Costly

Costa Rica is suddenly very serious about its roadways and the rules around them. What were mere suggestions when we moved here, are now laws that are being strictly enforced. This includes everything from running a red light to driving under the influence. The truth is that the driving habits of Costa Ricans follow their laid back, Pura Vida mentality. I don't think it is a bad idea to try to make the roadways safer, and what better way to enforce new laws but through pocketbooks.

I have never been opposed to fines for traffic violations. Sure, no one likes them, but the idea is that the fines are supposed to be easy enough to avoid by following the law and the money goes back to the community. All in theory, of course. To the benefit of the "community" these fines should be manageable, so that, perhaps more revenue can be collected from people who slip up, pay up, and get back to work. But in Costa Rica, the fines seem to bring everything to a screeching halt.

I offer the example of a recent parking ticket that my husband got while parking in an area with no signs indicating that he should not park there. First of all, instead of placing a ticket under the wiper, they took the license plates right off our car. He got the car home, and the next day he spent at least $20 in taxis and many hours traveling from one point to another to first collect the ticket and then the plates. He got the plates back by filing an appeal to the department of motor vehicles.

As if the time and inconvenience were not enough, the ticket that he appealed was with a fine of nearly $300US, and cost him ten points off his driver's license. As the ticket read, the violation was of parking in a yellow zone, and apparently blocking the flow of traffic. For this the fine is exactly 117,000 colones plus 30% for PANI, an entity for the protection of children. In fact, my husband was parked in downtown San José, by a park where there was no indication, yellow or otherwise, that he was in a restricted zone. We are not any too pleased with the idea of blowing $300US on a parking ticket, but we can manage. What in the world do the locals who earn $4US per hour do with a parking ticket like this? Traffic violations have equally stiff penalties. It all seems completely counter productive.

This is a sort of "to be continued." I will update the results of the appeal. No matter the case, lots of time, energy and cash were and will be wasted in this process. Not a cent so far has gone toward the "community." It is just another example of the things that make us go "hmmm" in "paradise."