Well, we knew better and yet it still happened to us. And this lesson was an expensive one.
Marbete tickets!
We totally forgot about renewing the marbete (the registration and compulsory insurance) this year. Nothing came in the mail and we drove about completely oblivious to the expired sticker on the windshield of the Mustang. Britton went out to run some errands and stop by the beach for a bit. When he was on his way back, he got pulled over by a motorcycle cop. He had no idea what he had done. Well, it wasn’t what he had done, but what he hadn’t done: renewed the marbete. And what a fine. $500 for lack of marbete and $200 for lack of inspection (that you get when you get your marbete). $700 for something he didn’t even know he was lacking! Yikes. He tried to explain in his broken Spanish to the officer, but it didn’t matter. He was getting the tickets.
Selling our flowers at the farmer’s market in Rincon on Sundays
He was understandably upset, especially because we have been working to save up a bit more money working at the film sets, selling flowers and renting out the cabana. Pretty much all of that savings went *poof* with these tickets. I told him it was ok. We made a mistake. Things happen, but we should just go and get it taken care of. No sense in waiting. Plus we would need the marbete in order to keep driving the car. Luckily the police let him drive home. We’ve heard that they sometimes won’t even let you go. They will impound your car and make you find an alternative way home. Oh, joy! So…it could always be worse I suppose!
Working as an extra for the show “Start-up” with actor Adam Brody
So we took the truck (at least that marbete was up to date) to Aguadilla (since the Anasco offices are closed due to Maria) along with the “inspection” of the Mustang (they don’t actually inspect anything, they just print a paper for $16 saying you passed emissions testing). We paid the $180 for the new marbete and found that we would get 30% off the tickets if we paid them within 15 days of receipt; so we did. Once that pocket ache was finished, we decided it was time for treat. Off to the ice cream shop again.
Since I was a kid, ice cream has always cheered me up. A nice banana split
If you can learn from us, do! Never let your marbete expire. It is not worth it. The police rarely enforce any laws here. But that is one that they are super strict about. Don’t risk it, check monthly!
The police enforce the easy ones. They don’t like to chase cars for moving violations. We put marbete reminders on our calendars. If we haven’t teceived the notice by the first week of the month, we go online and print it out.
Which is the site I can print it out of?? And yes, they only enforce the easy ones. 🙁
Seeing the banana split reminded me of Banana Dang! I know they moved their store to California a few years ago, but they had a good run in Rincon. We visited Rincon in November of 2012 and stopped by their shop. We’re planning a return trip late this year and can’t wait to be back!
Really enjoy reading your stories of adventure in PR!
Same thing happened to me, but my truck was in a shop in aguada that took 9 months to finish.even then the mechanic tried charging me a additional $500 after I had paid him in full. So I take him to daca (court) they say I have 24 hrs. To get my truck.as I get the truck I knew the marbita was expired and was looking for a inspection station.Meanwhile the mechanics cop buddy stops me for a $700 ticket for guess what….no marbeta.I tried explaining I knew it was expired and was looking for a station. This was the start of covid so I wanted to appeal the tickets and had to go buy 2 stamps from a bank and fill out 6 inches of appeal papers. Months later I receive a call from the cop telling me i had court the next day.i go to court show all my evidence the judge dismisses the tickets. I request some document showing it was dismissed the said we don’t provide that.So 9 months later i get a letter anothet court date regarding the same tickets.I call the cop he says it was dismissed and he will not be attending the new court date and advised me not to attend.OH yeah …that’s went who knows maybe issue a warrant.A clerk tells me that the new date is about the fine amount ( $700) not the ticket??? What aren’t they one in the same.she says the tickets was dismissed but not the fine. What a kangaroo court system…If your not careful you can easily be in jail simply over poor workers in these positions. So August 10th 2021 is the court date. So anyone’s guess could happen .All over a mechanif trying to exploit more money from me and upset that I took him to court so he uses his corrupt cop buddy to get even.WATCH YOUR BACK here trust NO one!!