Jamaican Police AGAIN!

I’m waiting for my honorary badge as a member of the Jamaican Constabulary Force!  Either that or a free pass to Jamaican jail.

This is a quickie post about being pulled over YET AGAIN in Jamaica, only this time I was alone and wasn’t doing anything wrong….or so I thought.  There is, however, a lesson to be learned here.  And as usual, I snapped the best photo I could while I was being detained.

Officer (leaning into my passenger side window): Good morning Miss, we’re conducting a random spot check today. Can you please roll down your back windows?

Me (opening my back windows):  Sure!   At least I’m wearing my seatbelt this time because usually I’m not!

Officer:  Yes it’s a good thing or I’d have to give you a pretty little ticket for that.   Do you have any drugs or weapons in the vehicle?

Me (laughing): No sir!  And I know all about seatbelt tickets in Jamaica!

Officer (did I mention he’s about 7 feet tall?): Can I please see your license, registration and fitness?

Me (reaching for the glove box): Fitness? I’m not in very good shape.

The officer smiled but I don’t think he really got the joke. He proceeds to open all the papers in the envelope from the glove box and points out the certificate of “fitness” for the car, explaining what it is.

Officer: Oh look here. Your insurance expired two days ago.

Me (blank stare on my face): This a private rental and I got it 3 days ago. Should I call the guy I rented from?

Officer: Yes please.

So I attempt to make the call and conveniently I’m in an area where there’s no cell phone reception. I told him I have no signal and he tells me to drive forward a little bit and try again, so I drove about 25 feet up the road. That’s when I turned around and took the photo. I made the call to the person I rented from who wants to talk to the officer so I get out the car with my phone and walk back to where the police were. Meanwhile several tour buses go by on the highway and I’m thinking all the tourists on them must be wondering what happened to this lone white girl hanging out with police on the roadside.

7-foot officer chats on the phone for a few minutes and then hands it back to me. His conclusion?

Officer: You’re not at fault here so you’re free to go.

Me: Thanks! Have an awesome day!

The moral of the story here is to always check the papers for a car you’re about to rent! I don’t know why but I ALWAYS have a story to tell when I rent privately! At least this car was in perfect running condition, unlike my worst nightmare rental that happened to me last year.