May 9, 2008 – A couple of foreigners who live in the Lake Chapala area committed a serious driving infraction. I’m not clear on whether they did this in one vehicle or two. In any case, they found themselves stopped by the local traffic police who insisted they go to court.

When their day in court arrived, they claimed that they couldn’t have known they were making an error because they didn’t read or speak Spanish.

The judge sentenced them to learning Spanish or spending a year in jail.

Their classes were to begin  within a week and they were to report to the court on their attendance each week.

I read this in a local English-language magazine (El Ojo del Lago, May 2008, page 40). It could be an urban legend, or more likely it really happened.

Don’t risk jail! Beyond that, life in Mexico is MUCH better if you speak the language. I now have a whole website on learning Spanish.