N
NIgel Sparling
Guest
I have heard driving in the DR is scary,I'll be there in January is it worthwhile renting a car??
Renting a car in the DR
T
Tony C.
Guest
Go ahead. rent a car. It is not that bad. A little hectic but if you keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel you'll be fine. Beats public transportation anyhow!
M
Marc
Guest
It really depends on where you are going and what you want to see. In some instances, public transit is far better. In others, you will get more from your trip by renting a car.
How long will you be here? What do you want to see?
marc
PS - there are a lot of good stories about driving in the DR in the archives.
How long will you be here? What do you want to see?
marc
PS - there are a lot of good stories about driving in the DR in the archives.
R
RM
Guest
We don't recommend diving in the Dominican Republic. But if you choose to do so this article is worth reading before you attempt it.
Road Kill - La Costa magazine - by Ed Butts
I have writen before about driving in the Dominican Republic, and I know I have been pretty critical of the way drivers here operate their vehicles. Now I must admit that I didn?t know what I was talking about. I was writing from the perspective of a person who has done a lot of driving in Canada and the united States, and knows the rules of the road in those countries. I had mistakenly accepted the myth that the D.R. has official driving laws, but nobody obeys them.
There are rules, but they are not official. They are known, through some mystic process, only to the Dominican drivers and foreigners who have been here long enough to learn them. Here they are, listen in no particular order of importance.
Use your horn a lot, for any reason or no reason at all. Blast the guy in front of you for stopping at a red light. In a traffic jam, lean on that horn and add all the racket you can to the general confusion. It won?t help one little bit, but you?ll have the satisfaction of making yourself heard (maybe); something like a child throwing a tantrum.
Always drive at top speed. Patience is a sign of weakness.
If there is a vehicle in front of you, pass it. It doesn?t matter if you have to go around it, over it, under it, or through it; you must get in front of it. Even if you are a guagua driver and you are going to pull over and stop as soon as you have passed the other vehicle.
If you are a male driver, never let a female driver pass you. A real mans can?t put up with that kind of nonsense.
Don?t make left turns. The driver behind you will try to pass on your left while you are doing it, because God forbid he should have to slow down or stop while you make your turn. Pull over to the right and wait until the road is clear for five miles in either direction before you turn; OR, get into the wrong lane half a mile before your turn and make your left from there.
If the driver ahead of you is making a left turn, ram him.
If you are coming out of a driveway or sidestreet, and the only vehicle coming is a motorbike, pull out in front of him. In a collision between a car and a motorbike, the motorbike is gong to lose, so obviously it?s up to him to stop.
Ignorr traffic lights. They?re only there to impress the tourists.
If you are in a traffic jam, and you see an open lane which might possibly be used to unsnarl the mess, block it as quickly as possible. And don?t forget that horn.
If the vehicle in front of you is passing a vehicle in front of him, pass them both so that you have three vehicles side by side in a line across the highway, going in the same direction. If you?re a publico driver, this is a great way to scare the hell out of the tourists in your car.
When driving at night keep your highbeams on all the time. If drivers of oncoming cars find them too bright, well, that?s what sunglasses are for.
Seatbelts are silly gringo decorations.
If you see that the car you are overtaking is being driven by someone you know, stay alongside him for a few miles so you can have a chat.
Indicator lights are there to warn other drivers of what you intend to do, but since every other driver on the road is an enemy, why should you give hem any warnings?
When you park your car, remember that NO PARKING signs do not apply to you personally.
Road Kill - La Costa magazine - by Ed Butts
I have writen before about driving in the Dominican Republic, and I know I have been pretty critical of the way drivers here operate their vehicles. Now I must admit that I didn?t know what I was talking about. I was writing from the perspective of a person who has done a lot of driving in Canada and the united States, and knows the rules of the road in those countries. I had mistakenly accepted the myth that the D.R. has official driving laws, but nobody obeys them.
There are rules, but they are not official. They are known, through some mystic process, only to the Dominican drivers and foreigners who have been here long enough to learn them. Here they are, listen in no particular order of importance.
Use your horn a lot, for any reason or no reason at all. Blast the guy in front of you for stopping at a red light. In a traffic jam, lean on that horn and add all the racket you can to the general confusion. It won?t help one little bit, but you?ll have the satisfaction of making yourself heard (maybe); something like a child throwing a tantrum.
Always drive at top speed. Patience is a sign of weakness.
If there is a vehicle in front of you, pass it. It doesn?t matter if you have to go around it, over it, under it, or through it; you must get in front of it. Even if you are a guagua driver and you are going to pull over and stop as soon as you have passed the other vehicle.
