I have heard of these, but after nearly 8 years on the island, this is the first one I have witnessed. I'm just chilling at a bar on a slow work day with my laptop. AMET hooks up a car. No big deal, I'm not paying much attention.
The owner gets back and starts to ask what is wrong. They say you can't park on this side of this street. Well, I know this and most of us who know this street do know it, but...The owner says why not. There is no sign and the curb is not painted yellow. How does anyone know they aren't supposed to park here. AMET says everyone knows.
But, really? Everyone, especially a tourist who has never been here before. How can you know if there are no markings? So he takes pictures of the street and his car getting hooked up and the curb and goes on about his business calling a friend I guess.
On top of this there was a motorcycle parked at the very end of the street much in front of the other guy's car and AMET just let him move so they could hook the car up. Upon looking I saw that this part of the curb was actually yellow so they should have taken/ticketed the motorcycle but they just let him go. So I asked about it and the AMET guy said the car is bigger so it is more important to have it moved. I said the car doesn't appear to be illegal but if it is then certainly the motorcycle was so you shouldn't take the car without at least taking the motorcycle also because that is definitely bias. He said he was just doing his job and I said you aren't doing it very well and walked off.
No need for me getting mad over this as I don't even know the owner of the car but it certainly seemed illegal and shady to me. I'd be taking my pictures to Puerto Plata and would have taken pictures of the AMET uniforms (names/badges) too but I don't think he did that.
Best of luck to the guy but I suspect he is unfortunately going to end up paying the illegal ticket to get his car back and just go on about his business p***ed off.
The owner gets back and starts to ask what is wrong. They say you can't park on this side of this street. Well, I know this and most of us who know this street do know it, but...The owner says why not. There is no sign and the curb is not painted yellow. How does anyone know they aren't supposed to park here. AMET says everyone knows.
But, really? Everyone, especially a tourist who has never been here before. How can you know if there are no markings? So he takes pictures of the street and his car getting hooked up and the curb and goes on about his business calling a friend I guess.
On top of this there was a motorcycle parked at the very end of the street much in front of the other guy's car and AMET just let him move so they could hook the car up. Upon looking I saw that this part of the curb was actually yellow so they should have taken/ticketed the motorcycle but they just let him go. So I asked about it and the AMET guy said the car is bigger so it is more important to have it moved. I said the car doesn't appear to be illegal but if it is then certainly the motorcycle was so you shouldn't take the car without at least taking the motorcycle also because that is definitely bias. He said he was just doing his job and I said you aren't doing it very well and walked off.
No need for me getting mad over this as I don't even know the owner of the car but it certainly seemed illegal and shady to me. I'd be taking my pictures to Puerto Plata and would have taken pictures of the AMET uniforms (names/badges) too but I don't think he did that.
Best of luck to the guy but I suspect he is unfortunately going to end up paying the illegal ticket to get his car back and just go on about his business p***ed off.