The additionally sad part of this that neither the police nor the politicians will do anything to improve things. Indiscriminate parking will not be penalised nor will lack of Autopista lane discipline nor anything else that matters only stupid things like in Las Terrenas, impounding cars for going down a one way street the wrong way when the day before and after the are deviso notices all over the place. The traffic is moving so slow anyway its just a damned niusance not a danger.
- Thread starter rubio_higuey
- Start date
Biggest transit accident in DR history - 20+ dead
Honestly, one can say that about many well traveled roads in the DR - mostly due to truck and bus drivers (even Caribe Tours and Metro) that somehow think they are driving a combination sports car and dump truck and own the road. The way the autobus and guagua drivers drive by passing on curves or force oncoming traffic to give way is perilous to say the least.
I think if they prove negligence by any of the drivers involved somebody needs to be locked up for a few years to set an example. This has got to be very bad pr for the tourism here.
exactly my point chip,
wider and better prepared roads would not change absolutely nothing in case of danger.
the same big metro/public/Fl tours or what ever called bused and Trucks(the big construction trucks, very old, no brakes aso are even worse than the tourists carrying metro buses) would just have the roads to drive FASTER than they do on the stretchy bumpy roads we have actually, so the hits there would get even worse in the afterwards counts of dead bodies, body parts, heads aso.
and btw,
compared to the big traffic volume this area has compared to the road conditions and specially compared to the "qualification requirements" for somebody to be the driver of a big 18 wheeler truck or a 100 seater tourists carrying bus, compared to that the accidents which happen are a small piece of cake.
accidents where a bus driver takes 38 lifes in Texas or such happen all over the world, as a matter of fact most people on this planet do not die by some cancer decease on daily cases in the quantity they die on the road even in 'ruled' countries with perfect 'safe' roads.
Mike
That's not going to happen until the Autopista del Este is completed, which is still under construction between San Pedro and La Romana. The Coral Highway will start where the Autopista del Este ends near La Romana.
The project is already in the final planning stage.
In theory, the Coral Highway should be completed before the current PLD term is over, but that's in theory. Its certain it will be started, though.
-NALs
right Nails,
and those new highways finished will not automatically change anything in drivers behaviors, and that is the more important point than getting new nice "save" roads. one local example from here in punta cana, and i am pretty sure(but that i assume because i am not there) it is not much different in other areas of the island:
here in Punta Cana we have since 2 years the 'boulevard del este' under construction, since around one year or so we have the first 'half piece'(one side with one lane each direction, the finally highway would be 2 lanes each direction) open for the traffic, aside of the fact that the construction(roads surface is dangerously uneven with lots of bumps only local drivers know about, non locals fly off regularily there) is done in the cheapest "diparate" way it is still the best piece of road we have in the whole punta cana/bavaro/uvero alto area, but what happens? the big buses and also the construction trucks go still 'full speed' there, i am not a slow driver, i ride from my home in cabeza de toro to the marina punta cana in the morning and several more times a day on 100-120 kphr there, nice and comfortable and SAVE in a up to date car with new bumpers, nearly new tyres and brakes who work when i hit them, but on that "best road in the area" i get pushed or even overtaken even on that 'high speed of mine' by metro buses, FL tours buses, Rutas buses aso on daily bases, they run those vehicles which would be allowed to ride a 60-80 kphr max in any other country of the world on a 120+(and sometimes much more+), doesn't matter they are empty or they carry 50 visitors from the airport to a hotel or back to the airport. on their way from a hotel in the area to that airport they pass each ride several points where AMET and POLITUR and PN stop some 'old cars' or such to check their renewed drivers licenese, to cash from them 100 pesos because one headlight is not working properly, HELL, they don not even pay attention of something strange happens when a 59 seater metro bus passes them on a 120kphr speed overtaking(while using his horns to push the driver out of HIS way) a usual passenger limousine(like a honda accord or such) and they do that even with from far seen oncoming traffic, they know they are bigger than the rest, they know the smaller vehicles will hit their brakes(if they have some)and do anything to avoid to confront them(even when neccessary running of the track, still bettter than to die on track), so yesterday we had the a bit rare situation that both guys been big guys, none feared the other and both hit.
those road assassins are out there in thousands every day,
and the authorities 'salud' them because they run with the plate of an touroperator, so that means they are sufficient important for the country to let them do what ever they want to do.
