This is from my in-box.
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It was bound to happen, not where but just when. I?ve been driving in Dominican Republic for ten years and no accidents (but many, many close calls). Dominicans are the nicest, easiest going, happy and friendly people till they get behind the steering wheel. How many times I blink to turn off hi-beams (**** you go blind) been passed on the right and left at the same time or have cars run red lights as you stop and wait for the green. I could go on and on and on stories about driving here (esp on Sunday, just saw a guy hit a sign, front bumper off, stop, pick it up and throw it in the back and just start off again as a manic --- amazing).
I always felt driving here was a sport, not a means of transportation. My logic was ?never be in a hurry? and hopefully nothing stupid would happen to me. Of course, I realized checking out the chicas (they all want rides) and my American driving habits (like obeying the laws and never dreaming someone would pass you as you stop to make a left turn -- on the left side :-() would eventually be my downfall. So true ....
I?ve asked Gypsy (Adventure rent a car -- http://www.adventure_rentcar.com)) what to do when the inevitable happens. She explained:
1.) Your car has insurance (from her insurance company ) if you damage another car. My insurance (on my credit card) pay for damages to hers.
2.) Never pay anything to anyone -- no matter what they say.
3.) Call me!!!
Okay, off to Cabarete to do an afternoon run. Get to town and start looking for a parking place. Towards the end of town, see some empty slots, slow down, put my blinker on and no-one is coming from the other direction (yes, didn?t look on my left mirror, never dawned on me someone would pass ON MY LEFT), made my turn and then a thud!! Someone just hit my tail and turned me around. Luckily no traffic and I just I slide into the slot. Well, a Wha-Wha (small truck used to carry people) has hit me and half of his front end destroyed (shit, must have been wired together). Well they come yelling and screaming at me (one guys has a gun and knife, works for the police, shit) like it was me doing the reckless driving. All shit breaks out and then a taxi guy comes over to settle things down. They suggest we go to the local police (down the block) and I first ask to go to Adventure-car (they have office in Cabarete) for their insurance (was not in my glove box, bad gypsy
). Well they all pile into my car (were afraid I wasn?t going to sneak off) and we go the Adventure rent-a-car and get the insurance and then off to the police. I called Gypsy (allowed one phone call, just one) and she says she is in Puerta Plata, but on the way (thank god).
The local police station is just a brick building, bare cement floor, two tables and guys just talking. Well for two hours now people are yelling and screaming. It seems this police station has no ?transit police? needed for a traffic accident report. Hmmm, they say they are sending a guy to Sosua (by bus, shit) to get a transit police in Sosua (and he will take a bus back, shit, shit). I see being here for six hours now and say I?m going for my run to clear my head. The guy with the knife comes over and says your staying here (and the police agree).
Now, the guys who hit me can leave and goes get a lawyer (has a waiter apron on) and a mechanic to figure out the costs to repair their truck. Everyone just assumes it is my fault even thought they are the one who rear-ended me?? Shit!
Finally Alex arrives (Gypsy?s husband) and the yelling and screaming starts up again. The cab driver (only impartial guy there) tells the group (and now 30 people there) I had finished my turn so my blinker was off and look where I was hit left rear bumper and obvious I had 98% finished my turn, but no-one really cares). Nobody gives a **** and everyone joins in and the yelling continues. One guy (yes, police let me make one phone call -- to Gypsy) even says if this isn?t settled I can?t leave and will sleep on the cement floor till the transit police come. I find out latter this is just intimidation as now one of the guys (not even sure if he was on the Wha Wha says he is injured and needs to go to the hospital. Shit, shit! This is getting out of control and now two hours have passed.
Okay, Gypsy has now arrived and she gets into it with their so-called lawyer. He won?t accept her insurance and starts screaming back at her. Now Alex comes over and he and Gypsy start arguing --- shit, this is looking real bad. I come over and ask what going on?? It seems ...
1.) Their insurance will only pay for fixes to another car ONLY if that car has insurance (of course they don?t).