If you are a male driver, never let a female driver pass you. A real mans can?t put up with that kind of nonsense.
Don?t make left turns. The driver behind you will try to pass on your left while you are doing it, because God forbid he should have to slow down or stop while you make your turn. Pull over to the right and wait until the road is clear for five miles in either direction before you turn; OR, get into the wrong lane half a mile before your turn and make your left from there.
If the driver ahead of you is making a left turn, ram him.
If you are coming out of a driveway or sidestreet, and the only vehicle coming is a motorbike, pull out in front of him. In a collision between a car and a motorbike, the motorbike is gong to lose, so obviously it?s up to him to stop.
Ignorr traffic lights. They?re only there to impress the tourists.
If you are in a traffic jam, and you see an open lane which might possibly be used to unsnarl the mess, block it as quickly as possible. And don?t forget that horn.
If the vehicle in front of you is passing a vehicle in front of him, pass them both so that you have three vehicles side by side in a line across the highway, going in the same direction. If you?re a publico driver, this is a great way to scare the hell out of the tourists in your car.
When driving at night keep your highbeams on all the time. If drivers of oncoming cars find them too bright, well, that?s what sunglasses are for.
Seatbelts are silly gringo decorations.
If you see that the car you are overtaking is being driven by someone you know, stay alongside him for a few miles so you can have a chat.
Indicator lights are there to warn other drivers of what you intend to do, but since every other driver on the road is an enemy, why should you give hem any warnings?
When you park your car, remember that NO PARKING signs do not apply to you personally.
L
Loren
Guest
streamlined multas
They put holes and trenches in the road when they really want you to slow down. The speed limit signs are to comply with some internationally treaty or something. I think it is so D.R. drivers licenses are accepted in other countries.
Also, the author forgot to mention that in the D.R. if you get pulled over for any offense they have a streamlined process -just give the officer $10 U.S. as it is the same for all offenses and they accept it right at the car so that the tourist is not inconvenienced.
They put holes and trenches in the road when they really want you to slow down. The speed limit signs are to comply with some internationally treaty or something. I think it is so D.R. drivers licenses are accepted in other countries.
Also, the author forgot to mention that in the D.R. if you get pulled over for any offense they have a streamlined process -just give the officer $10 U.S. as it is the same for all offenses and they accept it right at the car so that the tourist is not inconvenienced.
H
hillbilly
Guest
Nigel, it depends on where you are going to be
Driving here is a lot like driving in Italy or Spain, but with uneducated drivers. You get the excited and daring do, mixed with outright stupidity. A poet friend of mine claims his country is surreal...and it damn well may be!!
You can get a car and driver for about the same price as a rental. "Leave the driving to them" is a good motto on a first trip here.
If you want to email me with details of your trip-destination, I can help you with your thinking...whether it is worth it or not...
HB
Driving here is a lot like driving in Italy or Spain, but with uneducated drivers. You get the excited and daring do, mixed with outright stupidity. A poet friend of mine claims his country is surreal...and it damn well may be!!
You can get a car and driver for about the same price as a rental. "Leave the driving to them" is a good motto on a first trip here.
If you want to email me with details of your trip-destination, I can help you with your thinking...whether it is worth it or not...
HB
A
a_andy
Guest
Don't even think about it !!!
As Hillbilly says, you can rent the driver too for about the same price.
If you're interested in an English speaking driver who will negotiate rates with you and double as a tour guide, email me.
Whatever you do, DON'T RENT A CAR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
If you want to really see the countryside though and hobnob with the locals (and if you speak Spanish), you might consider BUYING a used Yamaha 100 motorcycle (or similar) and selling it when you leave. The only real risk to that is getting runover - little risk of going to jail. In the countryside though, the risk is small and the reward great. I might can help with that too, if you email me, depending upon the location.
As Hillbilly says, you can rent the driver too for about the same price.
If you're interested in an English speaking driver who will negotiate rates with you and double as a tour guide, email me.
Whatever you do, DON'T RENT A CAR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
If you want to really see the countryside though and hobnob with the locals (and if you speak Spanish), you might consider BUYING a used Yamaha 100 motorcycle (or similar) and selling it when you leave. The only real risk to that is getting runover - little risk of going to jail. In the countryside though, the risk is small and the reward great. I might can help with that too, if you email me, depending upon the location.
A
Andy B
Guest
Re: Don't even think about it !!!
