how to stay safe - tips from dominican police

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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great article in today's diario libre on safety in DR with some suggestion as made by the dominican police:
Polic?a: Consejos para evitar un asalto - DiarioLibre.com

to keep safe:
if using public transport take a brief look at other passengers and pass on the ride if you don't feel comfortable with them;
avoid using your mobile phone on the street;
upon leaving a bank check the tires: they may be pierced by robbers who them plan on attacking you as you stop later on;
take precautions while using ATM: observe what info appears on the screen, do not enter your PIN repeatedly;
when parking a car do not leave any of your belonging in plain sight;
if traveling to the areas you do not know well or consider dangerous use a trusted taxi services;
watch people's faces so you can describe the attackers with more precision;
do not stop on the road, if you have to (emergency) try to pull over at the gas station, colmado and so on;
when buying a car check it with the police;
change your simple car keys to the keys with a chip;
don't park is secluded area;
when arriving home late at night do not enter the property immediately, drive up and down the road to check if there is anyone following you;
if while driving you get hit in the back do not stop in the middle of nowhere, drive until you see the police/amet or at least until a busy, well lit place;
 

Castle

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Sep 1, 2012
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Good tips, all of them.
Don't get the "get a key with a chip" part. As far as I know, you car is either factory equipped with it or it isn't.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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hmmm... maybe i simplified a bit too much... for our car we have two keys: one is a simple copy, it will open the door only, in case i shut the key inside. the other is codified and only this one will start the car.
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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hmmm... maybe i simplified a bit too much... for our car we have two keys: one is a simple copy, it will open the door only, in case i shut the key inside. the other is codified and only this one will start the car.

We have the 'plain' key for our Venza too - it's called a valet key, but it will also start the car. We only use it for valet parking, when we don't want to leave all our keys with them.
 

Luperon

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They forgot to include, "dont stop if a cop waves you over."
 

dv8

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in a mitsubishi montero we had a while ago we had two keys: one plain metal to open the door. the other codified to start the car and switch off the alarm. when we went to the beach miesposo would leave codified key inside the car and put a metal key in his swimming trunks. then we would open the door of the car and have 30 second or whatever time to get the normal key and switch off the alarm before it would go off.
 

Hernandez

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Feb 9, 2009
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Hahahah, the most dangerous criminals here are Policia Nacional, especially their "patrols" with 2 cops on one moto. And now they tell us how to stay safe, very funny.
 
Aug 6, 2006
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I strongly suspect that the article, which undeniably does contain good advice, was not written by the police who patrol two to a moto, or even their superiors.
 

dv8

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yes, indeed, no tips on how to stay protected from the police themselves :)

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on a more serious note, i have not experienced any issues with the police so far.
 

Castle

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in 2001 I got stopped at a police road block in Avenida Independencia in SD. It was about 2 am and I was just getting off work (yes, work). As the newbie that I was, I stopped and the cops asked for all kind of documents and when they could get nothing against me they just drew their guns and said "Esto es un atraco, mmg". The rest is history, but I always remember what the then chief of police (Pedro De Jesus Candelier, at the time) told me when I was forced by company policies to report it "Never stop at a road block at night unless it's a well lit, crowded place unless you don't have other option". nuff said.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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miesposo says to me: pretend you don't see them unless they have shotguns. as the result we stopped only few times, halted by the G2 (or J2, both are some sort of special services). driving on my own i have never been stopped so far. who wants to talk to a mad looking gringa behind the wheel of a tiny car?
 

Hernandez

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Feb 9, 2009
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Guys, not stopping can result in a bullet in your head. Some newbie can follow this advice and die. To have a police general or well-connected lawyer on your speed dial is a better option.
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Keys:

My car was used from an SD resident... it has a key and a little fob that triggers the ignition.
They call it an immobilizer in Spanish.

Quite a pain while you wait for it to be recognized by the car..... woe is me if I ever lose that thing - no vehiculo

@hernandez - many times we have discussed the stopping issue here.
I won't stop unless I feel that harm may come - you can tell - November December, I just slow down and stick 50 pesos out the window.
Christmas is the worst time !!!

Maybe I'll start wearing a white beard and red suit....
 

william webster

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OK, so you say always stop (to avoid being shot) but never pay (to avoid being filched)
Something confuses me about those seemingly conflicting comments

The thread of my thoughts are - never stop - and I rarely do.
Sometimes I grease them.

No problems so far.... fingers crossed
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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I will admit, close to home - I am friendlier than when out of town.

The local boys can be helpful.... my car is quite well known, often they wave me by.
When stopped at home, I give it up..... and in true RD fashion, I know I'll get it back in other ways.

Out of town...... I smile and wave... and drive on