Money and Car Hire Questions

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Bill England

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Jun 7, 2007
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Hi, travelling from the UK, just wondering if anyone knows if I'll be able to find a cash machine (atm) anywhere around, which will accept Maestro/Cirrus/Switch?

Also ideally I wanted to hire a car, but I've recently lost my photocard licence somewhere, and don't have enough time to get a new one if I send off for it. Does anyone know if I will be able to get any hire companies to verify my having a licence with the DVLA in England? Or any other ways round it of course.

Thanks for ur time.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Since we never recommend a newbie trying to drive in the DR, I would suggest you hire a car and driver for your forays. It is as cheap as renting a car and you might get to see a lot more, and enjoy it.
If you are going to be along the North Coast, there is at least two people you can contact. I am sure someone from up there will chime in with the who and where.

Regarding ATMs, they are all over the place. You can also bring US dollars, Euros or Pounds and exchange them at any one of the local exchange houses, never on the street...

HB
 

Bill England

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Jun 7, 2007
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Are driving conditions not that great then? Still, I would ideally like to hire one.. I've driven in India, Cuba and worst of all London, so I'm sure I'd be fine!

Anyone got any idea regarding the licence issue?

That's good news about the ATMs.

Thanks Hillbilly!
 

Rocky

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www.rockysbar.com
Hi, travelling from the UK, just wondering if anyone knows if I'll be able to find a cash machine (atm) anywhere around, which will accept Maestro/Cirrus/Switch?

Also ideally I wanted to hire a car, but I've recently lost my photocard licence somewhere, and don't have enough time to get a new one if I send off for it. Does anyone know if I will be able to get any hire companies to verify my having a licence with the DVLA in England? Or any other ways round it of course.

Thanks for ur time.
If you get stopped without your license, it may get complicated.
Do you have photocopy?
Having driven in Cuba or England will not help you here.
Having driven in India, might help.
Playing Gran Turismo on Play Station will help prepare you for driving here.
Basically, anything goes.
Expect the unexpected, including a cow falling from the sky.
 

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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Are driving conditions not that great then? Still, I would ideally like to hire one.. I've driven in India, Cuba and worst of all London, so I'm sure I'd be fine!
It's not that they're not great but just that they're different. It pays as Hillbilly says to be driven a few times until you get the hang of things. How the road surface can very suddenly turn from good to axle-braking. How the drivers often (usually) ignore traffic signs and lights. How the motorcycles weave in and out. I had several trips in before I felt OK with driving. 'Glad I waited. and even then/now I won't drive at night or in a big city.
 

tarrantino

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Jan 12, 2006
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I agree with the majority as far as driving. We always get a taxi to take us around and I rode in a carro for the first time in May, for 30p from Sosua to Puerto Plata wasn't bad.

As far as the bank machines go like already mentioned there are plenty around. Just a suggestion, I usually use one that is connected to a bank and during banking hours, just in case.....
 

Bill England

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Jun 7, 2007
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If you get stopped without your license, it may get complicated.
Do you have photocopy?
Having driven in Cuba or England will not help you here.
Having driven in India, might help.
Playing Gran Turismo on Play Station will help prepare you for driving here.
Basically, anything goes.
Expect the unexpected, including a cow falling from the sky.

No I don't have a photocopy of the card, but I have my paper counterpart (original) I could bring with me - do you think this could suffice?
If so, I'll bring it along with me, then judge the conditions for myself when I get there, think that's for the best.
Gran Turismo Veteran :squareeye :cheeky:

It was mainly just so that myself and my girlfriend can explore the island by ourselves, find nice quiet little places alone far from the eyes of a driver ;)
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Why don't you hire a car with driver or taxi for the first few days, then, if you feel comfortable, rent a car.

You WILL NEED a driver's license. If the license you have has your name on it, even though it is in paper form (I don't know what it is because my licenses from the States and DR were always plastics) and says DRIVERS LICENSE you can keep your ground and claim those are the licenses they give you in England. Carry it with you, or at least a photocopy, when you drive, along with a copy of your passport. Leave the original in your hotel room!!

To rent a car you will also need a CREDIT CARD!!! Now, listen again, CREDIT CARD. It has to be VISA/MASTERCARD or AMEX. No DEBIT CARDS accepted. Even if it is a debit card with a VISA or MC logo, don't use it because the authorization hold will NOT get released and will be posted to your account as a charge and you will need to file a claim with your bank. The local card system (CARDNET and VISANET) are not able to issue refunds to debit cards or release authorization holds from debit cards! Only from CREDIT cards.

The car rental company will want you to present a credit card in your name and it has to have a sufficient limit to book funds on it. If you are bringing a prepaid voucher, count on about US$500 being blocked. If you rent locally with no voucher, AND buying complete insurance (CDW, extended CDW, and TP), count on about US$1000 being blocked, and finally, if you do not buy insurance but use your card's or other insurance, count on at least US$1500 being blocked on your card. This money gets released when you return the car, but you won't have access to it while you rent. Basically the "block" is equal to the deductible you get to pay for any damages (yes, there is at least US$500 deductible with full insurance, nice isn't it?)

Also, major car rental companies do not accept CASH deposits (Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Avis, Hertz, etc.) only CREDIT cards.
Some local rental companies may accept cash as a deposit, count on leaving about 1000 dollars cash if you are not local, AND your passport. Also note, that these local companies will hold you liable for all and every damage to the rented car, even if the car has full insurance.

This info is from a person (me) that deals in tourism and has a lot of experience dealing with car rental agencies (both major and local).
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Dear Bill England:

I am writing this to you in jail. You are in jail, because you had a minor fender bender because a small moped crossed in front of you at night with no lights and you jammed on your brakes and the car in back of you smashed into your rear bumper and one of the passengers in THAT car smacked his head and opened a deep cut. Nothing life-threatening but a bit bloody....So, you are the foreigner, so you, by law, go to jail for at least one night and if it is a Friday, for three nights, until the bail hearing on Monday.

Sorry to hear about your accident, Bill, but that is why I warned you not to drive here until you get the lay of the land. If you like to roam about, you should have read those threads on Palenque that were written a while ago. Really a joy to explore that way. Also sorry to hear that you were "molested" in jail, but then this is a third world country and you can imagine the scum (not you, of course) that gets put in jail...

Your friends back home managed to get your g/f back to Merry Old, safely, but the psychiatrists are still working on her. That was a shock, I am sure.

Well, Bill, I have to go and have lunch with my wife and sons....the fruit of my 4+ decades of experience here....Gee, I wish you had listened to me...

Yes, I'll visit you next week and bring you some toast with Marmite.

Cordially,

HB
 
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