Nevertheless, I've been stopped at least twenty times and have always settled up on the spot. Of course, the average cop isn't gonna expect the moon and the stars from someone desperate enough to employ such trashy transportation. If you decide to rent a vehicle during your vacation, try to tailor it to the type of trip you intend to make. For example, the dashing figure you visualize as yourself behind the wheel of an open Jeep will appear considerably more wilted after a long day's ride in the country. A comfortable four-door sedan is the ticket for the countryside, and can offer the additional luxury of air conditioning in summer, and a locking trunk should your shopping enzymes activate during your sojourn.
Motor scooters are just a bad idea.
They're underpowered for Vallarta's terrain and traffic, and difficult for other drivers to see. There's no substitute for the freedom afforded by venturing out in one's own vehicle, but the buses down here are frequent and cheap enough to offer an easy alternative to endangering one's well-being. Bicycles are, unfortunately, only recommended for guided tours or tooling around within the marina area, as most Mexican drivers view them with utter contempt and rarely acknowledge their presence on the street. Talk is being bandied about over the construction of a paved bike path from Los Muertos to the Marina, an excellent proposal if it ever comes to pass. Once out of the city, you'll find almost any emergency service needed in even marginally populated areas.