Our guests rent cars to tour the Samana peninsula and other parts of the DR. In the 5 years I've been here (and in Nicole's 15 years here), none of our guests have ever had a serious problem. Even the police beside the road with their hands out are no more.
As HB says, its a third world country with all kinds of drivers. The only place I worry about is Santo Domingo,...and then I just imagine I'm on I-95 or the turnpike in Miami during rush hour. The rest of the country is a snap.
Our guests rent cars to tour the Samana peninsula and other parts of the DR. In the 5 years I've been here (and in Nicole's 15 years here), none of our guests have ever had a serious problem. Even the police beside the road with their hands out are no more.
As HB says, its a third world country with all kinds of drivers. The only place I worry about is Santo Domingo,...and then I just imagine I'm on I-95 or the turnpike in Miami during rush hour. The rest of the country is a snap.
A
a_andy
Guest
An actual event...
A few days ago an American friend of mine was riding with a Dominican women with a certain amount of means and influence.
She stopped, and so did the truck behind her. A motor scooter behind the truck hit the back of the truck. The motor scooter rider and the truck driver then both tried to make the woman pay for the damage to the motor scooter.
A vicious argument ensued, and it did not end until the woman herself called the police.
Could you have done the same?
As I said, don't even think about driving a car. If you get squashed on a motorcycle, the vehicle will surely keep going and you will end up in the hospital or morgue BUT NOT JAIL.
To recap:
Use a hired driver for travel by car.
If you want to really see the country, and are away from the big towns, you might consider (if you are comfortable on a motorcycle) buying the motorcycle-of-choice here (Yamaha 100 or similar) for about 11k pesos and reselling it quickly for about 9k when you leave.
Enjoy your trip.
A few days ago an American friend of mine was riding with a Dominican women with a certain amount of means and influence.
She stopped, and so did the truck behind her. A motor scooter behind the truck hit the back of the truck. The motor scooter rider and the truck driver then both tried to make the woman pay for the damage to the motor scooter.
A vicious argument ensued, and it did not end until the woman herself called the police.
Could you have done the same?
As I said, don't even think about driving a car. If you get squashed on a motorcycle, the vehicle will surely keep going and you will end up in the hospital or morgue BUT NOT JAIL.
To recap:
Use a hired driver for travel by car.
If you want to really see the country, and are away from the big towns, you might consider (if you are comfortable on a motorcycle) buying the motorcycle-of-choice here (Yamaha 100 or similar) for about 11k pesos and reselling it quickly for about 9k when you leave.
Enjoy your trip.
A
alexandra
Guest
Did it and would do it again for sure!
We rented a car for three days. First went from Puerto Plata to Sosua at night. Just be sure to wear your sunglasses at night too, because upcoming traffic is going to blind you with their lights constantly. (Or well, only the onces who actually have lights ;-). The next day we went from Puerto Plata to Samana. A four hour trip, just great. Just go with the flow and keep more than enough distance. Be careful for kids, dogs and horses walking and crossing the street whenever they feel like it.
But seriously .. we didn't have any problems with the traffic, we didn't find it as bad, but maybe we were just lucky. The next day we went from Samana to El Limon on the new road and to Las Terrenas. From Las Terrenas to Sanchez and back to Puerto Plata. The only problem was our car. Coming out of the mountains from Las Terrenas to Sanchez, we run completly out of oil, so we put in 4 liters. When we got in Sosua, again we ran out of oil, so we called Budget and told them to get the car in Sosua instead of returning it ourselves.
I think you should do it and use common sence, just be careful and have a lot of fun.
Alexandra
We rented a car for three days. First went from Puerto Plata to Sosua at night. Just be sure to wear your sunglasses at night too, because upcoming traffic is going to blind you with their lights constantly. (Or well, only the onces who actually have lights ;-). The next day we went from Puerto Plata to Samana. A four hour trip, just great. Just go with the flow and keep more than enough distance. Be careful for kids, dogs and horses walking and crossing the street whenever they feel like it.
But seriously .. we didn't have any problems with the traffic, we didn't find it as bad, but maybe we were just lucky. The next day we went from Samana to El Limon on the new road and to Las Terrenas. From Las Terrenas to Sanchez and back to Puerto Plata. The only problem was our car. Coming out of the mountains from Las Terrenas to Sanchez, we run completly out of oil, so we put in 4 liters. When we got in Sosua, again we ran out of oil, so we called Budget and told them to get the car in Sosua instead of returning it ourselves.
I think you should do it and use common sence, just be careful and have a lot of fun.