2.) There is no transit police sent for, they are just waiting you out (and police do nada but joke with the guys)
3.) They could make your (my) life miserable (threatening to stop me from leaving the DR, or sleep on the stations cement floor till the non-existent transit police come -- seems one passenger is a real police guy.
4.) Whose fault it is is meaningless here. It?s yours!
The police just yawn and find this all amazing. As if they wanted to know about the accident, whose fault or if the other car had insurance -- they could care less while they interview a chica who brought them food (but they do have big guns).
Now, Alex wants to settle this and Gypsy wants to go by the law (she is one year away from a law degree) and show me the system works (what system??).
Okay, Alex finally takes over (now three hours) and they want 15,000 pesos and Alex 10,000. They settle for 11,000 and Gypsy tells me get into the car now and LEAVE ASAP!!
YEA BOSS!!
I?m gone in a flash. We will put the charges on my credit card and she will get a police report for my insurance.
Bottom-line here, in the U.S. this was $5,000.00 accident, but here the price was $325.00 (only good news, cheap and I wasn?t hurt). My car only had a bump on the bumper but their truck was almost a total (again, must have been glued together).
Okay, what did we learn here!!!
1.) No matter what, it will be your fault!!!
2.) Have your dated insurance papers and car title always with you (in case the real transit police show up). Check when you rent the car. Very important. I?ve heard at some road blocks the military do a random stop and if no papers impound your car.
3.) Who ever you rent from, make sure you have their day/night and cell phone number and someone speaks English at the company. If not, don?t rent, no matter how cheap!
4.) Never pay anything to anyone, let your company do that and the haggling. I?m sure if I would have paid I?d still be there waiting for a non-existent hospital report from a fake injury.
5.) Stay calm. They are waiting for you to crack and pay up big time! Under the law they can not detain you unless you kill someone or seriously injured another and is in the hospital (as explained by Gypsy)
6.) Hit a car that has insurance (better chance is to win the Calif lottery)
7.) Don?t get into a accident with a police guy!
Okay now when I drive, and want to make a left I pull off the road and LOOK BOTH WAYS and then move out.
--------
It was bound to happen, not where but just when. I?ve been driving in Dominican Republic for ten years and no accidents (but many, many close calls). Dominicans are the nicest, easiest going, happy and friendly people till they get behind the steering wheel. How many times I blink to turn off hi-beams (**** you go blind) been passed on the right and left at the same time or have cars run red lights as you stop and wait for the green. I could go on and on and on stories about driving here (esp on Sunday, just saw a guy hit a sign, front bumper off, stop, pick it up and throw it in the back and just start off again as a manic --- amazing).
I always felt driving here was a sport, not a means of transportation. My logic was ?never be in a hurry? and hopefully nothing stupid would happen to me. Of course, I realized checking out the chicas (they all want rides) and my American driving habits (like obeying the laws and never dreaming someone would pass you as you stop to make a left turn -- on the left side :-() would eventually be my downfall. So true ....
I?ve asked Gypsy (Adventure rent a car -- http://www.adventure_rentcar.com)) what to do when the inevitable happens. She explained:
1.) Your car has insurance (from her insurance company ) if you damage another car. My insurance (on my credit card) pay for damages to hers.
2.) Never pay anything to anyone -- no matter what they say.
3.) Call me!!!
Okay, off to Cabarete to do an afternoon run. Get to town and start looking for a parking place. Towards the end of town, see some empty slots, slow down, put my blinker on and no-one is coming from the other direction (yes, didn?t look on my left mirror, never dawned on me someone would pass ON MY LEFT), made my turn and then a thud!! Someone just hit my tail and turned me around. Luckily no traffic and I just I slide into the slot. Well, a Wha-Wha (small truck used to carry people) has hit me and half of his front end destroyed (shit, must have been wired together). Well they come yelling and screaming at me (one guys has a gun and knife, works for the police, shit) like it was me doing the reckless driving. All shit breaks out and then a taxi guy comes over to settle things down. They suggest we go to the local police (down the block) and I first ask to go to Adventure-car (they have office in Cabarete) for their insurance (was not in my glove box, bad gypsy
). Well they all pile into my car (were afraid I wasn?t going to sneak off) and we go the Adventure rent-a-car and get the insurance and then off to the police. I called Gypsy (allowed one phone call, just one) and she says she is in Puerta Plata, but on the way (thank god).The local police station is just a brick building, bare cement floor, two tables and guys just talking. Well for two hours now people are yelling and screaming. It seems this police station has no ?transit police? needed for a traffic accident report. Hmmm, they say they are sending a guy to Sosua (by bus, shit) to get a transit police in Sosua (and he will take a bus back, shit, shit). I see being here for six hours now and say I?m going for my run to clear my head. The guy with the knife comes over and says your staying here (and the police agree).
