url URL date not supplied interview with cartoonist ted rall who has traveled to south asia recently and has tips on how to deal with bribe hungry border guards and the like rall now i realize that s just the way it is and i know how to do it and get away without paying a bribe or paying something very modest you have to show them that you know the routine and that you know you don t have to give them anything and just have a low key demeanor but if you get angry that s just going to make things worse for you you get out of your vehicle and you walk up to them you don t try to avoid these guys you don t try to avoid their eyes you go up with a big smile give them a big handshake and sort of rub their shoulders and say hey great to see you you re my new best friend for the next five minutes groth basically act like a used car salesman rall it s exactly like that you always carry cigarettes you offer them a cigarette and you say hey what s goin on how s it goin great here s my documents how s the road just small talk because these guys are bored they re in the middle of nowhere and you re sometimes the only vehicle they ve seen for many hours they re often very drunk so you just have to be cool link NUMBER discuss NUMBER NUMBER URL NUMBER URL 