Want to rent a car in santiago, is it safe???

mrlexx0

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Aug 1, 2011
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I'm going to be traveing to puerto plata but im flying in to sti. how safe is it to rent a car and drive at night to puerto plata??
 

pelaut

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Aug 5, 2007
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www.ThornlessPath.com
Driving in the dr:

DRIVING IN THE DR


Car rental companies have roadmaps. Main arteries are pretty good. Secondaries sometimes are surprisingly good, perhaps depending on the Road Department officials who own retreats in the area (as in New Jersey), but don't bet on it. Tertiary roads can ruin any but a 4WD SUV, but they make for spectacular touring between amiable villages. Younger athletic tourists can take a dirtbike or burro on the next down tier of roads.

You should initially drive only in good light, or between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To avoid potholes, keep your eyes 20-30 yards ahead, not hundreds as you do on roads at home. This takes practice.

Don't stop for anyone waving you down, until you understand the culture, which takes time.

On a motorcycle, do not use the middle of the road as they advise in North America. Ride the shoulder.

Dominicans like to ride the road's center and to take curves on the inside. Expecting this takes practice.

Dominicans love to meet and chat through the driverside windows of their pickup trucks just over hills and around curves or both, entirely blocking the road. Expect them, or four-legged animals, as you barrel along a country road.

Always lock up so your car isn't stolen by a deportee from the American prison system's "crime universities".

Most of the country is old fashioned free-range. It's a great old-time American system in which landless poor can raise livestock. Even better, if you kill a sheep, goat, horse, donkey or cow, by law you can take the roadkill home and eat it, and the free-range farmer has to pay your damanges as well, if you can find him, and if he has money, and most importantly, if you survive the crash! Better that you sissy-drive for your first year in the DR.

From The Thornless Path
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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That was darn good advice.

to answer your question, renting a car is just like anywhere. You need to be sure what you are getting. Check the vehicle out, make sure your CC covers accidents, and for safety, take out some additional insurance, JIC.

But with public transportation so cheap here, unless you are a salesman with a list of clients to visit, it really does not make much sense to rent a car to go form the airport to your place of residence.

HB
 

bri777

Bronze
Sep 11, 2010
1,008
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Same issue here
thinking about HB advice( spirit) saving around 250$ coming into STI , 3 am lol
but when does the first bus leave going to sosua?
Manu
 

RV429

Bronze
Apr 3, 2011
1,574
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36
Caribe Tours 0600 is first bus to Sosua. Taxi = 100 from STI 25 from POP = 75 more x 2 = 150 more
250 minus 150 = still 100 saved.
I'm doing the Spirit thing next week and I'm not even thinking of driving at 0300, just tired of dealing with it.
 

jeviduty

New member
Jul 1, 2011
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DRIVING IN THE DR
Even better, if you kill a sheep, goat, horse, donkey or cow, by law you can take the roadkill home and eat it, and the free-range farmer has to pay your damanges as well, if you can find him, and if he has money, and most importantly, if you survive the crash! Better that you sissy-drive for your first year in the DR.

From The Thornless Path

Can someone confirm this? No offense intended, im just really curious.
 

mrlexx0

New member
Aug 1, 2011
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Thanx alot guys.. Im loven this site! Okay so what about the whole crime and robbery thing with the motorita's?