DR Driving

Do you drive in the DR?

  • Dominican and drive

    Votes: 11 8.1%
  • Foreign resident and drive

    Votes: 56 41.5%
  • Tourist and drive

    Votes: 45 33.3%
  • Dominican and don't drive

    Votes: 2 1.5%
  • Foreign resident and don't drive

    Votes: 12 8.9%
  • Tourist and don't drive

    Votes: 9 6.7%

  • Total voters
    135

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,370
3,150
113
Poll by CFA.

Do you drive in the DR?

  • Dominican and drive.
  • Foreign resident and drive.
  • Tourist and drive.
  • Dominican and don't drive.
  • Foreign resident and don't drive.
  • Tourist and don't drive.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
I couldn't find the options for "foreign resident and ~shouldn't~ drive...":cheeky:
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
...or "foreign resident and drives but hates every moment and avoids it as much as possible".

I took on SD and more or less mastered it. In the best part of a decade I only had one very minor accident. OTOH inter-urban driving scares me sh!tless so I really try and avoid it as much as possible.
 

jrhartley

Gold
Sep 10, 2008
8,190
580
0
64
what are we trying to establish here ? you could ask how long did you have a car and not drive lol- about 2 months for me
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
3,512
413
83
i asked NALs to run this poll and another one regarding driving at the time pig was discussing whether first time tourists should drive. thought it went hand in hand at the time... now, just of general (limited?) interest i guess.
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
8,367
842
113
four accidents in four years

They just damn well run into you. I just drive away. Sometimes they have come to my window making the $ sign with their fingers. I roll down the black tinted windows two inches and tell them to go to the police and then I drive off. Never paid a dime so far and never killed anyone. You gonna drive here you gonna wreck. Its just the way it is. :ermm:
 

CG

Bronze
Sep 16, 2004
984
146
63
Driving here is like doing Extreme Sports.
Your adrenaline rises way before you buckle up, your stress level goes off the charts, your cardiologist has strange dreams,
You end up doing & seeing things that you will never see or do again.

You never ever know if you will come out of it unscathed...
If your into that kinda thing it's great !!..
Personally I try and avoid it at all costs, But I drive here nun the less...
 
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Expat13

Silver
Jun 7, 2008
3,255
50
48
foreignor- drive- stress-frustration....why fix the scrathces and dents and therefore why buy a 50k jepeta- that would be heart breaking everytime you get scarred.
 

oriole100

Bronze
Oct 9, 2005
807
18
0
I drive here because I have to. Some times you have no choice, but It's not something I look forward to.
 

johnny

Bronze
Feb 8, 2003
907
74
0
hausenland.com
Santo Domingo to me is safest than many towns.
In last 10 years has just 2 minors accidents. both with carros publicos.
lot of stress, YES., but safer. it?s better to deal with cars, than with crazy montoconchos and pazzolas in towns like puerto plata or san pedro de macoris. just to mention 2.
 

Ricardo900

Silver
Jul 12, 2004
3,269
37
48
After a while you just get used to it, the first few times will probably be an eye opener, but after a while when you learn the routes and dominican driving habits, you'll adapt and blend right on in.
 

Adrian Bye

Bronze
Jul 7, 2002
2,077
138
0
you can get a taxi anywhere in santo domingo for US$4. Why bother driving?
 
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Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
9,478
410
0
80
www.ginniebedggood.com
16 years driving and no accidents yet BUT:

1. I drive as if someone else could cause one any minute

2. First car was bought from a leaving expat who, bless her, had something of a reputation as a driver because after a while I noticed all the conchos and cars deliberately distancing themselves.............

3. By the time I bought second car I had learned what leaving expat did in order to be regarded as bruja loca of Puerto Plata.

4. No I'm not selling my vehicle :cheeky:.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
1
3. By the time I bought second car I had learned what leaving expat did in order to be regarded as bruja loca of Puerto Plata.

4. No I'm not selling my vehicle :cheeky:.

But one of the 4 'Broom Sticks' might be available at the right price! The one she uses for night flying as although she has held a flying licence for many years, it does not cover instrument reading!!
(applications may be received via my website & minimum starting price is the membership fee for Playa Grande Golf Course when it goes 'private'!!) :cheeky: ;) :pirate: ~ Grahame.
 

ccarabella

Newbie
Feb 5, 2002
733
12
0
I'm "considered" a tourist but heck I'm almost Dominican. I?ve been driving there since I was 15. Visit quite frequently. My only "accident" was this summer when I forgot to set the parking brake and the truck rolled out of the parking lot while I was at the panaderia (whew ). I don?t like driving there but I have to do it. I drive a hunk of metal (for my protection) 1989 Toyota land cruiser big and red if you see me around. Don?t care for the "fancy" cars you all have. I'll stick with my all terrain, it does the job.
 

socuban

New member
Nov 24, 2002
509
41
0
It's not just a drive, it's an adventure! A nice air horn leaned on at the right moment helps clear a path;)
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
3,264
322
83
I actually quite enjoy driving here.... (much prefer to drive than be a passenger!). I find the 'antics' amusing and challenging and every trip in the car makes me having my dose of daily smiling. Having said that, I was, and still am not, a lover of driving in large city traffic. Patience, a good sense of humour and being very aware of the unexpected are the rules I apply.
 

stetmor

New member
Oct 23, 2008
6
2
0
Driving is great fun when the electricity goes down every man for himself
NO red No Green hahahha
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
3,512
413
83
Results skewed?

I wonder if thread title should be "Poll: Do you drive in DR".
Right now, running about 90% drivers in the poll.

Just thinking "DR Driving" as a title may be skewing the results. If you don't drive, why look at this thread at all with that title?