Long time resident... knows better but pushing his luck in more ways than one.
He’s out, btw.
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American Couple Arrested in Cabarete
Long time resident... knows better but pushing his luck in more ways than one.
He’s out, btw.
Man, tough crowd here.
There were no signs up on any beach in Cabarete. Period. I walked the beach at the height of the hurricane 12pm to 2pm on Thursday and posted youtube videos of it. There would be absolutely no way for any tourist down here for a few days to know it was illegal to go into the water. It would have been impossible for even me to know i was not to go into the water.
How would a tourist know that it was illegal?
And to say, "But they would have received updates on their phones from Orange & Claro!" Hello! if you are on vacation and do not read Spanish, it doesn't matter how many updates you receive--even if god is texting you in Spanish!
On top of this, why would you want to arrest someone down here on vacation? Why not warn them not to go back into the water? Why not escort them to their hotel? Is arresting people the answer?
Oh, wait...arresting them served as a "warning to other people!" What other people? There was almost no one out on the beach.
Some of you guys need a reality check!
First, you blame tourists for not receiving updates on their phone. You blame them for not watching Dominican news!! (I don't watch Dominican news--it's the worse news ever...and I'm Dominican!) You blame them for not being clairvoyant and knowing that it was forbidden to go into the water--despite there not being one single sign anywhere on the beach telling them not to. On top of that, the beach stretches miles--from Velero Hotel to Kite Beach and beyond, so you would need signs every 10ft. But then the signs would have probably got blown and sent like a bullet into people's restaurants, bars, and condos & teeth.
One thing i would agree here...it might have been justified in arresting someone if they were warned not to go into the water by the police (not warned by some kid on the beach), and they blatantly ignored it, and therefore, knowingly broke the law.
Other than that, you're asking tourists on vacation to somehow be clairvoyant and know Dominican laws...which were only announced days before the hurricane. I was never told not to go into the water. They told all business owners to take everything off the beach and store it. That was it! Oh...and to drink plenty of beer and re-hydrate yourself...which we did.
Frank
There were no signs up on any beach in Cabarete. Period. I walked the beach at the height of the hurricane 12pm to 2pm on Thursday and posted youtube videos of it. There would be absolutely no way for any tourist down here for a few days to know it was illegal to go into the water. It would have been impossible for even me to know i was not to go into the water.
How would a tourist know that it was illegal?
And to say, "But they would have received updates on their phones from Orange & Claro!" Hello! if you are on vacation and do not read Spanish, it doesn't matter how many updates you receive--even if god is texting you in Spanish!
On top of this, why would you want to arrest someone down here on vacation? Why not warn them not to go back into the water? Why not escort them to their hotel? Is arresting people the answer?
Oh, wait...arresting them served as a "warning to other people!" What other people? There was almost no one out on the beach.
Some of you guys need a reality check!
First, you blame tourists for not receiving updates on their phone. You blame them for not watching Dominican news!! (I don't watch Dominican news--it's the worse news ever...and I'm Dominican!) You blame them for not being clairvoyant and knowing that it was forbidden to go into the water--despite there not being one single sign anywhere on the beach telling them not to. On top of that, the beach stretches miles--from Velero Hotel to Kite Beach and beyond, so you would need signs every 10ft. But then the signs would have probably got blown and sent like a bullet into people's restaurants, bars, and condos & teeth.
One thing i would agree here...it might have been justified in arresting someone if they were warned not to go into the water by the police (not warned by some kid on the beach), and they blatantly ignored it, and therefore, knowingly broke the law.
Other than that, you're asking tourists on vacation to somehow be clairvoyant and know Dominican laws...which were only announced days before the hurricane. I was never told not to go into the water. They told all business owners to take everything off the beach and store it. That was it! Oh...and to drink plenty of beer and re-hydrate yourself...which we did.
Frank
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I understand the hustle that Frank12 mentioned, and obviously have issues with abuse of the law. That said, those idiots were keeping police from where they might actually be needed, so as they were lacking in any common sense, I'd have put them right next to Otis the Town Drunk until the storm passes.
Think of it as protective custody.
And that in a nutshell is why your argument does not vindicate you when you claim that you didn't know it was illegal to go swimming. Your choices do not negate your obligation to know the laws of the place where you live. The rest of us knew not go to swimming because:
1) We already know doing so can be dangerous
2) It was all over the news not to go swimming
3) Posted on DR1
4) Broadcast to all cell phones
Solely your fault for choosing not to watch the news especially during a potential disaster. It is unrealistic to expect signs on the beach. No life saving equipment at the beach and often a lack of signage on the highways should be clues even you can recognize.
