So much for calling the polie

by jr, Monday, January 04, 2016, 16:05 (3962 days ago)

The yearly bicycle vendors on La Boquita are blasting music and advertisements at an extremely high volume. I called the police. They drove by, and absolutely nada. So much for any remedies available to the people that live in this town to combat the persistent noise pollution.

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For foreigners calling the police

by ZihuaRob ⌂ @, Zihuatanejo, México, Monday, January 04, 2016, 17:35 (3962 days ago) @ jr

The yearly bicycle vendors on La Boquita are blasting music and advertisements at an extremely high volume. I called the police. They drove by, and absolutely nada. So much for any remedies available to the people that live in this town to combat the persistent noise pollution.

You give up too easy and appear not to understand how things work here.

A little local wisdom...

Just because you complain doesn't mean someone is violating the noise regulations. What may seem loud to you may seem normal to us. But more importantly, first you need to know what the law being broken is if you expect the law to be applied. Getting the police to respond to your complaint often has more with how you make your complaint than applying any law.

Not implying this is you, but simply calling the police and being a bitchy foreigner is unlikely by itself to lead to the the desired results. Instead, having a brief exchange with the police and getting them to identify with you somehow is much more likely to lead to getting something done than simply complaining or expecting some law to be applied. Not easy for a foreigner, I admit. Also, if you're the only person making a complaint to the police about noise in your neighborhood they are less likely to respond as you wish. Get your neighbors involved!

Hopefully you'll find the tidbits of wisdom in my advise that I intended them to have and be able to put them to proper use instead of giving up so easily. ;-)


https://youtu.be/V0aJ1opXuuM

For foreigners calling the police

by jr, Tuesday, January 05, 2016, 11:32 (3961 days ago) @ ZihuaRob

I've lived here 16 years and have called the police numerous times. I certainly wasn't bitchy. Actually I was quite polite. I do know that there are reglamentos regarding the level of the noise allowed in the El Centro area. This from people who work in reglamentos in the city. My husband called the police again, and the noise was curtailed yesterday.

In a post further down you suggested that people who read this board, who are most likely foreigners, call the police if they have an issue, and then you basically told me it was useless to call if you're a "foreigner". So, what is the real story...???

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For long-time residents calling the police

by ZihuaRob ⌂ @, Zihuatanejo, México, Tuesday, January 05, 2016, 12:00 (3961 days ago) @ jr

I've lived here 16 years and have called the police numerous times. I certainly wasn't bitchy. Actually I was quite polite. I do know that there are reglamentos regarding the level of the noise allowed in the El Centro area. This from people who work in reglamentos in the city. My husband called the police again, and the noise was curtailed yesterday.

In a post further down you suggested that people who read this board, who are most likely foreigners, call the police if they have an issue, and then you basically told me it was useless to call if you're a "foreigner". So, what is the real story...???

I regret if you took my general message personally. As I said in my message, I wasn't specifically referring to you. It's near impossible to respond in general or in particular without being accused of either being vague or patronizing. I was trying to respond to a broader audience than just you.

I don't know if I know you, "jr". Sixteen years in a place can be different for different people. I know foreigners who've lived here over 3 decades who are still quite deficient in their Spanish. Others who jump right into it and within a couple of years are reading and speaking fluently. I don't know if you are retired or if you work here or somewhere else.

I usually get along terrifically with the police because as someone who lives and works here and who even speaks the language with a local accent I can appeal to them on various levels they can identify with depending on the need. A foreigner who doesn't work here would have to find different areas of converging interests, but by no means is it impossible. Just different. Getting things done in Mexico is all about communicating respectfully and identifying with each other. In many situations and in many contexts we often seem like one big extended family, even I am usually eventually accepted as a Mexican because of my attitude and my ability to defend myself on Mexican terms in spite of stereotypes about gringos and foreigners.

Why your husband got results and you didn't I have no idea. I have no idea who your husband is or how he deals with the police. But I'm happy to hear he apparently got your problem resolved. Saludos.

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For foreigners calling the police

by jaui @, Zihuatanejo, Tuesday, January 05, 2016, 12:05 (3961 days ago) @ jr

Quote from post:

"I've lived here 16 years and have called the police numerous times. I certainly wasn't bitchy. Actually I was quite polite. I do know that there are reglamentos regarding the level of the noise allowed in the El Centro area. This from people who work in reglamentos in the city. My husband called the police again, and the noise was curtailed yesterday.

In a post further down you suggested that people who read this board, who are most likely foreigners, call the police if they have an issue, and then you basically told me it was useless to call if you're a "foreigner". So, what is the real story...???"

Hello jr:
Same as you, I have over 16 years here as a permanent resident......
My experience is, generally speaking, the supposed police, called "policía preventíva", 11 times out of 10, are useless in resolving complaints about these types of issues.
Although recently on Dec. 5 2015, between shortly after 1 a.m., and finalizing with a THIRD call at 2 a.m., my noise problem complaint was taken care of. So, it is not impossible.
I would add, besides Rob's suggestions on "how to", be persistent, firm, yet polite, adding a "muchas gracias" at the conclusion of your dialog.
I have also noted that, most of the complaining is done by us "bitchy foreigners".
It seems though, that the local resident Mexican population, do NOT do much complaining about these civil conduct issues, they just either are used to it, adapt to it, or just shrug it off. Probably not worth their time and energy, and maybe an expense in complaining, pórque, ya saben, que, los policías NO HACEN NADA.:vivamexico:

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jaui

For foreigners calling the police

by jr, Tuesday, January 05, 2016, 12:17 (3961 days ago) @ jaui

I work here, own a business, and am married to a Mexican. Sometimes the police respond to my calls, sometimes they don't. Yesterday the police drove by where the noise was coming from, and didn't even stop, so I don't think it was my "technique" in calling (I am always polite, and do speak Spanish very well). Instead it was whomever was in the police truck who chose not to respond. Maybe having a second complaint, when my husband called, did the trick. Or perhaps, maybe the guys in the second truck felt like doing their jobs a bit more.