Tourists. Danger- banana ride.

[Afgan]

Yesterday (Sunday) a small child was almost killed by a banana ride boat on Casa Marina (Playa Alicia) beach near Waterfront Restaurant. Just TWO METERS into the water.

The boat operator wanted to impress Dominican girls on the banana and made a fast quick turn almost into the beach sand. Missed the kid`s head by only a foot.

Been told to keep off the shallow area where people swim these people started shouting colour obscenities toward the foreign tourists on the beach.

Only ten minutes later another boat with a rubber inflated plate attached to
it almost hit a Russian woman who was learning to swim with the mask. She ran to the shore in horror. Just three-four meters into the water only!

The child`s father is a high ranking foreign diplomat and this incident will be reported to the Ministerio de Turismo. The boat was unmarked.

Last week in the area of Scandinavian Bar a man almost drawn because of the high wave from a boat that sharply stopped just two feet from his head.

Technically the boat operator won`t be responsible for his death because he did not hit him phisically. "Snorkeling and Fishing" - on the board.

Are there any restrictions on banana rides running full speed between the heads of swimmers? Where to report this kind of behaviour?

How to counteract? Or to wait passively until one of us or our family member or child will be killed?

It is very serious!

 

[J D Sauser]

I think that also all that intermingling of recreational boats, surfboards and kites and speeding bananas, paired with the usual local disregard for the safety of those who swim is an ill faithed if not explosive cocktail.
As much as we LOVE the relative freedom here, the weak have to be protected by regulation and by clearly defining playground zoning.

A sad day indeed.
... J-D.

 

[anng3]

I treat the boats in the water like the motoconchos on the street. Always have my eyes and ears out for them because they can come out of nowhere fast.
It's unfortunate there aren't roped off areas for swimmers only.

 

[Afgan]

I treat the boats in the water like the motoconchos on the street. Always have my eyes and ears out for them because they can come out of nowhere fast.
It's unfortunate there aren't roped off areas for swimmers only.

So, legally these crazy boats are allowed to move on people`s heads in all areas without any restrictions at all? A dangerous situation because of banana ride boats can be observed at any beach practically each day...

It is difficult to believe in such a irresponsibility of Sosua authorities and Politur.

Does anyone have any information to the contrary?

 

[J D Sauser]

So, legally these crazy boats are allowed to move on people`s heads in all areas without any restrictions at all? A dangerous situation because of banana ride boats can be observed at any beach practically each day...

It is difficult to believe in such a irresponsibility of Sosua authorities and Politur.

Does anyone have any information to the contrary?

I don't know if there is ANY regulation. IF there was, it is being blatantly broken on most "public" beaches like Sosua and Cabarete.

Now technically, in the DR all beaches are public. But by above description I meant beaches which have not been monopolized by rows of large institutional hotels (Eg: Playa Dorada), which try to outline at least a zone where boats and other recreational vehicles are "not allowed".

There seems to be a ban on jet sky's in some regions. Others may be better informed as to which regions these are and what the reason is or was.

I think that "freedom" is nice, but it has to find it's limits at the point where the freedom of others starts and not just being ruled the same way it apparently is on our streets (traffic), where the bigger and more damage threatening automatically get right of way.

On the other hand, and coming back to the initial subject, I think that EVERY death should be threated EQUAL and with the utmost respect and attention. I would not like to have to venture to guess how many local kids and even adults have lost their lives because of the blatant mass disregard for safety, respect and courtesy displayed on some of our beaches here.


... J-D.

 

[ctrob]

Just a thought - but are the Bananna boat vendors registered to operate as they were doing the other vendors that work on the beach?

 

[catcherintherye]

"So, legally these crazy boats are allowed to move on people`s heads in all areas without any restrictions at all? A dangerous situation because of banana ride boats can be observed at any beach practically each day...
It is difficult to believe in such a irresponsibility of Sosua authorities and Politur.
Does anyone have any information to the contrary?"

I don't believe that is what annq3 meant. She was merely pointing out that despite what laws might exist, she understands the reality of the situation, and that is no one is likely to do much about it until someone of political importance gets hurt.

It is the same situation on the roads. There are plenty of laws which should help eliminate the crazy driving habits you witness on the roads daily. Unfortunately, no one pays much attention to the laws, and a 'dog-eat-dog' mentality has evolved, putting those who obey the laws at serious risk.

The question is, what is best way to deal with this situation. In my opinion, it is not going to do any good to try to get impotent politicians to do something (because they won't). A more productive approach would be to put pressure on in other ways, such as negative publicity and consumer boycott.

