Things getting Crazy!!

[MOC1]

I have been reading this site for many years and have a fairly good knowledge of the D.R..After having spent three winters(6mo. stints) and many months previous over a period back to 1996, my opinion is the country has gone for S**t. After spending six months here starting in October I'm ready to say Adios to the D.R., The prices have been hard although not unmanagable for long stays. Crimes against tourist/expats is out of hand and i do not see any chances of improvement. Just venting , but seriously looking for another location. Feel free to vent or flame as you wish.
I should add that i have seen other islands go the same route as I have been travelling the Caribbean since 1981. Not to many left.

 

[Nelly]

I have been reading this site for many years and have a fairly good knowledge of the D.R..After having spent three winters(6mo. stints) and many months previous over a period back to 1996, my opinion is the country has gone for S**t. After spending six months here starting in October I'm ready to say Adios to the D.R., The prices have been hard although not unmanagable for long stays. Crimes against tourist/expats is out of hand and i do not see any chances of improvement. Just venting , but seriously looking for another location. Feel free to vent or flame as you wish.
I should add that i have seen other islands go the same route as I have been travelling the Caribbean since 1981. Not to many left.

Ever been to Roatan? Anything like the DR?

 

[badpiece33]

I have been reading this site for many years and have a fairly good knowledge of the D.R..After having spent three winters(6mo. stints) and many months previous over a period back to 1996, my opinion is the country has gone for S**t. After spending six months here starting in October I'm ready to say Adios to the D.R., The prices have been hard although not unmanagable for long stays. Crimes against tourist/expats is out of hand and i do not see any chances of improvement. Just venting , but seriously looking for another location. Feel free to vent or flame as you wish.
I should add that i have seen other islands go the same route as I have been travelling the Caribbean since 1981. Not to many left.

Where are you staying in DR? I go 8 times a year for 1 to 2 weeks at a time and I have never had a problem, But then again I try to stay out of the bad neighborhoods like I would do here in NY or wherever else I go.
Badpiece

 

[gringito]

Well...

I have been reading this site for many years and have a fairly good knowledge of the D.R..After having spent three winters(6mo. stints) and many months previous over a period back to 1996, my opinion is the country has gone for S**t. After spending six months here starting in October I'm ready to say Adios to the D.R., The prices have been hard although not unmanagable for long stays. Crimes against tourist/expats is out of hand and i do not see any chances of improvement. Just venting , but seriously looking for another location. Feel free to vent or flame as you wish.
I should add that i have seen other islands go the same route as I have been travelling the Caribbean since 1981. Not to many left.

I am really at a loss to understand where it is that all you people go to have so many problems here. I travel all over the country, I go to the bars and restaurants and I don't spend a lot of time being too careful. I have never, ever had a problem anywhere here. I read the newpapers about all the increase in crime and I see the posts on this board about crime and problems but I just have never experienced it. I always dress well, eat in the nicest places and have a high profile here but never, ever had a problem. And please, before everybody starts telling me all their horror stories about how bad things are here in the DR, STOP!. This is a great place. I am not saying we don't have problems. All the places I spend time in around the world have problems but this is a really cool place if you get to know it.

Regards

 

[MommC]

Even tho' I have been MUGGED in the DR...right here in Juan Dolio

I gotta agree with gringito on this one!
We dropped out guard one night and paid the price. In retrospect the same thing could have happened anywhere we've travelled or even at home.

Even with all the bad things that have been happening in recent years the DR is no more dangerous that any other "tourist" destination.

 

[MOC1]

I Agree

But with the recent problems and deaths I do not feal safe like I used to, read the posts over the last six months and draw your own opinion. Life has changed here as it will in all locations, I'm just stating my presence of mind on the D.R...

 

[gringito]

This Is A first..

I gotta agree with gringito on this one!
We dropped out guard one night and paid the price. In retrospect the same thing could have happened anywhere we've travelled or even at home.

Even with all the bad things that have been happening in recent years the DR is no more dangerous that any other "tourist" destination.

Nobody ever agreed with me here before. Thanks!

 

[MOC1]

Let's get this right Before it Flames Out

I am clearly saying that things are not the same as they used to be, I've been to many places in the D.R. and feel safe but you now have to watch your back more than ever. Read the posts over the the last few months and tell me this is not so. A person I know just got shot in Cabarete so do not tell me all is OKDoKE

 

[gringito]

Okay Guys!

I am clearly saying that things are not the same as they used to be, I've been to many places in the D.R. and feel safe but you now have to watch your back more than ever. Read the posts over the the last few months and tell me this is not so. A person I know just got shot in Cabarete so do not tell me all is OKDoKE

Here we go. This is a perfect example of what I have been saying. Anyone with half a brain that comes to this board looking for basic info and starts reading about the country is going to find a lot of posts about violence and crime. But it is a wonderful place. How do we go about balancing the good with the bad?