Now, the guys who hit me can leave and goes get a lawyer (has a waiter apron on) and a mechanic to figure out the costs to repair their truck. Everyone just assumes it is my fault even thought they are the one who rear-ended me?? Shit!
Finally Alex arrives (Gypsy?s husband) and the yelling and screaming starts up again. The cab driver (only impartial guy there) tells the group (and now 30 people there) I had finished my turn so my blinker was off and look where I was hit left rear bumper and obvious I had 98% finished my turn, but no-one really cares). Nobody gives a **** and everyone joins in and the yelling continues. One guy (yes, police let me make one phone call -- to Gypsy) even says if this isn?t settled I can?t leave and will sleep on the cement floor till the transit police come. I find out latter this is just intimidation as now one of the guys (not even sure if he was on the Wha Wha says he is injured and needs to go to the hospital. Shit, shit! This is getting out of control and now two hours have passed.
Okay, Gypsy has now arrived and she gets into it with their so-called lawyer. He won?t accept her insurance and starts screaming back at her. Now Alex comes over and he and Gypsy start arguing --- shit, this is looking real bad. I come over and ask what going on?? It seems ...
1.) Their insurance will only pay for fixes to another car ONLY if that car has insurance (of course they don?t).
2.) There is no transit police sent for, they are just waiting you out (and police do nada but joke with the guys)
3.) They could make your (my) life miserable (threatening to stop me from leaving the DR, or sleep on the stations cement floor till the non-existent transit police come -- seems one passenger is a real police guy.
4.) Whose fault it is is meaningless here. It?s yours!
The police just yawn and find this all amazing. As if they wanted to know about the accident, whose fault or if the other car had insurance -- they could care less while they interview a chica who brought them food (but they do have big guns).
Now, Alex wants to settle this and Gypsy wants to go by the law (she is one year away from a law degree) and show me the system works (what system??).
Okay, Alex finally takes over (now three hours) and they want 15,000 pesos and Alex 10,000. They settle for 11,000 and Gypsy tells me get into the car now and LEAVE ASAP!!
YEA BOSS!!
I?m gone in a flash. We will put the charges on my credit card and she will get a police report for my insurance.
Bottom-line here, in the U.S. this was $5,000.00 accident, but here the price was $325.00 (only good news, cheap and I wasn?t hurt). My car only had a bump on the bumper but their truck was almost a total (again, must have been glued together).
Okay, what did we learn here!!!
1.) No matter what, it will be your fault!!!
2.) Have your dated insurance papers and car title always with you (in case the real transit police show up
). Check when you rent the car. Very important. I?ve heard at some road blocks the military do a random stop and if no papers impound your car.3.) Who ever you rent from, make sure you have their day/night and cell phone number and someone speaks English at the company. If not, don?t rent, no matter how cheap!
4.) Never pay anything to anyone, let your company do that and the haggling. I?m sure if I would have paid I?d still be there waiting for a non-existent hospital report from a fake injury.
5.) Stay calm. They are waiting for you to crack and pay up big time! Under the law they can not detain you unless you kill someone or seriously injured another and is in the hospital (as explained by Gypsy)
6.) Hit a car that has insurance (better chance is to win the Calif lottery)
7.) Don?t get into a accident with a police guy!
Okay now when I drive, and want to make a left I pull off the road and LOOK BOTH WAYS and then move out.
