Beware new drivers to the DR, what you have learned about driving code in your respective countries does not necessarily apply here for the moment. Old timers here can probably tell you and submit to this thread both good and horrendous experiences on the road. I now have over a year driving in the country and I would like to share my limited observations. :chinese:
First of all, I do not support the notion that you should not travel by car in the DR.
The first day here, I rented a car?(Not all car rental agencies are the same) and I am sure many unpleasant experiences can occur. I never got problems renting with the exception of a Boca Chica rental company who charged me for a tire which was destroyed on the highway, not because of a pothole, but simply worn out. They charged me and lost months of rental business from me?This particular company, as many here, could not see the long term benefits.
Do not for a minute believe the maps?.What may look like a main road is not necessarily what it is the actuality; I had calculated a trip based on the map at the leasurely speed of 45 miles an hour, not knowing that for 40 or so miles my speed ended up abruptly after changing from a beautiful highway to a dirt road with potholes all over, reduced to to 5 miles and hour average. Of course I was not driving a 4x4 which would have helped a bit. The road was so bad that I had to ask to make sure I was still on the correct road?and on a rainy day!.....forget it. To be fair, I must say that I have seen the road infrastructure is improving tremendously and some highways are a pleasure to be on and being able to stop and enjoy magnificent sites is a must.
Driving both offensively and defensively is my way of looking at things. Offensively if you want to get anywhere; ?courtesy? here translates by ?taking advantage?. So, if you want to go anywhere, you have to be forceful and somewhat daring. On the other hand, defensive driving is a must?Forget the notions of priorities; it does not exist. Driving on the wrong side of the road, driving the wrong way in a one-way street, burning red lights, being passed from the side of the road?.all of this is possible. If you go with the notion that nothing can possibly come from this side or that side?They will prove you wrong. Speed limit is not a word here?One of the most difficult things for me to do here was to pass police cars on the highway at high speed. True that I enjoy the freedom of driving at the speed I like without fear of being stopped by a radar totting cop. Even though driving in the capital city is mayhem and I imagine that driving in other cities here is the same; Yet, I am surprised at the small numbers of accident I witnessed so far?Far less accidents here than in big cities I have been driving in (US, Europe and South America).
Night time driving is a risky proposition; junkyard cars and trucks are on the road at all time?Adjusting their lights not to blind someone else is the least of their problems and no difference between low beam and high beam here, and even worst no beam at all! I remember returning one evening during a tropical depression and almost colliding with a big truck on the left side of the highway going at 15 miles per hour, driving with no front or back lights. On a 30 mile drive that night I counted 2 trucks 3 cars and an assortment of moto-conchos without either back lights or no lights at all.
Now policemen are everywhere and you may be pulled on the side by a roadblock. It can sometimes be a not so pleasant proposition. I was one time with a Dominican friend, driving on the highway, he told me at the site of 2 policemen on the side, ?if these particular cops attempt to stop you, keep on going, these guys are known to stop you and ask for money so, wave at them and keep on going?. I have not been in that situation on the highway even though some local cops have attempted to get a few pesos from me. Other residents have told me that if I get into an accident and hit some person on the highway?keep on going to the nearest police station; if you stay you may get lynched. Very difficult decision to take if you get into a situation like that. A couple of weeks ago I saw a mangled body on the highway with a police car nearby, obviously a hit and run?no sheet over the body, just a small piece of cardboard on the face. I was stopped in Santo Domingo by a police car with two young officers in greyish uniforms; I was totally lost, trying to find my way out of the city. They asked me papers, I explained in my broken spanish that I was lost?They told me to follow them. I was not sure to either take off my own way or follow them, I had fears of being taken somewhere and robbed or shot by them. I prepared a few payoffs pesos just in case and hid the rest. They took me it looked like everywhere and nothing made too much sense to me until I recognized where I was, back on the right road. They stopped, came to my car, I thanked them and handed over a couple of hundred pesos for ?cerbesas? I said?The two young men got offended and refused?So there goes the notion that all cops are rotten. I thanked them profusely and went on my way. Not the same experience with some officers; I got a ticket for being on my cell phone; a friend got a ticket for not wearing his seatbelt. Of course you can be a moto-concho and carry 4 persons behind you without helmet and a baby in your arm without getting a ticket or drive at night without lights. Hard to explain these priorities. Like to hear your experiences and comments.:ninja:
First of all, I do not support the notion that you should not travel by car in the DR.
