Another Horror Story

[DR Solar]

You guys are brutal! Yes they should have done some research and perhaps had a better clue.

BUT! The U.S. Embassy stepped in and helped out. One of the very few times that I've heard about that happening. The resort refunded their money. ONLY time I've heard that happening.

So they are back home and safe after learning a very difficult culture difference the hard way.


Most of us have stories or know others that the outcome did not turn out as well or as quickly.

 

[Peterj]

You guys are brutal! Yes they should have done some research and perhaps had a better clue.

BUT! The U.S. Embassy stepped in and helped out. One of the very few times that I've heard about that happening. The resort refunded their money. ONLY time I've heard that happening.

So they are back home and safe after learning a very difficult culture difference the hard way.


Most of us have stories or know others that the outcome did not turn out as well or as quickly.

You have now idea how many times this happens and the "victims" have to sign that they won't bring anything into the open....

 

[cbmitch9]

Even before going to NYC, people do their research. But travelling to a foreign country and renting a car where you barely have GPS for giving you proper directions is unbelievable. They're fortunate that it didn't end up much worse. The person who wrote that news article was just as much of an idiot as the the subjects of the story.

 

[DR Solar]

Are you upset Peterj?

You have now idea how many times this happens and the "victims" have to sign that they won't bring anything into the open....

Why the HUGE BOLD AND ENLARGED in my statement/opinion?

I've been here full time for over 20 years. I kinda know things.

Sorry to upset you. They never made it to the resort but the resort did a kind thing for them.

Again. Sorry that this family had a terrifying experience. Glad that it worked out with the help and compassion that they received.

 

[cjewell]

This is one of the supidest stories Ive ever heard. Never mind attempting this in DR i wouldnt even do a 5 hour drive in Canada in the middle of the night. Wtf were these people thinking if they were even thinking at all. I can think of 20 bad things that could have happened anywhere doing that. 

And notice when slamming DR it was I thought this, I felt that... I didnt here any direct statement of exactly what cops did so wrong to them. Doubt they spoke spanish or could even communicate with the cops. 

if they had hit someone in Canada and the cops thought they were wrong they would have been paying a lawyer a hell of alot more than $1500. 

This was squarely their fault and stupidity and I agree with others that they are looking for their 5 minutes

 

[RV429]

This question gets asked a lot on TA. Some folks don't think to look at a map.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...ata_Province_Dominican_Republic.html#80221709

 

[Peterj]

Why the HUGE BOLD AND ENLARGED in my statement/opinion?

I've been here full time for over 20 years. I kinda know things.

Sorry to upset you. They never made it to the resort but the resort did a kind thing for them.

Again. Sorry that this family had a terrifying experience. Glad that it worked out with the help and compassion that they received.

No, that was a mistake only planned the bold and underlined, sorry.
And no, not upset at all, just facts of life (in the DR)

 

[malko]

I dont see why its crazy to drive from Punta Cana to POP during the night.
Adventurous ? Yes.
Would I let my elder parents do it ? No.
Would I do it ? Yes.

Its not Beirut during the war. No green line here. No shelling.
Its not Bagdad either. No IED's, no insurgents..... that I have heard of.

In fairness, I am pretty sure the car hire place told them not to. They either didnt heed the warning,or didnt understand it. Dominicans are like that.... helpful but overfearful, especially when it concerns tourists.

 

[Peterj]

I dont see why its crazy to drive from Punta Cana to POP during the night.
Adventurous ? Yes.
Would I let my elder parents do it ? No.
Would I do it ? Yes.

Its not Beirut during the war. No green line here. No shelling.
Its not Bagdad either. No IED's, no insurgents..... that I have heard of.

In fairness, I am pretty sure the car hire place told them not to. They either didnt heed the warning,or didnt understand it. Dominicans are like that.... helpful but overfearful, especially when it concerns tourists.

I don't think the car rental warned them, the chance of them not renting the car was big...

 

[dulce]

Here we go again. DR1 members blaming the victims. Not everyone on earth is RD or DR1 educated. Quite a few people book a vacation the same way these people did. They book the cheapest they can find with no thought of how much sense it makes. It only makes sense to their pocketbook. Many people in the US choose to drive at night for their long trips. Lots on good sensible reasons for this.( I don't think these travelers realized how long the trip would be) Also many travelers do not check out anything about their destination. In this family's mind they thought they chose a great beach destination for their son. You can bet your a** they are sorry they didn't do their homework. The bottom line is the responsibility and shame is on the Dominican people who had a part in ripping them off!

