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Old 11-29-2006, 07:12 AM
Rocky Rocky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris View Post
OK, this looks a little cleaner and is now a sticky.

Are any of the long term members willing to add what to do (and not to do) while flagged down at a security roadblock, or stopped by the cops, or flagged down by Amet.
I don't think there is one universal solution.
There are too many variables.

This is what works for me.
(Bear in mind I speak Spanish)
I always roll down my window before even coming to a full stop, half hang my head out the window with a smile on my face, reaching out to shake the hand of the first person approaching me, with a big, "Saludos".
Often I will say, "Yo conozco a usted" like a statement, like I just found an old friend.
Often will ask them, "Hay problemas?", "Que paso?", "Un robo?", whatever comes to mind, like I'm interested in their work and have no doubt that the only reason they would be pulling cars over, is because a big crime has been committed, and they are trying to capture the criminals.
In general, I babble on about anything that comes to mind, until they are a bit bored with me and politely ask me to move on and get the heck out of their way.

In the absence of speaking the lingo, as was the case when I first moved here, I used the same beginning as above, only would start the conversation, as I shook the hand, "Yo Marco. Usted?, lots of smiling, "No Hablas Espaņol!", "Soy Canadiense", "Republica Dominicana, bonito", "Brugal, Presidente, chicas", "Bueno, bueno, bueno"...
And bore the heck out of them, repeating those few words I know.
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