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[jrhartley]

its also possible to break your neck when flying off one of these things at high speed - ive been asked to climb on board when ive been swimming, where do they think I keep my money - dont answer that lol

 

[Fiesta Mama]

its also possible to break your neck when flying off one of these things at high speed - ive been asked to climb on board when ive been swimming, where do they think I keep my money - dont answer that lol

Speaking of which, I was almost seriously injured myself on a banana boat ride in Sosua Bay several years ago. I was one of about four adults on the banana and we were headed full speed towards shore when the driver thought it would be cool to crank the wheel and throw us all off. We all went flying and hit each other in the head and luckily none of us were injured seriously but the driver and his companion obviously had no regard for safety of his passengers and was more interested in throwing us off. I would never go on one of those rides again.

 

[dv8]

my thought is that even if some unfortunate swimmer gets killed boat owners would not give a damn a blame the victim - "i swear, he threw himself under my boat".

 

[bakersindr]

We have been on the bannan boat ride and did indeed get dunked.... twice! On the other hand we climbed on with the expectation that we were going to get good and wet. We pull similar toys on the lakes here in B.C. and you don't get on unless you are prepared for a possible dunking.
However the drivers of the boats should have their access areas to the beach controlled to avoid hitting swimmers. I thought a lot of Sosua Bay was roped off to keep them out a while ago?

 

[Tamborista]

I thought a lot of Sosua Bay was roped off to keep them out a while ago?

Yesterday (Sunday) a small child was almost killed by a banana ride boat on Casa Marina (Playa Alicia) beach near Waterfront Restaurant. Just TWO METERS into the water.

It looks like this close call occured at the "other" Sosua Beach, regardless ... they are still cowboys! There really should be some form of Agua Politur enforcing safety of these boats.

tambo'

 

[bakersindr]

It looks like this close call occured at the "other" Sosua Beach, regardless ... they are still cowboys! There really should be some form of Agua Politur enforcing safety of these boats.

tambo'

There must also be another Scandanavian Bar at the Casa Marina beach then...
regardless...
I asked about Sosua being roped off in response to the comment about someone being nearly drowned in front of the Scandanavian Bar.

 

[Tamborista]

I was responding to your statement about the bay being roped off and that the "close call" did not occur at The main Sosua Beach, but at Playa Alicia.

Why do I bother?

 

[catcherintherye]

I heard you Tambo.

And, as you know, the banana boats do the same dare-devil routines at both beaches, and are equally dangerous to any swimmer or snorkeler who is unaware of the boat's presence and the driver's apparent lack of regard for others.

I never saw the attraction to those things myself. They seem so touristy and mindless that I couldn't imagine anyone actually going for a ride on one.

There are plenty of interesting and original things to do at the beautiful beaches of Sosua. I'm sure once the word gets around that those things are bad news people will avoid them like the plague.

 

[CFA123]

Do we really want that?

My first reaction is to say, yes they are dangerous and should be stopped... but then I think... the Dominican Republic will get to the point of North American and European countries in terms of rules and regulations soon enough.

Do we really want to rush it along? Everyone has their pet peaves and if all were granted their wishes we might as well have stayed home.

Part of life here is taking on a little more self responsibility & thinking for ourselves than we perhaps needed to do 'back home'.

I'm from the U.S. and after several years here I've come to the realization that Freedom in the U.S. more and more is becoming the freedom to conform. For me it was difficult to see except with the perspective of time and distance. Yes, it makes life less dangerous and there are more safety nets, but I think a lot of quality of life is lost along the way.

 

[CFA123]

... I'm sure once the word gets around that those things are bad news people will avoid them like the plague.

Avoid them? They flock to them.
The banana float rides are not exactly a new phenomenon, are they? aranoid:

 

[jrhartley]

sand yachts were banned in Blackpool only after a woman had both legs chopped off by one speeding along the sand

it usually takes an accident to get anything changed anywhere.

 

[AK74]

How many kids/elderlies/women must be killed by the banana idiots before the Government bans all motor boats in public beach areas like it is done long time ago in all civilized countries? 300 meters from the shore line is off-limit to any motors except life guards/resquers.

 

[CFA123]

Ok, let's not stop with the banana boats



How about some of these first world standards...

• Alcohol on the beach... ban it as done on many beaches?
• Dogs on the beach... ban them?
• Eliminate horses on the beach? They make bigger messes than dogs
• No more 4-wheeler trips for tourists that go partially along the main highway?
• Fully enforce driving/parking laws for motos & cars?
• No loud music on the beaches?
• No more visitors to the caves in Cabarete because the stairs aren't completely safe?
• Shut down Tubagua because the stairs are slippery?
• Shut down restaurants because they have dogs in them?
• Shut down most hotels/businesses/bars/restaurants for poor electrical wiring?
• Ban prostitution and implemente sting operations to imprison/fine their would be clients?
• No more monster truck tours due to poor seating/safety for clients?
• the list could go on...

Beware what you wish for, your wish might be granted.:glasses: