AMET problems

hjocelyn

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Feb 21, 2007
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I have been in Punta Cana on and off. We finally made our permanent move here this year. So far I have been stopped 7 times by the AMET.
Each time they threaten to take the car, put me in jail, etc...
None of them seem to know what exactly the laws are.

The first time, we were stopped because the car did not have the
"malbete"--- it was borrowed from one of the contractors we work with.
So we paid this guy and moved on...

The last time it was because I was not wearing my seat belt...I only took it off to reach for something on the back seat. My husband just happened to have forgotten to bring his license... Do they need to confiscate the car because I wasn't wearing the seat belt? I can understand the license, but the seat belt?

Now...is the passenger required to have the seatbelt?
...and why are there motoconchos without helmets??? Is this not dangerous?
:ermm: ....And I am getting a ticket over a seatbelt? and missing stickers?

It just seems they get bored sometimes and all stand there looking for soemthing to ticket. I can't argue that I didn't deserve a ticket, but confiscating a car? It just seems to be the answer for everything.

also, what happens when you do not pay your fines
(green ticket, with no amount of $$ on it!!) :cheeky:
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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All you need to do is have the two current stickers on your windshield, wear your seatbelt, (the passenger does not have to, only the driver is required), and don't talk on your cell phone when you pass these guys.

Then they will find another gringo to bother.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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I think it's more a problem with you than AMET :)

They stopped you for breaking the law on 2 occasions, just like cops in other countries.

What happened the other 5 times?
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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Do you have a DOMINICAN driving Licence?? If NOT, after 6 months here you are also driving without valid INSURANCE (also against the law).

If you HAVE got a Dominican Driving Licence, how on earthe did you manage to pass the test without knowing the laws of the Highway Code in this country? Did you pay someone over the top for it??

Back to the drawing board I'm afraid. Ask your local stationers (book shop) where they keep a copy of the Highway Code & if they DON'T have one, get them to order one for you. YES, the ARE available in the DR. So far,from the two incidents you have described, AMET appear to know the laws about driving here a LOT better than you do & they now know it!! When AMET know that they know more than you about laws here, ...:pirate:...that is always a bad situation for your purse!:surprised! ~ Grahame.:ermm:
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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Do you have a DOMINICAN driving Licence?? If NOT, after 6 months here you are also driving without valid INSURANCE (also against the law).

If you HAVE got a Dominican Driving Licence, how on earthe did you manage to pass the test without knowing the laws of the Highway Code in this country? Did you pay someone over the top for it??

Back to the drawing board I'm afraid. Ask your local stationers (book shop) where they keep a copy of the Highway Code & if they DON'T have one, get them to order one for you. YES, the ARE available in the DR. So far,from the two incidents you have described, AMET appear to know the laws about driving here a LOT better than you do & they now know it!! When AMET know that they know more than you about laws here, ...:pirate:...that is always a bad situation for your purse!:surprised! ~ Grahame.:ermm:
And at the very least, if you are driving legally, go to the AMET station, sit down with the Jefe (boss) and find out what you're doing wrong, get some tips, make friends, etc.
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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6 months??? I thought it was 90 days. Has the law been changed??
You could well be right LM - remember I have been here a long time & have been legal for over 90% of that time!! :chinese: :tired: The Insurance company we use explained the need to get a full Dominican diving Licence some 12 years ago when they realised we were still driving on an International Licence. Fantastic for confusing the He## out of the police but made us unprotected by the Insurance company! ~ Grahame.
 

El Diego

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Apr 24, 2006
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and when are laws enforced in DR? ................ even if you obey traffic laws in dr, amet will still stop you and ask for money,,, or make up any excuse to give you ticket so you can pay them.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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and when are laws enforced in DR? ................ even if you obey traffic laws in dr, amet will still stop you and ask for money,,, or make up any excuse to give you ticket so you can pay them.

Never had this problem. They have stopped me twice in the past six years.

1) My fault, jumped a red light and gave me a ticket. Very polite and professional.

2) Caught as they stopped a ton of cars checking paperwork.
No problems as I'm 100% legal. On my way in a couple on minutes.

As far as I'm concerned, they are doing a great job.
 

Funnyyale26

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Dec 15, 2006
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I have heard that they are doing a good job as well. Besides, if you want things to change in this country you first have to be an example, don't come criticizing the way things are done here and then be disrespecting the rules.
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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Never had this problem. They have stopped me twice in the past six years.

1) My fault, jumped a red light and gave me a ticket. Very polite and professional.

2) Caught as they stopped a ton of cars checking paperwork.
No problems as I'm 100% legal. On my way in a couple on minutes.

As far as I'm concerned, they are doing a great job.

I could not agree more. They are as professional as Police in any country and a lot more polite.
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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and when are laws enforced in DR? ................ even if you obey traffic laws in dr, amet will still stop you and ask for money,,, or make up any excuse to give you ticket so you can pay them.