BS,
but a matter of daily fact.
the drivers caught on those speeds in the big ones(tourism or private or public bus doesn't matter, all equal) should get penaltied for driving such a vehicle for lifetime, but more important, the touroperator/company owner pressuring his drivers to run like that to stay on the stupid shedule of an incompetent administration should get the even bigger penalties, and where it hurts them, and that's in their pocket, they should be responsible for what happens on the road with their clients, but for such of course we have "legally by law" the right excuses, like the transportation company of apple vacations is named "Amstar" on the island and uses the buses of FL Tours or Alttours aso, or the ones of Prieto Tours are named "Rutas" aso, i could continue that list til the end, i know each of the companies and i know how they spread out resonsibilities to as many different "company sections" so at the end "by law" they will have a dead driver to justice, and nobody else, because they will not find anybody else responsible for anything, and the drivers on our roads did not show any different kind of behavior today. i've been at the PUJ airport this afternoon to pick up a Canadian friend of mine(he is working at one of the resorts as a manager and been in Canada with his dominican wife for 2 weeks) and on the short 10 minutes "highway ride" from the airport toward bavaro to the hotel we had such an nice incident with an Vanette driver(empty, no tourists in at that time, wouldn't be different if he had passengers for sure), trying to overtake me with his Van at 115kphr, there has been plenty of space on my side, but his Van could not get the speed to overtake, while i myself drove constantly on the same speed, no more no less), so reaching the speedbumps down in bavaro he was still behind us and tried to pass us there, right over the bumps and tried to "CRASH" in us because he faced oncoming traffic which put the horn and did not seem to let him alive when he stays on HIS side, i pushed the acc. so he could pull in 5 inches behind my car while a 22 seater tourist bus(loaded on the way to the airport) passed us over those speed bumps on a very nice bumpy speed, those two Ass... should go to prison and loose their license for lifetime, it happened at the bumps at the entrance of the IFA Village, 2 Politurs standing on our right, talking to some chics on a motoconcho, they did not even lift their heads up to see why somebody puts his horn constantly and clearly loud at their side. been nothing of interest for the authorities.
as long as the country does not put it's authorities on the point to rule such behaviors, so long not the most modern highway of the world will be save with those brainless and in case of traffic completely uneducated and unexperienced drivers, on better roads the accidents just will happen on higher speed with more deads per hit.
Mike
and those new highways finished will not automatically change anything in drivers behaviors, and that is the more important point than getting new nice "save" roads. one local example from here in punta cana, and i am pretty sure(but that i assume because i am not there) it is not much different in other areas of the island:
here in Punta Cana we have since 2 years the 'boulevard del este' under construction, since around one year or so we have the first 'half piece'(one side with one lane each direction, the finally highway would be 2 lanes each direction) open for the traffic, aside of the fact that the construction(roads surface is dangerously uneven with lots of bumps only local drivers know about, non locals fly off regularily there) is done in the cheapest "diparate" way it is still the best piece of road we have in the whole punta cana/bavaro/uvero alto area, but what happens? the big buses and also the construction trucks go still 'full speed' there, i am not a slow driver, i ride from my home in cabeza de toro to the marina punta cana in the morning and several more times a day on 100-120 kphr there, nice and comfortable and SAVE in a up to date car with new bumpers, nearly new tyres and brakes who work when i hit them, but on that "best road in the area" i get pushed or even overtaken even on that 'high speed of mine' by metro buses, FL tours buses, Rutas buses aso on daily bases, they run those vehicles which would be allowed to ride a 60-80 kphr max in any other country of the world on a 120+(and sometimes much more+), doesn't matter they are empty or they carry 50 visitors from the airport to a hotel or back to the airport. on their way from a hotel in the area to that airport they pass each ride several points where AMET and POLITUR and PN stop some 'old cars' or such to check their renewed drivers licenese, to cash from them 100 pesos because one headlight is not working properly, HELL, they don not even pay attention of something strange happens when a 59 seater metro bus passes them on a 120kphr speed overtaking(while using his horns to push the driver out of HIS way) a usual passenger limousine(like a honda accord or such) and they do that even with from far seen oncoming traffic, they know they are bigger than the rest, they know the smaller vehicles will hit their brakes(if they have some)and do anything to avoid to confront them(even when neccessary running of the track, still bettter than to die on track), so yesterday we had the a bit rare situation that both guys been big guys, none feared the other and both hit.
those road assassins are out there in thousands every day,
and the authorities 'salud' them because they run with the plate of an touroperator, so that means they are sufficient important for the country to let them do what ever they want to do.
