[Caipirabob]

Agreed. As bad as it sounds, you are in constant survival mode there. My friends detailed an experience years ago driving from São Paulo to Rio. The military police pulled them over and said they were speeding. The driver pulled off a gold bracelet on his wrist and offered to to them, and in response they let them go. When they told me the story, they said if it had not been the real police, they would have just shot them and taken everything.

I'd have to say my time done there with no problems was simply luck.

[katana]

I think everybody who’s spent time in Brazil can tell a version of the same story. Speeding, cop, cash, and good day and good driving to y’all. That being said, Brazil is far from unique in having a law enforcement system that runs on bribes. Cops have hungry kids like the rest of us and, like waiters and waitresses, their real income is in “tips”.

[bgill]

After this, many tourists will mark Brazil off the vacation lists. It’ll cost Rio much more than $11k.