Manners, etc.

I hadn't looked at the board for a while and just returned for the DR after spending over 3 of the last 4 months there. Some observations regarding manners:

First let me say that in my opinion the Dominican people are very friendly, nice, and sincere people. However, there are a few things that make my blood boil, albeit in my opinion, the fault of the society and not the individual.

1. Any time that you stand in line at McDonalds, etc., the locals will always walk right in front of you and start giving their order to the person working the counter. ALWAYS!

2. Pedistrians get ZERO respect from the drivers. It seems the more worthless the vehicle, the less respect. The drivers of the Mitsubishi Monteros, Toyoto Land Cruisers, etc. arent as bad.

3. The larger the vehicle, the more disrespectful. I bought a Honda Scooter and have ridden it all over Santiago as well as to Sosua. The cars, trucks, and busses act like I don't exist. They will wait untill I'm ten feet from them and pull out in front of me. If I'm doing 40mph and the car behind me wants to drive 35mph, for some reason he must get around me to do it.

4. In Santiago where there are several 4 lane streets, the drivers entering from a side street ALWAYS pull into and block the outside lane while waiting to enter. They don't realize that the oncoming traffic in that lane must slow down, change lanes, and delay him considerably. Also, on the 4 lane or 6 lane streets, the drivers must stradle the line and take two of the lanes. This way they can go to the left, or the right, without looking. Especially if there is a motorbike next to them.

5. In the city, the people stop on the sidewalks to talk, with no consideration for those trying to pass. Of course this is certainly not unique to the DR.

As frustrating as all this is to me, I'm learning to accept it. After all, it's not my Country. And I really don't think they realize that they may be inconveniencing (sp?) anyone. For the most part, they are really nice people. If they steal something from you, it's because they need it worse than you do. After all, they must also steal from each other by the looks of all those iron bars and concrete walls with the broken bottles cemented in at the top.

Hi Joe!

Those specific behavioral traits are more or less common to a whole bunch of "societies". As a common denominator, all of them are underdeveloped countries. However, I has been told on occasions that the "subdesarrollo" is not only a "economic" thingy, it is also a mental one. If we accept the concept that societies are endowed with a collective consciousness that is formed by the sum of the ones of all it's individuals, then we can understand this.

Even in first world societies you can find some of those behaviors among the lower echelons of the socioeconomic strata. Now, these societies tend to be also more consistent as to the application of the law and the order of things and, as such, they keep a closer control over the population.

Take it from somebody that has interacted with people from almost all over the world.

However, don't forget that there pluses and minuses in both sides.

they do yield to pedestrians

But it doesn't happen every time. But they don't try to run you down. In Panama they do try to hit you because they in general hate foreigners, at least in the capital. The word 'gringo' is much less used in D.R. than in Panama. But there are a couple things you might consider. One is the Haiti problem. If you see a not very well mannered person there's a chance he/she is a Haitian. Haitians are marginalized in D.R. with the obvious consequences. Another is the language. In Spanish they swear a lot but the Dominicans for the most part don't mean it, I think. And a real Dominican doesn't eat at Macdonalds. If the guy prefers a Mac over pica pollo, there's something wrong with him already. Thay have a lack of respect to environment but then again you should see what a Canadian company called Falconbridge is doing to rivers in Bonao.

Your mostly right, it gets me mad too. But did you know that:

1. In African countries shop tennants are proud to help more people at the same time? (that's what I tell myself if counting till ten doesnot help.

2. After three months you might have noticed that apart from El Conde, you should NOT be a pedestrian in the Dominican Republic? The whole city is designed for cars. I tried walking to my house once and noticed that there is no side walk, if there is, it is used for parking cars, that there are a lot of dead rats where a sidewalk should be. Also, the heat of the sun, the rain and the car gasses are a reason to get a guagua or a taxi.

3. Rule number two: Try not to be a motor cyclist in the Dominican Republic. Read the DR1 daily news, and you will learn most accidents involved motor cycles.

4. They do that because otherwise no-one will allow them on that 4 lane road. And yes, people always try to drive in the middle of the road. One should not drive on the left lane, because one might have to stop for a left-turning car, and one should not drive on the right lane, because on might have to stop for a stopping taxi, bus, paper/fruitbuyer. Lincoln in SDQ is a great example.

5.Hey! You are on holidays! Just say something nice and they will let you pass. They do not do this on purpose, they just live by the moment, which is this friend they are meeting on the street. And remember No.2: Do NOT be a pedestrian in the D.R.!