This One Takes The Cake

W

william webster

Guest
Many here like to think that the Dominicans are a lawless bunch.
No regard for laws - for rules - for line-ups - for officials........you name it.

Those of us living here know that is not totally true.
Some things are enforced beyond belief... to the point of ridiculousness

I saw one today ----

Going down a one way street.... I saw a guagua coming towards me on the next block
So did the local policeman.
Blew his whistle and confronted the driver.

The vehicle is now fully down the block - not 10M from the corner....
quite a distance back to the next corner.... in the rear.

The policeman exerts his authority....
I see the gestures about a one way street and the sweeping hand pointing back to other corner

The guagua driver dutifully obeys

I am now able to proceed thru my intersection - cop waves me forward

I mention to the police that it might have been easier to just direct the fellow around the very nearby corner.

Oh No!!
This is a one way street...........

Meanwhile.... however many vehicles are waiting for the guagua to reverse down the block

Unless you understand the culture --- you'll never understand that type of logic

Which we residents face daily...

In his mind -- he did his job.....
 
C

cobraboy

Guest
Tough love.

Letting the guy continue forward doesn't teach the scofflaw a lesson. Embarrassment might.this
 
M

mobrouser

Guest
But, had the driver been allowed to continue and simply turn at the next corner then there was no penalty to him.

Think of it as like the time waiting while being processed for a speeding ticket. Depending on how the cop feels and your attitude, you may get your ticket in 5 minutes or 15 minutes.

The time spent having to reverse and re-route was his "fine". Unfortunately you paid the "fine" too.

ahhh, CB beat me too it....
 
W

william webster

Guest
Clearly - that was the message our faithful police wanted to send....

He virtually said as much....

But you guys all understand.... as I do....

It's a strange world/country
 
D

Dr_Taylor

Guest
Clearly - that was the message our faithful police wanted to send....

He virtually said as much....

But you guys all understand.... as I do....

It's a strange world/country
The more I move about the DR, the less strange it becomes. It can be quite predictable, but not necessarily in a positive way.
 
W

william webster

Guest
Oh No

it's convoluted in many ways...
as I said.... the culture... if you get inside that... you have a chance

for instance -- criticism
if you just say it.... you're dead
you need to couch it... sneak up on it... then you're smooth & OK
 
T

the gorgon

Guest
i was getting on the bus today at Caribe Tours, when a woman half my age simply cut in front of me in the line, and the guy taking the tickets neither did, nor said anything. he just took her ticket as if it was a perfectly acceptable thing to do. so, i asked him what that was all about.

his terse response was...''in this country, the woman gets the preference''.

i bet if i had been from a wealthy Dominican family, there would have been no such preference.
 
C

Caonabo

Guest
i was getting on the bus today at Caribe Tours, when a woman half my age simply cut in front of me in the line, and the guy taking the tickets neither did, nor said anything. he just took her ticket as if it was a perfectly acceptable thing to do. so, i asked him what that was all about.

his terse response was...''in this country, the woman gets the preference''.

i bet if i had been from a wealthy Dominican family, there would have been no such preference.

A wealthy member of a Dominican family would not have been waiting on line to take a public bus.
 
T

the gorgon

Guest
A wealthy member of a Dominican family would not have been waiting on line to take a public bus.

i did not say a wealthy member of a Dominican family. i said a member of a wealthy Dominican family. there is a difference.
 
B

bigbird

Guest
i was getting on the bus today at Caribe Tours, when a woman half my age simply cut in front of me in the line, and the guy taking the tickets neither did, nor said anything. he just took her ticket as if it was a perfectly acceptable thing to do. so, i asked him what that was all about.

his terse response was...''in this country, the woman gets the preference''.

i bet if i had been from a wealthy Dominican family, there would have been no such preference.


Stop taking Caribe Tours, that kind of foolishness doesn't go on with Metro Tours. Metro everyone lines up in an orderly fashion.
 
T

the gorgon

Guest
Stop taking Caribe Tours, that kind of foolishness doesn't go on with Metro Tours. Metro everyone lines up in an orderly fashion.

yes, bigbird..the only thing is that Caribe runs far more buses. when i get to Santiago, and the next Metro is due to leave in 2 and a half hours, i get on whatever leaves first.
 
B

bigbird

Guest
yes, bigbird..the only thing is that Caribe runs far more buses. when i get to Santiago, and the next Metro is due to leave in 2 and a half hours, i get on whatever leaves first.

I understand, just joking with you. I do the same, most times I do indeed opt for Caribe and the foolishness cuz Caribe will make a stop where I can switch over to Metro tren to get into SD centro faster.
 
B

bigbird

Guest
Tough love.

Letting the guy continue forward doesn't teach the scofflaw a lesson. Embarrassment might.this

Agree, officer did the right thing although I doubt the driver was embarrassed more likely ****ed.