Regards

 

[MOC1]

Yes I have.

That may be my next stop. Spent two weeks there and two on Guanaha in 94. Really liked it.

Ever been to Roatan? Anything like the DR?

 

[MOC1]

I'm in Country(sp)

I'm in the bloody place so get real, I am not saying it's all bad just watch your back. These bullshit reply's are why I have never posted here before, jerks with no Knowledge of the D.R. Take a Leeeep!!

Here we go. This is a perfect example of what I have been saying. Anyone with half a brain that comes to this board looking for basic info and starts reading about the country is going to find a lot of posts about violence and crime. But it is a wonderful place. How do we go about balancing the good with the bad?

Regards

 

[gringito]

?

I'm in the bloody place so get real, I am not saying it's all bad just watch your back. These bullshit reply's are why I have never posted here before, jerks with no Knowledge of the D.R. Take a Leeeep!![/QUOT

 

[gringito]

What?

I'm in the bloody place so get real, I am not saying it's all bad just watch your back. These bullshit reply's are why I have never posted here before, jerks with no Knowledge of the D.R. Take a Leeeep!!

I am in this place too. I was not saying you are suggesting it is all bad. I was referring to other posts I have made on this board about other poeple talking about all of the violence and crime in the DR. I am assuming you are calling me a "jerk with no knowledge of the DR" without knowing anything about me or my knowledge of the country. And by the way, it is "LEAP" not "LEEP". Don't attack unless you are attacked first.

Regards

 

[MOC1]

No Reply Required!

I don't pissing contest's. Read the NEWS someone died.

 

[twincactus]

Your OPINION should not be taken as fact for the whole country

....and it's "contests" not contest's" unless you really mean "belonging to the contest". Sorry I hate that. Makes me think the person is stupid. I did NOT say you were stupid. Go ahead and flame away. I'm in a strange mood today.

Gringito and MommC, agree with you guys 100%. No more crime here than NYC, maybe even less. I will happily walk the street in Sto Dgo, but not in NYC, Philly, LA or some other "safe" places.

TC

 

[Naufrago]

After spending six months here starting in October I'm ready to say Adios to the D.R

Adios! :tired:

 

[Rocky]

My observations

1) Although violent crime against expats may be up from 10 or 15 years ago, it is my belief that part of it is due to there being a greater amount of expats living here now.
2) The tough economic situation created by Hippolito has created part of the problem.
3) Other than crimes of passion, I believe that crackheads commit 90% of these crimes.
4) Greater news reporting in this country, makes us aware of everything and anything, and gives the appearance of a high rise in crime.
5) There seems to be a lowering in crime against tourists, since I first got here in '91.
These are all opinions, of course, but I believe them to be true.
We used to get all our news by word of mouth, and it was all local stuff. Now with cable TV and internet, we are aware of national problems.
In Sosua's heyday of prostitution in the early '90's, things were out of control.
Tourists were getting robbed in wholesale proportions and there were so many European criminals in hiding living here, that they didn't complain too much to the cops, in a bid to keep low profiles.
All in all, I believe that Sosua has improved in leaps and bounds over the last 5 years.
The only downslide, is the rising use of crack.
I am thouroughly convinced that if we make a concerted effort to take out the local distributors, the DR will become known as one of the safest places on Earth.

 

[jerryme]

There is crime EVERYWHERE. I also go to St. Martin, supposed to be first world, half French, half Dutch, Million dollar CONDOS, let alone mansions. The French side has the worst crime in the Caribbean. The French police don't even investiage crimes against tourists.

I have also lived in Los Angeles, California for four years and I worked in south central ( I am white) during the riots. You have not seen crime until you see 5 thousand buildings burned around you and everything stolen or ripped off the ground. I was lucky, I only had a brick bounce off my car top.
I was also in a bank when it was robbed, I had someone try to car jcak my vehicle at a red light in Beverly Hills, and I had at least 4 car radios stolen from my car. Longest I had a car raio was 1 month. Finally moved back east after the earthquake in the valley.

I feel completely safe in the DR. I have never even been bothered traveling anywhere in the country. If you want to see crime, go to L.A.

 

[Juniper]

(Guanaha)

Where in the world is this place? I have never heard of it.

 

[Escott]

I'm in the bloody place so get real, I am not saying it's all bad just watch your back. These bullshit reply's are why I have never posted here before, jerks with no Knowledge of the D.R. Take a Leeeep!!

I'm in Disneyland and things are swell here to. Micky and Minnie send their best BoZo...