 

[malko]

I don't think the car rental warned them, the chance of them not renting the car was big...

I was assuming they had rented the car from home.
So I was thinking more along the lines of :
Agency :" here is your car "
Them : " can u point us to in the direction of POP ? "
Agency: " that way. But u would be better off bunking up tonight in punta cana and travelling in the morning in daylight ".

 

[AlterEgo]

Wish they would say which Dominican stinkhole town was involved...must be on the main highway.
Another reason I dont drive here, only taxis.

The article quotes the wife as saying they were about an hour into the trip, I'm thinking they were probably just past Macoris, maybe near Guayacanes???  

 

[bigbird]

Same guy?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-corrigan-3633972a

Way too many missing pieces to this story. The husband gets locked up so how did Ma and son find an hotel. Pa gets out of jail on Monday but they hang around until Tuesday for US Embassy to whisk them to the airport. What did they plan to do with a rental vehicle at an AI in POP?

One real weird tale here folks.

 

[the gorgon]

Same guy?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-corrigan-3633972a

Way too many missing pieces to this story. The husband gets locked up so how did Ma and son find an hotel. Pa gets out of jail on Monday but they hang around until Tuesday for US Embassy to whisk them to the airport. What did they plan to do with a rental vehicle at an AI in POP?

One real weird tale here folks.

you asked the best question, bird. what need did they have to rent a car for an all inclusive stay. i mean, they are operating on such a shoestring budget that they looked to save money by landing 5 hours from their destination. yet they have money to rent a car. horsefeathers, if you ask me.

 

[bigbird]

you asked the best question, bird. what need did they have to rent a car for an all inclusive stay. i mean, they are operating on such a shoestring budget that they looked to save money by landing 5 hours from their destination. yet they have money to rent a car. horsefeathers, if you ask me.

yeah and not a single mention of the kind Dominican who found them an hotel. No mention of whether or not the person they hit survived. They settled up a vehicle accident I am assuming injury to the victim in record time. I am not that great with Google but no newspaper articles out there?

weird señor gorgon, plus this dude sure doesn't appear to be the trailer park bumpkin I first thought he might be.

 

[RV429]

They flew into PUJ and were going to stay in Puerto Plata, thus the car.

Forest Gump decision,

 

[SKY]

Same guy?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-corrigan-3633972a

Way too many missing pieces to this story. The husband gets locked up so how did Ma and son find an hotel. Pa gets out of jail on Monday but they hang around until Tuesday for US Embassy to whisk them to the airport. What did they plan to do with a rental vehicle at an AI in POP?

One real weird tale here folks.

I agree with you. This story has more holes than a Swiss cheese sandwich. I can attest to the total lack of help from the US Embassy in any situation. There is no chance that the US Embassy whisked him away on a plane. This I can tell you with certainty.

 

[bigbird]

They flew into PUJ and were going to stay in Puerto Plata, thus the car.

Forest Gump decision,

So they get to POP and pay the daily rental just to park the vehicle while they are operating on a shoestring budget. Come on, all this added expense and time they couldn't find an inexpensive hotel in PUJ?

Also if you comprehend my post my question was what did they plan (or need) a car at an AI?

 

[bigbird]

I agree with you. This story has more holes than a Swiss cheese sandwich. I can attest to the total lack of help from the US Embassy in any situation. There is no chance that the US Embassy whisked him away on a plane. This I can tell you with certainty.

Thanks SKY because that is pretty much what I have understood over the years.

 

[sanpedrogringo]

You guys are brutal! Yes they should have done some research and perhaps had a better clue.

BUT! The U.S. Embassy stepped in and helped out. One of the very few times that I've heard about that happening. The resort refunded their money. ONLY time I've heard that happening.

So they are back home and safe after learning a very difficult culture difference the hard way.


Most of us have stories or know others that the outcome did not turn out as well or as quickly.

Who's being brutal, other than brutally honest? It's actually very responsible for people with time in the DR to inform people of the perils of driving cross country at night. Dominicans don't do it. Dominicans living abroad warn people travelling there not to do it. It's actually quite irresponsible not to offer people the friendly advice. It's up to them whether they accept it or not. You can lead a horse to water......