Okay I'm not trying to take the credit when the credit's not due. I'm just sharing an experience of mine with the Traffic Police Officers in the matter of the infamous pink and blue slips. But this is not a problem I took head on, unlike some (courageous) people.
The situation was; my friend and I are trying to catch a meeting smack dab in the middle of Sudirman street and it was still 3 in 1 period. There were only 2 of us, so I told her that we were going to take one of those 3 in 1 jockey to avoid the hassle. I had prepared what's left of my cash (Rp. 10.000), yet despite of that, we were involved in a heated argument, we forgot all about the jockey until we arrived in the traffic light near the pizza man (Ratu Plaza, well you know where it is...). I gasped and cursed,"Sh*t, how come we forgot about the jockey? I'm so f*cked." Especially when I saw an officer already eye-ing us who (obviously) looked mighty guilty. "Oh, no!" Said my friend, "what are we going to do now?" I thought about it for a while and said,"OK, I think I want to try the blue slip thingie." "What blue slip thingie?" asked my friend. "Just sit still and nod along to everything I'm going to say."
So there we were. The officer gestured us to pull over. So I did. As always, the officer gave a salute and greeting to us and asked if he could see my license and the car's registration, so I gave him those. And as always, he gave us the option of "a 'street trial' and paid the fine there or he would confiscate my license and gave me a schedule for a trial in one of the precincts". For those who are not familiar with this terms; a street trial meant we would pay up the officer on whatever amount he asks, and the money goes, nowhere else, but to their pockets.
So I told him: "No, sir, I admit I'm guilty in this matter, so I'd take the blue slip, please, you may take my license and I'll pay for the fine in the bank and get my license back." The officer seemed to hesitate a bit, and confirmed if that was what I want and I stubbornly said yes. "Okay then, wait here." The officer said and then he called out to his friend, the other officer who, from the look of it, took a specialization in being a 'spoke-person' for those who chose the blue slip. He was more eloquent and confident compared to the previous officer.
So this officer then tried and tried to talk me out of taking the blue slip. He said that it could cost me up to Rp. 750.000 because violating the 3 in 1 was a 'maximum fined violation' he said. I asked to see a written evidence of the law in the matter. He couldn't give me one, because he said it was "a new law that hasn't been socialized yet". So I still insisted on the blue slip, despite of what he said. I also reasoned that I only have this Rp. 10.000 cash now (I showed the money to him, I have already taken it out anyway), so I'd pay the fine later. So finally he said,"Okay then, if you're willing to pay Rp. 750.000, it's your choice, so I would write up this blue slip, I'd take your license, then after you paid for the fine, please look for me here and I'll give you back the license."
I thought: what? WHAT?
"Sir," I said with the tone I assumed was somewhat knowledgeable (although I was quite clueless) yet still polite,"If I'm not mistaken, after the fine, I should get my license at the nearby precinct, not from an individual officer. How could I possibly be sure that you'll always be here?" The officer then said something, I forgot the details but in the tone of: that's your problem if you want to insist upon the blue slip. Okay, I thought, if he wanted to play dirty, I could play dirty.
I whipped out my Blackberry and said to him: "okay then Sir, please let me take your picture and make sure your name tag is visible, because I'm forgetful, how can I look for you if I can't remember how you look like, let alone your name? So, say 'cheese'"
You probably would have guessed what he did. Or you wouldn't. He instantly covered his face with his hand and moved away from my car! Ha-di-haha. He said he didn't want to, and it was against the law to take picture of someone against his/her will. He also said that he would give my license to his fellow officer, so I had to look for his friend rather than him. Okay then, I said, please call your friend so I could take his picture!
At this point, he looked quite mad and my friend already started perspiring (I assumed hehe). The officer stole a glance at me and probably saw that I wasn't going to budge. So suddenly, which kind of came as a sweet surprise for me, he gave in and said,"Miss, I will let you go this time just with a warning. You can take your license and take Sudirman, I would call my friends with this walkie talkie so they won't hold you there. But please, remember the law next time!"
W00t! My friend and I looked each other in a disbelieving glee. And I thanked the officer with a full (well, okay, kind of mocked) respect and promised not to do this again. And then off we went through the Sudirman street, and we made to the meeting right on time!
The moral of this story, kids, if you want to go that rabbit hole, just be Alice, and don't ever think of turning back until you wake up in the English Garden.
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