BS,
but a matter of daily fact.
the drivers caught on those speeds in the big ones(tourism or private or public bus doesn't matter, all equal) should get penaltied for driving such a vehicle for lifetime, but more important, the touroperator/company owner pressuring his drivers to run like that to stay on the stupid shedule of an incompetent administration should get the even bigger penalties, and where it hurts them, and that's in their pocket, they should be responsible for what happens on the road with their clients, but for such of course we have "legally by law" the right excuses, like the transportation company of apple vacations is named "Amstar" on the island and uses the buses of FL Tours or Alttours aso, or the ones of Prieto Tours are named "Rutas" aso, i could continue that list til the end, i know each of the companies and i know how they spread out resonsibilities to as many different "company sections" so at the end "by law" they will have a dead driver to justice, and nobody else, because they will not find anybody else responsible for anything, and the drivers on our roads did not show any different kind of behavior today. i've been at the PUJ airport this afternoon to pick up a Canadian friend of mine(he is working at one of the resorts as a manager and been in Canada with his dominican wife for 2 weeks) and on the short 10 minutes "highway ride" from the airport toward bavaro to the hotel we had such an nice incident with an Vanette driver(empty, no tourists in at that time, wouldn't be different if he had passengers for sure), trying to overtake me with his Van at 115kphr, there has been plenty of space on my side, but his Van could not get the speed to overtake, while i myself drove constantly on the same speed, no more no less), so reaching the speedbumps down in bavaro he was still behind us and tried to pass us there, right over the bumps and tried to "CRASH" in us because he faced oncoming traffic which put the horn and did not seem to let him alive when he stays on HIS side, i pushed the acc. so he could pull in 5 inches behind my car while a 22 seater tourist bus(loaded on the way to the airport) passed us over those speed bumps on a very nice bumpy speed, those two Ass... should go to prison and loose their license for lifetime, it happened at the bumps at the entrance of the IFA Village, 2 Politurs standing on our right, talking to some chics on a motoconcho, they did not even lift their heads up to see why somebody puts his horn constantly and clearly loud at their side. been nothing of interest for the authorities.
as long as the country does not put it's authorities on the point to rule such behaviors, so long not the most modern highway of the world will be save with those brainless and in case of traffic completely uneducated and unexperienced drivers, on better roads the accidents just will happen on higher speed with more deads per hit.
Mike
I have been listening to various radio stations yesterday. On one, there was a discussion exactly about this highway. They mentioned the consortium of hoteliers wanted to build the highway - they actually proposed it several years ago, but they wanted to supervise the construction and money spending. Guess what - the government was not interested. They (government) wanted the consortium to give the "billete" and the government to do the construction on its own / by the "allied" company - maybe Modesto or others.
Chip and new vecinos Mike and Rubio 
I agree totally. Please note that I never meant to downplay the role of atrocious driving in the accident, which had already been eloquently stated by previous posters in the thread, including your good selves.
My point was that highways that bypass Romana and Higuey would have the effect of reducing traffic: the tourist buses taking people to the capital, AILA etc. and most other tourist traffic would use the highways while a good proportion of the voladoras would use the old inter-urban roads, and this would help reduce the risk of accidents.
I am in the process of moving to Punta Cana and the sheer volume of traffic on these inadequate and poorly maintained roads is simply staggering. La Romana-Higuey is bad enough, but Higuey-Ver?n is even worse. The quality of driving - well, that goes without saying.
I agree totally. Please note that I never meant to downplay the role of atrocious driving in the accident, which had already been eloquently stated by previous posters in the thread, including your good selves.
My point was that highways that bypass Romana and Higuey would have the effect of reducing traffic: the tourist buses taking people to the capital, AILA etc. and most other tourist traffic would use the highways while a good proportion of the voladoras would use the old inter-urban roads, and this would help reduce the risk of accidents.
I am in the process of moving to Punta Cana and the sheer volume of traffic on these inadequate and poorly maintained roads is simply staggering. La Romana-Higuey is bad enough, but Higuey-Ver?n is even worse. The quality of driving - well, that goes without saying.
Who knows
I could have been in that bus!!!!
My flight to Punta Cana was cancelled!!!!
I ended up taking a flight to Santo Domingo instead on Friday. I took the Higuey bus on Saturday.
I do not know how the plane decided to go to SD because SD was terrible on Friday as well. I got lucky I guess.
God bless those people?s family. I am still in PC living it up. Weather is fantastic!!!!!!
Peace
I could have been in that bus!!!!
My flight to Punta Cana was cancelled!!!!
I ended up taking a flight to Santo Domingo instead on Friday. I took the Higuey bus on Saturday.
I do not know how the plane decided to go to SD because SD was terrible on Friday as well. I got lucky I guess.
God bless those people?s family. I am still in PC living it up. Weather is fantastic!!!!!!
Peace
I have been looking for up-dates also. Did anyone see anything on the identities of the victims? I've been unable to contact a friend since Friday and he hasn't called me. I'm getting a little worried because we talk almost every day. I know that he uses the bus on that route every day.
I could have been in that bus!!!!
My flight to Punta Cana was cancelled!!!!
I ended up taking a flight to Santo Domingo instead on Friday. I took the Higuey bus on Saturday.
I do not know how the plane decided to go to SD because SD was terrible on Friday as well. I got lucky I guess.
God bless those people?s family. I am still in PC living it up. Weather is fantastic!!!!!!
Peace
Keep living it up!
Fate is a strange thing.
Take care and enjoy your vacation