Yeah, I know life at 100 mph is a blur...
I have no sympathy for anyone, tourists or otherwise, who are in a place and choose to be completely oblivious to the reality around them. Those who lack common sense may need to vacation in places where they can understand the language. The DR is not a place that will generally hold your hand to ensure you don't get yourself into trouble regardless of how much you pay for your vacation.
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simple and sensible action would have been to tell them to get out of the water, if they failed to comply then arrest them Not the type of "crime" people are generally arrested for without a warning first
Ok, so now, people should only vacation where they "understand the language."
That's Genius!
And, People should only vacation where they can watch the news in a foreign language and understand it!"
Now that's even more genius!
You ever been to Asia or Northern Europe? Do you speak those languages?
Frank
They're not sent to prison. They're sent to the local jail here in Cabarete--which, before they re-did it--was horrendous!
Once the news crews showed up, any opportunity to make money off of them would have been lost.
But now we have found out from CFA123 that they were not tourists, but apparently, local expats.
Frank
You completely missed the point again Frank.
Tourists who choose to vacation in a place where they cannot function "in the know" are completely dependent on others. If they are comfortable in this situation, that's their choice. This choice does not absolve them from allowing their wife to walk in front of them or packing a bottle of hooch in Abu Dhabi.
People who travel have a responsibility to do their due diligence before they arrive in a foreign country. Time should be spent checking the weather, the current political situation, if any social strife is ongoing where they plan to be and most importantly any laws that may exist that defy common sense. The mere fact that someone did not know that the porn on their cellphone could land them in jail in this country is no excuse.
The DR is no different than any other country where tourists go. The laws are what they are and everyone who travels accepts the laws (even if they do not know what they are) and subjects themselves to possible sanctions if they violate the law.
Your claim that you didn't know the law at the time yourself applies to you and in no way supports the position that some tourist/expat finds themselves in by extension.
I'm done with this topic. Free spirits or wayward souls high on life reap what they sow - and no one call them them any different.
Tourists who choose to vacation in a place where they cannot function "in the know" are completely dependent on others. If they are comfortable in this situation, that's their choice. This choice does not absolve them from allowing their wife to walk in front of them or packing a bottle of hooch in Abu Dhabi.
People who travel have a responsibility to do their due diligence before they arrive in a foreign country. Time should be spent checking the weather, the current political situation, if any social strife is ongoing where they plan to be and most importantly any laws that may exist that defy common sense. The mere fact that someone did not know that the porn on their cellphone could land them in jail in this country is no excuse.
The DR is no different than any other country where tourists go. The laws are what they are and everyone who travels accepts the laws (even if they do not know what they are) and subjects themselves to possible sanctions if they violate the law.
Your claim that you didn't know the law at the time yourself applies to you and in no way supports the position that some tourist/expat finds themselves in by extension.
I'm done with this topic. Free spirits or wayward souls high on life reap what they sow - and no one call them them any different.
I understand what you are saying, and i get it. My point was that why not just warn them (had they been tourists and not expats whom live here)?
Why use such a heavy hand? For what reason? It solves nothing (had they been tourists). To arrest a tourist so that they can be used as "Examples" defies common sense. This is not Saudi Arabia. An example to who exactly? First, no one was out on the beach. Secondly, this is not North American & CNN where you can watch "Live" coverage and understand you should not go in the water. People probably didn't even hear of their arrest until days later. The hurricane was Thursday, and here we are on Monday, and i bet fewer then 5% of the population on the North coast have even heard of someone being arrested. I just read it here an hour ago.
Your comparison with Abu-Dhabi and not bringing alcohol into the country is a little different. Most people have seen or heard of horror stories of people trying to smuggle something into a Muslim country--namely Freedom of Speech. So, alcohol is out of the question. And so are blonds sunbathing topless.
Frank
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Troy, stop into the bar sometime during one of these weekends (I'm there all day saturday for college football). How are you doing, man? How is your friend that was working in Santiago in the Free zone. Come fill me in. Tell him i said Hi.
Frank
Hey Rick, next time you're in town, stop in. I'm there all day Saturdays and Sundays for football. I'll be wearing a blond wig for you!
Frank
I always support the police, most locals know to carry a few pesos just in case they get clipped by the local P.D heck a thousand pesos will get you or anyone else off if you haven't injured anyone. That being said ,I wish there was an ordinance against some of those fat German men on Cabarete beach recently wearing speedos, it ruins my lunch.
Yeah, the country is at fault for the couple not researching what laws they could possibly break while in a foreign country.
Many conscientious travelers choose to research what is appropriate or inappropriate 'before' traveling abroad.
Only arrogant people go to another country believing they can act the same ignorant way they do in their own country....without consequence.
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How much research would it take before becoming fluent in hurricane protocol. Most would get stuck for weeks trying to understand how to drive in the DR.
"Researching the Laws" of the Dominican republic.
Let's look at it a little bit closer at this...i think you maybe onto something here:
1.) Monday....Helmet day. Must carry helmet on person, but you only need to put it on for less than 5-seconds while you pass the police here. This is how most Dominicans do it here. Most police break the law everyday and refuse to wear a helmet.
2.) Tuesday... Red Lights & Stop Sign day. Must come to a relatively slow rolling stop before proceeding through a red light or stop sign. Most Dominicans, but not all, run red lights here after slowing down...sometimes stopping, before moving through the intersection. the police also break this law.
3.) Wednesday...Must possess at least a working flashlight on vehicle when driving at night. And if you are lucky enough to possess working lights, they must not be on High-Beam while you drive. Most Dominicans drive with their high-beams on, and quite a few people on motorcycles only drive with a flashlight in their hands. Many police drive with their High Beams on as well.
4.) Thursday...One way street day. One way streets must be obeyed until noon. No, just joking. Most people ignore One Way street signs, and they're arbitrarily enforced. Even the police ignore them.
5.) Friday...Driving on the correct side of the street when merging into traffic. Many people ignore this altogether and simply merge into on-coming traffic before crossing over to the other side of the street.
6.) Saturday—obligatory use of turn signals...if you are lucky enough to have them. Few police here use their turn signals.
7.) Sunday—anything goes because AMET is hardly around to enforce anything on Sundays.
All laws are in effect until 12-noon--and then there is a break in-between 12-noon & 2pm when the police and AMET are at lunch and you can do whatever you want.
After 6pm, anything goes again, because...guess what...Amet goes off duty for the evening everyday at 6pm. Chaos & mayhem can be restored.
8.) Monday: Windshield Day. You must have a front windshield with fewer than 5-cracks. No cracks longer than 3ft allowed. just joking, all big trucks here---especially dump trucks--either have no windshield, or it is broken throughout.
9.) Tuesday: Worn Tire Day. No tires with less than 50% thread protruding through radials. Radials can show, but should have some rubber left on the edges. Just joking again. Most Dominicans--including the police drive vehicles with almost no tread left on the tire.
10.) Wednesday: Circus Day. No more than 5-adults and one small baby allowed on motorcycle at one time. Another joke, everyone breaks this rule...entire families are routinely driven around on small scooters--including with infants on their shoulders, on top of their heads, and in their arms.
11.) Thursday: Baby Day. No more than three small children and one infant--less than 6-hours old--allowed on motorcycles.
12.) Friday...Drinking & Driving Day. Cannot drive with more than one Presidente Grande in your hand, or one small bottle of rum. Even the police break this rule and drink while on the job.
13.) Saturday: Parking Day. When parking your motorcycle or car in the middle of town—I.E—Cabarete, Sabaneta, Gaspar Hernandez, Cabrera, Sosua, etc.—must park relatively close to curb...let's say...within 3ft. so that your motorcycle or car is not sticking out into the middle of the road where it blocks traffic and makes a bottle neck where only one way of traffic can flow at a time.
14.) Sunday—anything goes because AMET is hardly around to enforce anything.
I got more, but let's stop here so that people can "Research the laws" of the Dominican Republic and try and understand when, and when not, certain laws will be enforced arbitrarily based on the position of the stars, the day of the month, pay-period, how many witnesses are standing around, what supposed crime has been broken, what country you are from, what friends or relatives you have working in the government here, etc. etc.
Trying to "research" and understand the laws of the DR before you come down here on vacation would require you to get a PHD, and even then, you still would not understand when certain laws are going to be arbitrarily enforced. I'm half-Dominican and have family here in the Government, and even I get confused.
Frank
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