I've never had this experience with Amet. They are generally a good and professional bunch. Never asked for money. Once skipped a red light and they gave me a warning. Once had the little one in the front seat and they stopped me and gave me a lecture.
 

jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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wow..this is the first thread when i have seen people supporting AMET. Every other thread has been how they pull people over for nothing and how to go about bribing them to let you go.

Even my domincan friends here who travel back to RD tell me AMET stories.

I must say..i have only been stopped my AMET once. I was on a motor bicke that i had rented with a local friend of mine. I am sure that we were pulled over simply cuz i was gringo and they saw $$. (this was on my first trip btw..and this "friend" was definitely a "el tigre"..about 20 and moreno and me 36 and gringo). THey were talking about jail and this and that...and i was freaking out. We ended up driving to a secluded street and giving them 300 pesos. My dom friend then cussed me out for opening my mouth and that i should have let him do all the talking.

This is one reason why i pretty much stick to guaguas and publicos or taxis...or i drive with friends who are not tigres and who i really trust.

but wow...i never knew there was a seatbelt law there! i have never worn one there (tho i probably should for my own safety).
 
Sep 19, 2005
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well there "MIGHT" be some confusion over "amet" and "police".....because other police agencys do give lot of problems to motorist, especially if they are looking for bribes....but AMET has been know not to be like that "generally"

Overall they are the most professional acting police in the country...but you know ther have to be a few bad apples in there.

I was ticketed in santiago on a narrow busy street...cars bearly rolling forward, and a AMET officer motioned me over for not wearing a seat belt...

the guy had to walk past 3 cars where the drivers were also not wearing a seat belt...and as I sat there while he wrote the ticket I could see that 80% of the drivers that drove by were not wearing their seat belts....

tell me it wasnt biased!!!!!!!

my buddy who is well to do in the DR and drives nice newer SUVs gets pulled over often as well... and it is because AMET only tries to hand out tickets to the wealthier people...maybe because they can pay....


I also got pulled over in Santo Domingo for the same reason...no seat belt....in a huge line of traffic full of people not wearing them...it is BS...

I didnt pay that ticket

the first one I did....took me three days to get my license back... and the fine was 100 pesos....all that BS for 100 pesos.

In santo Domingo i gave them a copy of my license , because I dotn carry the real one any more.

so now i am the freaking stupid neard wearing the seat belt in santiago and santo domingo...so i dont have to put up with the BS...while every other guy driving a car that is literally falling apart around him drive with no seat belt back and forth in front of those guys with out a worry to get a ticket.

if they were fair...no one would complain.....

the police national are a whole other story.....
 

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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Anyone who complains about the AMET has arrived too recently to have experienced the "Capo Blanco" who were the traffic cops before the AMET took over and they were dissolved.

I don't think the Capo Blanco even knew how to write tickets, if they could read or write at all.
 

DR Mpe

Banned
Mar 31, 2003
1,191
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polite, professional, great job.... hmmmm naw - Sun shines in DR...

Never had this problem. They have stopped me twice in the past six years.

1) My fault, jumped a red light and gave me a ticket. Very polite and professional.

2) Caught as they stopped a ton of cars checking paperwork.
No problems as I'm 100% legal. On my way in a couple on minutes.

As far as I'm concerned, they are doing a great job.


Doing a great job... Amet are better than PN but many of them are still crooks... As they probably have to be with their low salaries.

I got lost in St:eek: Domingo ones. It was around 9 pm and I needed to know the way to Santiago. I saw this female Amet officer..hesitated but females are usully better than male so i asked her. -"Ok, no problemas, go straight make a u-turn 200 meters from here and then you are on your way"... Did as she said, and sure she was right it was the right way...only problem was that right after I made the u-turn two Amet officers went out in front of me and pulled me over. "-Illegal turn!!!!" Ok, here we go I thought... One of them, the older one got a phone call, so I asked the younger one how much is the fine... Of course I knew he had no clue... After a while he said -" 2000 pesos"... ok let us wait until your colleague finish his phone call... When he was ready I asked him before they could talk to each other...- "Ok, so what is the fine" "-hmmmm 4500 pesos"... Ok. this is the case, I guess we have to go to the police station, because I only have 125 pesos.... (lie I had much more but keep the big money in another pocket)... they thought for a while and then "-Ok, give us 125. Ok, for this time".

To me most of them are a joke and they can not even spell "Ley" (Law). My 2 cents... BUT, the sun is shining in DR... :)
 

Joshua R

New member
Jan 2, 2006
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and when are laws enforced in DR? ................ even if you obey traffic laws in dr, amet will still stop you and ask for money,,, or make up any excuse to give you ticket so you can pay them.

Accually the AMET does not conduct themselves in that fashion. They are a new generation of police and not the old "caco blanco's" that enforced the traffic laws in DR