The first day here, I rented a car?(Not all car rental agencies are the same) and I am sure many unpleasant experiences can occur. I never got problems renting with the exception of a Boca Chica rental company who charged me for a tire which was destroyed on the highway, not because of a pothole, but simply worn out. They charged me and lost months of rental business from me?This particular company, as many here, could not see the long term benefits.
Do not for a minute believe the maps?.What may look like a main road is not necessarily what it is the actuality; I had calculated a trip based on the map at the leasurely speed of 45 miles an hour, not knowing that for 40 or so miles my speed ended up abruptly after changing from a beautiful highway to a dirt road with potholes all over, reduced to to 5 miles and hour average. Of course I was not driving a 4x4 which would have helped a bit. The road was so bad that I had to ask to make sure I was still on the correct road?and on a rainy day!.....forget it. To be fair, I must say that I have seen the road infrastructure is improving tremendously and some highways are a pleasure to be on and being able to stop and enjoy magnificent sites is a must.
Driving both offensively and defensively is my way of looking at things. Offensively if you want to get anywhere; ?courtesy? here translates by ?taking advantage?. So, if you want to go anywhere, you have to be forceful and somewhat daring. On the other hand, defensive driving is a must?Forget the notions of priorities; it does not exist. Driving on the wrong side of the road, driving the wrong way in a one-way street, burning red lights, being passed from the side of the road?.all of this is possible. If you go with the notion that nothing can possibly come from this side or that side?They will prove you wrong. Speed limit is not a word here?One of the most difficult things for me to do here was to pass police cars on the highway at high speed. True that I enjoy the freedom of driving at the speed I like without fear of being stopped by a radar totting cop. Even though driving in the capital city is mayhem and I imagine that driving in other cities here is the same; Yet, I am surprised at the small numbers of accident I witnessed so far?Far less accidents here than in big cities I have been driving in (US, Europe and South America).
Night time driving is a risky proposition; junkyard cars and trucks are on the road at all time?Adjusting their lights not to blind someone else is the least of their problems and no difference between low beam and high beam here, and even worst no beam at all! I remember returning one evening during a tropical depression and almost colliding with a big truck on the left side of the highway going at 15 miles per hour, driving with no front or back lights. On a 30 mile drive that night I counted 2 trucks 3 cars and an assortment of moto-conchos without either back lights or no lights at all.
Now policemen are everywhere and you may be pulled on the side by a roadblock. It can sometimes be a not so pleasant proposition. I was one time with a Dominican friend, driving on the highway, he told me at the site of 2 policemen on the side, ?if these particular cops attempt to stop you, keep on going, these guys are known to stop you and ask for money so, wave at them and keep on going?. I have not been in that situation on the highway even though some local cops have attempted to get a few pesos from me. Other residents have told me that if I get into an accident and hit some person on the highway?keep on going to the nearest police station; if you stay you may get lynched. Very difficult decision to take if you get into a situation like that. A couple of weeks ago I saw a mangled body on the highway with a police car nearby, obviously a hit and run?no sheet over the body, just a small piece of cardboard on the face. I was stopped in Santo Domingo by a police car with two young officers in greyish uniforms; I was totally lost, trying to find my way out of the city. They asked me papers, I explained in my broken spanish that I was lost?They told me to follow them. I was not sure to either take off my own way or follow them, I had fears of being taken somewhere and robbed or shot by them. I prepared a few payoffs pesos just in case and hid the rest. They took me it looked like everywhere and nothing made too much sense to me until I recognized where I was, back on the right road. They stopped, came to my car, I thanked them and handed over a couple of hundred pesos for ?cerbesas? I said?The two young men got offended and refused?So there goes the notion that all cops are rotten. I thanked them profusely and went on my way. Not the same experience with some officers; I got a ticket for being on my cell phone; a friend got a ticket for not wearing his seatbelt. Of course you can be a moto-concho and carry 4 persons behind you without helmet and a baby in your arm without getting a ticket or drive at night without lights. Hard to explain these priorities. Like to hear your experiences and comments.:ninja: