved fines.

Having made a zillion telephone calls per day whilst working on Wall Street I don’t actually like using the telephone any more and it’s no exaggeration to say that I’ve probably only used my cellphone while driving twice this YEAR because I knew that it is illegal and that the fines are steep…

Like duh!

But, I received a telephone call from someone who I hadn’t spoken to in a long time and had planned to say that: “I’ll call you back in ten minutes as soon as I get home” but, as I answered the phone turning the corner in my trusty Toyota in San Jose there were the traffic cops standing by their motorbikes who immediately waved me over…

I thought of swallowing the cellphone but that didn’t work…

Police Officer William Quesada cheerfully greeted me with a big smile, shook my hand and asked me what I did for a living, we chatted away pleasantly about how I write about life in Costa Rica and how much I have enjoyed living here for the past 11 years and he requested my driver’s license.

He then walked away to his bike and returned with a ticket for 237,150 colones which at today’s exchange rate is US$476…

Another “learning experience.”

I was told by friends that the ‘Tico thing to do’ would be to appeal… They said that the police officer can not prove without a shadow of a doubt that I was on the telephone, in fact he didn’t even ask to see the telephone when he pulled me over I have paid the fine.

Paying The Fine – Now US$619 – For Using Cellphone While Driving.

  1. On 22nd June 2011 I visited Banco de Costa Rica to pay the fine. Amazingly enough there was no line (fila in Spanish) and the cashier was helping me in less than 3 minutes after entering the bank. Unfortunately there was no record of my traffic ticket in her computer system so I was advised to go directly to COSEVI (Consejo de Seguridad Vial) to pay the fine.
  2. On 23rd June 2011 I took a cab and visited COSEVI in an area called La Uruca in San Jose to pay the fine. I only had to wait about ten minutes to be attended to… Unfortunately, my ticket still wasn’t in the system but the COSEVI employee helping me put all the data in the computer and said I could now pay the 308,295 colones fine… I explained that I had brought the exact amount 237,150 that is printed clearly on the ticket and was informed that the extra 71,145 colones (US$1434) goes to PANI (Patronato Nacional de la Infancia) which is the child welfare agency.
  3. Since I didn’t have enough cash on me – the fine had risen to the equivalent to US$619 – I decided to walk home rather than take a cab to release a little excess ‘energy.’
  4. Later the same day, I visited the same Banco de Costa Rica, was attended to immediately and successfully paid the fine. Phew!

As you will see from the Minimum Salaries in Costa Rica 2011, US$619 is way more than the average monthly salary in Costa Rica so this kind of a fine must really hurt the average Tico…

Just makes me wonder why I see hundreds of people per day driving in San Jose while speaking on the telephone and yes! I’ve seen plenty of police officers doing exactly the same thing….

Please do NOT phone and drive unless you use one of those hands-free devices…

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Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1. Costa Rica Real Estate Scams & How To Avoid Them, 2. How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, and 3. Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore.

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