Alexandra
A
Andy B
Guest
Re: An actual event...
What you described with the argument between motorists happens every day. That's why we have police and traffic courts. And if both the truck and the motorcycle driver went after her, maybe its because she stopped when she should not have done so (and not only because she obviously had money). There's two sides to every tale.
To tell visitors not to rent a car to explore our country is doing a great disservice to them,...or maybe it's because you have a hidden agenda such as guide services, drivers, taxis to rent, etc?
And to promote a riding a motorcycle over a rental car,...now that's really crazy. I've ridden a bike for more than 40 years and I WON'T ride one here, even in the countryside.
What you described with the argument between motorists happens every day. That's why we have police and traffic courts. And if both the truck and the motorcycle driver went after her, maybe its because she stopped when she should not have done so (and not only because she obviously had money). There's two sides to every tale.
To tell visitors not to rent a car to explore our country is doing a great disservice to them,...or maybe it's because you have a hidden agenda such as guide services, drivers, taxis to rent, etc?
And to promote a riding a motorcycle over a rental car,...now that's really crazy. I've ridden a bike for more than 40 years and I WON'T ride one here, even in the countryside.
A
a_andy
Guest
C
Capt. Rob
Guest
Re: An actual event...
Look you can usually get a taxi with driver for around 500 pesos per day. Good car,good driver, you have to pay for his food and lodging and gas but, he knows where to go will stop when you want. And hey are you here to hassle with driving or look at the country. Remember everything he can be bartered.
Look you can usually get a taxi with driver for around 500 pesos per day. Good car,good driver, you have to pay for his food and lodging and gas but, he knows where to go will stop when you want. And hey are you here to hassle with driving or look at the country. Remember everything he can be bartered.
G
Gerd
Guest
Re: Don't enjoy yourself!!!!
Don't come to the DR!!!
Don't take a plane!!!
Don't drive to the airport!!!!
Stay at home!!!!
Stay in bed!!!!
Don't have fun!!!
Kill yourself, to avoid unpleasant things happening to you!!!!
Don't come to the DR!!!
Don't take a plane!!!
Don't drive to the airport!!!!
Stay at home!!!!
Stay in bed!!!!
Don't have fun!!!
Kill yourself, to avoid unpleasant things happening to you!!!!
L
Loren
Guest
I notice a trend here...
Andy, you are in beautiful, idyllic Saman?. Alexandra, you were on the North Coast. Perhaps we should clarify for the driver that driving up there won't be nearly as, shall we say "challenging" as driving in the capital, or in say, Hig?ey.
I think that the driving conditions will be dependent on where one is driving. Alexandra, I don't know if you ventured down to the capital, but Andy, I am pretty sure you will agree with me that driving in Saman? is a lot easier to recommend than driving in the capital, where I personally have: been rear-ended by drunk gringos in jeepetas on Anacona on the way to Picalonga, gotten rear-ended by police, had axles FALL off of rental cars while driving on the freeway, and what was worse, my brother in law had to pay $2500 U.S. for damage to his rental car, even though he had the insurance.
Andy, Jerry tells me you have some beautiful horses. When I make it up there (I promise I will...Promise!) I want to get around by horseback instead of by rental-concho.
Andy, you are in beautiful, idyllic Saman?. Alexandra, you were on the North Coast. Perhaps we should clarify for the driver that driving up there won't be nearly as, shall we say "challenging" as driving in the capital, or in say, Hig?ey.
I think that the driving conditions will be dependent on where one is driving. Alexandra, I don't know if you ventured down to the capital, but Andy, I am pretty sure you will agree with me that driving in Saman? is a lot easier to recommend than driving in the capital, where I personally have: been rear-ended by drunk gringos in jeepetas on Anacona on the way to Picalonga, gotten rear-ended by police, had axles FALL off of rental cars while driving on the freeway, and what was worse, my brother in law had to pay $2500 U.S. for damage to his rental car, even though he had the insurance.
Andy, Jerry tells me you have some beautiful horses. When I make it up there (I promise I will...Promise!) I want to get around by horseback instead of by rental-concho.
A
Andy B
Guest
Re: Who has the agenda in Samana?
Not me, no agenda here. I rent rooms, not cars. I also don't provide guide services nor taxi services. I just provide my guests (and the readers of Samana.Net) with the best information I can find regarding visiting our island.
Not me, no agenda here. I rent rooms, not cars. I also don't provide guide services nor taxi services. I just provide my guests (and the readers of Samana.Net) with the best information I can find regarding visiting our island.
