Local yoga instructor, DJ, and plant medicine facilitator Tai Childers was stopped and ticketed by Nosara police yesterday just north of Bodhi Tree for riding his ATV without the legally required reflective vest. Childers argued in vain for nearly half an hour that his well-oiled chest was sufficiently reflective to be noticed by oncoming traffic, but the police officers were unconvinced.

“Everyone should understand,” said one of the officers on the scene to Nosara Lately “that the laws will be equally enforced, and that we are serious about creating better safety conditions on the local roads.”

This appeared to be true. As this very public incident unfolded, traffic indeed appeared to flow more slowly. Propane tanks, pool cleaning equipment, small babies, and ladders all appeared to be more tightly held by those on motos passing by. It was not immediately apparent to this reporter whether this was due to the police activity or  Childer’s well-oiled chest.

For his part, Childers finally gave in, and his discussion with the police gradually shifted onto Muay Thai kickboxing and nutritional supplements. It remained unclear to this reporter if the ticket resulted in any actual fine for Childers. Childers could not be reached later in the day to clarify this question, as he was leading a Men’s circle in Pelada that involved skinning wild animals and holding sacred space within relationships.