<story><title>Zero rupee note (2015)</title><url>https://karthika2006.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/zero-rupee-note/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>_nalply</author><text>I experienced corruption and had to bribe an officer. This was more than 20 years ago. I hope you find my tale interesting as an example how bribery is executed exactly, even if you are clueless like me.&lt;p&gt;I was in Romania to watch the solar eclipse of there. Then we started our itinary back home. About one kilometer before the border to Hungary we were stopped by the police. It was very flat and the road very straight. We already could see the border post in the distance. The officer seemed friendly and beckoned me to get out of the car. I got off and he wanted to look at the trunk. I opened it and I showed him our gear, two tents, sleeping bags, clothes, some food and it took the time. He was very friendly, like an older uncle of you. He wanted to look at our papers again and when I passed him my passport he made a gesture, he put the flat hand between two pages.&lt;p&gt;After some time I suddenly realized that he wanted to be bribed. Duh!&lt;p&gt;Then I said, sorry no more Romanian Lei, but we have Hungarian Forint, and he nodded eagerly. So I said, just a moment please and took back my passport then I did some calculation in my head. I decided to give him $20 worth in Forint and put the notes in the passport and gave him the passport back. He was happy and gestured that we can continue.&lt;p&gt;Just to know, this was only two years after the fall of Ceausescu.&lt;p&gt;We drove away. Slowly just to give him the feeling that he has the situation in control.&lt;p&gt;We expected to wait about 15 minutes at the border post, as it already happened when we entered Romania. But when we slowly cruised to the post, another officer appeared and beckoned us through. We overtook about four cars.&lt;p&gt;I didn&amp;#x27;t plan to but we got VIP treatment.&lt;p&gt;Today I think I shouldn&amp;#x27;t have bribed the officer. However I was completely clueless and I had a good rapport with the officer and I just wanted to help him and us. I still don&amp;#x27;t know what I should have done.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>inglor</author><text>You (unfortunately) did the right thing and this is (unfortunately) still common in several Eastern European countries (and elsewhere for example certain areas in India and LATAM) especially outside the central areas. I actively avoid trips&amp;#x2F;routes that take me through areas where bribing is necessary.&lt;p&gt;As for &amp;quot;what happens if I refuse&amp;quot; - in anecdotal experience:&lt;p&gt;- I&amp;#x27;ve seen friends arrested&amp;#x2F;detained until they paid up (happened 3-4 times).&lt;p&gt;- I&amp;#x27;ve seen officials attempting to take a bribe &amp;quot;give up&amp;quot; when we acted confused (1-2 times).&lt;p&gt;- I&amp;#x27;ve seen officials invent very creative excuses about a &amp;quot;EU tax&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;foreigner tax&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;special foreigner tickets&amp;quot;.&lt;p&gt;I want to say this is amusing but honestly the situation is always terrifying and unclear and I actively avoid places with corruption when picking my tourist destinations.</text></comment>
<story><title>Zero rupee note (2015)</title><url>https://karthika2006.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/zero-rupee-note/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>_nalply</author><text>I experienced corruption and had to bribe an officer. This was more than 20 years ago. I hope you find my tale interesting as an example how bribery is executed exactly, even if you are clueless like me.&lt;p&gt;I was in Romania to watch the solar eclipse of there. Then we started our itinary back home. About one kilometer before the border to Hungary we were stopped by the police. It was very flat and the road very straight. We already could see the border post in the distance. The officer seemed friendly and beckoned me to get out of the car. I got off and he wanted to look at the trunk. I opened it and I showed him our gear, two tents, sleeping bags, clothes, some food and it took the time. He was very friendly, like an older uncle of you. He wanted to look at our papers again and when I passed him my passport he made a gesture, he put the flat hand between two pages.&lt;p&gt;After some time I suddenly realized that he wanted to be bribed. Duh!&lt;p&gt;Then I said, sorry no more Romanian Lei, but we have Hungarian Forint, and he nodded eagerly. So I said, just a moment please and took back my passport then I did some calculation in my head. I decided to give him $20 worth in Forint and put the notes in the passport and gave him the passport back. He was happy and gestured that we can continue.&lt;p&gt;Just to know, this was only two years after the fall of Ceausescu.&lt;p&gt;We drove away. Slowly just to give him the feeling that he has the situation in control.&lt;p&gt;We expected to wait about 15 minutes at the border post, as it already happened when we entered Romania. But when we slowly cruised to the post, another officer appeared and beckoned us through. We overtook about four cars.&lt;p&gt;I didn&amp;#x27;t plan to but we got VIP treatment.&lt;p&gt;Today I think I shouldn&amp;#x27;t have bribed the officer. However I was completely clueless and I had a good rapport with the officer and I just wanted to help him and us. I still don&amp;#x27;t know what I should have done.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>okl</author><text>Thanks for your story.&lt;p&gt;McAfee has written an extensive guide on how it works in central America: &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.whoismcafee.com&amp;#x2F;the-travel-guide&amp;#x2F;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.whoismcafee.com&amp;#x2F;the-travel-guide&amp;#x2F;&lt;/a&gt;</text></comment>