A
a_andy
Guest
Knowledge is Bliss
Rather than living in a fantasy world, having knowledge opens whole new horizons.
Despite its problems, the DR has one tremendous asset - the openess of its society and hospitality of its people, although admittedly with strings attached.
Navigating back roads and cow trails at dawn on a small motorcycle to the sound of roosters crowing and women grinding coffee - and then stopping to help them drink that coffee and chat with the whole family - is more rewarding than anything I can imagine in the concrete jungles of Puerto Plata or elsewhere.
Rather than living in a fantasy world, having knowledge opens whole new horizons.
Despite its problems, the DR has one tremendous asset - the openess of its society and hospitality of its people, although admittedly with strings attached.
Navigating back roads and cow trails at dawn on a small motorcycle to the sound of roosters crowing and women grinding coffee - and then stopping to help them drink that coffee and chat with the whole family - is more rewarding than anything I can imagine in the concrete jungles of Puerto Plata or elsewhere.
S
Sonny
Guest
Re: An actual event...
C'mon Andy I saw you drooling over my "Charlie Davidson"the last time I visited you guys in Las Galeras
C'mon Andy I saw you drooling over my "Charlie Davidson"the last time I visited you guys in Las Galeras
A
a_andy
Guest
Re: Who has the agenda in Samana?
At least 1 other poster offered to provide a name(s) of a reputable driver. Does that make him a tour guide operator too, with an ulterior motive?
Is your motive to get people to patronize your hotel somehow better than someone else's motive? What if they proposed arriving there by makeshift raft from Puerto Rico?
Does that "best information" include for example whether justice exists in Las Galeras? And did justice suddenly exist as soon as the judgment went your way?
I used to read, and root, for your side against the unfortunate, uh, Frenchman, if I correctly translate your term for him. In fact, many times I have read a thread simply because you were in it.
My own handle has an extra "a_" out of deference to the fact that you were already using "andy" (without the "B") when I first posted.
About 3 months ago a family of 4 in the States told me that they wanted to go to Samana for 10 days. I immediately recommended your hotel, but they were afraid to rent a car and were intimidated by buses, so they simply stayed in Puerto Plata the whole time.
Thank you again for the many postings that I have enjoyed over the years.
At least 1 other poster offered to provide a name(s) of a reputable driver. Does that make him a tour guide operator too, with an ulterior motive?
Is your motive to get people to patronize your hotel somehow better than someone else's motive? What if they proposed arriving there by makeshift raft from Puerto Rico?
Does that "best information" include for example whether justice exists in Las Galeras? And did justice suddenly exist as soon as the judgment went your way?
I used to read, and root, for your side against the unfortunate, uh, Frenchman, if I correctly translate your term for him. In fact, many times I have read a thread simply because you were in it.
My own handle has an extra "a_" out of deference to the fact that you were already using "andy" (without the "B") when I first posted.
About 3 months ago a family of 4 in the States told me that they wanted to go to Samana for 10 days. I immediately recommended your hotel, but they were afraid to rent a car and were intimidated by buses, so they simply stayed in Puerto Plata the whole time.
Thank you again for the many postings that I have enjoyed over the years.
A
Andy B
Guest
Re: Who has the agenda in Samana?
I don't mean to offend you but driving on the north coast is really quite tame. I DON'T recommend that our guests drive in, around or through Santo Domingo. Even I don't like it.
I'm not pushing my hotel because that wouldn't be fair to the thirty-something other hotels that advertize with me on Samana Net. And yes, since the demise of the Frenchman things have quieted down in Las Galeras not only for me, but for everybody. And no, the property judgement has not been rendered yet but we're not worried now as we have both a good title and have just finished a deslinde.
Please continue to recommend the Samana Peninsula to your friends. If they are afraid to drive from Puerto Plata and don't want to ride the bus, a private taxi can always pick them up. Any hotel on Samana.Net can assist with this.
I don't mean to offend you but driving on the north coast is really quite tame. I DON'T recommend that our guests drive in, around or through Santo Domingo. Even I don't like it.
I'm not pushing my hotel because that wouldn't be fair to the thirty-something other hotels that advertize with me on Samana Net. And yes, since the demise of the Frenchman things have quieted down in Las Galeras not only for me, but for everybody. And no, the property judgement has not been rendered yet but we're not worried now as we have both a good title and have just finished a deslinde.
Please continue to recommend the Samana Peninsula to your friends. If they are afraid to drive from Puerto Plata and don't want to ride the bus, a private taxi can always pick them up. Any hotel on Samana.Net can assist with this.