4 ms·

I think it’s also a strong statement of your position when it comes to bribes. A shakedown for a bribe is a negotiation. If a person is told “pay this $100 fee

I think it’s also a strong statement of your position when it comes to bribes. A shakedown for a bribe is a negotiation. If a person is told “pay this $100 fee right now or I’ll have to take you in” and says “no”, the cop may lower the price, raise the price, threaten more, or follow through on the threat to try to get the person to pay up. But if you have a piece of paper that says “I am so against bribery that I carry around pieces of paper that say so” it makes the cop lose hope of getting the bribe. At that point, why bother with the work of arresting them?

heavenlyblue 7y ago
>> A shakedown for a bribe is a negotiation. It's only a negotiation if the official has any chance of being prosecuted for that bribe. >> But if you have a piece of paper that says “I am so against bribery that I carry around pieces of paper that say so” it makes the cop lose hope of getting the bribe. Or well, the cop simply arrests you and puts you in jail for a week during which you can't go to work to afford food for your children. >> If a person is told “pay this $100 fee right now or I’ll have to take you in” and says “no”, the cop may lower the price, raise the price, threaten more, or follow through on the threat to try to get the person to pay up. There was a thing in Russia about a decade ago for people driving cars with European plates: a cop stops you and says you're drunk. You argue with him, so he takes you to a doctor. Doctor says you're drunk. So the bribes went as $10 for the first time and then $100 at the doctor's. If you were smart you knew you could loose the license in Russia and then simply report it stolen in Europe because nobody shared databases.
- travisjungroth 7y ago
  >> It's only a negotiation if the official has any chance of being prosecuted for that bribe. I’m not saying it’s fair, but it is a negotiation. There are offers and counteroffers that are accepted and denied.
bubblethink 7y ago
>why bother with the work of arresting them? Sport, ego, anger, setting precedent, higher payout after arresting etc. Any number of reasons. It's all fun and games to give 0 rupee notes, until you are locked up. And then your bribe to get out has gone up manifold, unless you are willing to fight it out in a court (which you aren't).
- travisjungroth 7y ago
  Good point. I really was drawing out the best use case for this note. It could certainly go wrong.
- inflatableDodo 7y ago
  I'd get rum, cushions and a book delivered under the guise of someone claiming to be fetching money. edit - and a bundle of zero rupee notes to distribute round the jail, along with half the rum and a promise to send more rum, the quicker I get out.
  - tedunangst 7y ago
    Arrested by a corrupt cop? Just send out for some rum and a book. One has to wonder why more people don't do this. Instead they spend their time worrying that maybe something unpleasant will happen.
    - inflatableDodo 7y ago
      This is why I have just shared the rum with people with extravagant facial tattoos.

heavenlyblue 7y ago

>> A shakedown for a bribe is a negotiation. It's only a negotiation if the official has any chance of being prosecuted for that bribe. >> But if you have a piece of paper that says “I am so against bribery that I carry around pieces of paper that say so” it makes the cop lose hope of getting the bribe. Or well, the cop simply arrests you and puts you in jail for a week during which you can't go to work to afford food for your children. >> If a person is told “pay this $100 fee right now or I’ll have to take you in” and says “no”, the cop may lower the price, raise the price, threaten more, or follow through on the threat to try to get the person to pay up. There was a thing in Russia about a decade ago for people driving cars with European plates: a cop stops you and says you're drunk. You argue with him, so he takes you to a doctor. Doctor says you're drunk. So the bribes went as $10 for the first time and then $100 at the doctor's. If you were smart you knew you could loose the license in Russia and then simply report it stolen in Europe because nobody shared databases.

travisjungroth 7y ago
>> It's only a negotiation if the official has any chance of being prosecuted for that bribe. I’m not saying it’s fair, but it is a negotiation. There are offers and counteroffers that are accepted and denied.

bubblethink 7y ago

>why bother with the work of arresting them? Sport, ego, anger, setting precedent, higher payout after arresting etc. Any number of reasons. It's all fun and games to give 0 rupee notes, until you are locked up. And then your bribe to get out has gone up manifold, unless you are willing to fight it out in a court (which you aren't).

travisjungroth 7y ago
Good point. I really was drawing out the best use case for this note. It could certainly go wrong.
inflatableDodo 7y ago
I'd get rum, cushions and a book delivered under the guise of someone claiming to be fetching money. edit - and a bundle of zero rupee notes to distribute round the jail, along with half the rum and a promise to send more rum, the quicker I get out.
- tedunangst 7y ago
  Arrested by a corrupt cop? Just send out for some rum and a book. One has to wonder why more people don't do this. Instead they spend their time worrying that maybe something unpleasant will happen.
  - inflatableDodo 7y ago
    This is why I have just shared the rum with people with extravagant facial tattoos.