Usually I don't have any problems with AMET myself. We only seem to get hassled when I'm with the missus (who's Dominican) in her car.
A couple of weeks ago we went to Banco Popular in Sosua. Their carpark was holding some kind of car sale expo and was closed. Mr Watchie told us to park around the corner opposite the plaza where the Orange shop is. My missus stayed in the car whilst I went in the bank. When I came out, I found that she was being harassed by an AMET cop who told her that she had illegally parked. Even though she was sitting in the passenger seat, they asked for her drivers license and wrote her out a ticket.
When I arrived I asked for the sign that said no parking. There wasn't one! Apparently you have to go by local knowledge.
Today was another one. We got stopped just after Playero and asked to pull into the police station. She was driving and was asked for her license again. They never say why they've stopped you until they have your license in their hands! This time it was for not wearing her seat belt. How can you argue against that. She WAS wearing her seat belt!
Then he noticed that the missus is pregnant.
"Pregnant women are prohibited from driving!" Was his reply and wrote her out another ticket!
I called my lawyer and asked her if such law existed and apparently the AMET guys are very ignorant of the laws that they are supposed to be upholding!
I would understand if they are asking for bribes, but they are writing out tickets that get paid into Baco Reservas, so what can you do? How does one challenge the ticket? All they write is an infraction code that could mean anything? They don't tell you how much the fine is, you have to wait until you go the bank and they tell you how much that infraction code costs!
I got done for an illegal U-turn in POP last year. Mea culpa and I got caught! That ticket cost me RD1000.
A couple of weeks ago we went to Banco Popular in Sosua. Their carpark was holding some kind of car sale expo and was closed. Mr Watchie told us to park around the corner opposite the plaza where the Orange shop is. My missus stayed in the car whilst I went in the bank. When I came out, I found that she was being harassed by an AMET cop who told her that she had illegally parked. Even though she was sitting in the passenger seat, they asked for her drivers license and wrote her out a ticket.
When I arrived I asked for the sign that said no parking. There wasn't one! Apparently you have to go by local knowledge.
Today was another one. We got stopped just after Playero and asked to pull into the police station. She was driving and was asked for her license again. They never say why they've stopped you until they have your license in their hands! This time it was for not wearing her seat belt. How can you argue against that. She WAS wearing her seat belt!
Then he noticed that the missus is pregnant.
"Pregnant women are prohibited from driving!" Was his reply and wrote her out another ticket!
I called my lawyer and asked her if such law existed and apparently the AMET guys are very ignorant of the laws that they are supposed to be upholding!
I would understand if they are asking for bribes, but they are writing out tickets that get paid into Baco Reservas, so what can you do? How does one challenge the ticket? All they write is an infraction code that could mean anything? They don't tell you how much the fine is, you have to wait until you go the bank and they tell you how much that infraction code costs!
I got done for an illegal U-turn in POP last year. Mea culpa and I got caught! That ticket cost me RD1000.