- Thread starter Afgan
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Tourists. Danger- banana ride.
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"Avoid them? They flock to them.
The banana float rides are not exactly a new phenomenon, are they?"
No, not new at all. I wasn't talking about spreading the word about the banana boats, I was referring to getting the word out about the recent near misses, and about the attitude of the drivers.
And No, we certainly do not want to make this into another NA, which is why instead of clamoring for enforcement of existing laws, or for the enactment of new laws, people start to control the situation themselves, by informal enforcement, ie. do not support these loud, dangerous, annoying pieces of junk until they start behaving like they actually cared about others.
Geeez, why do I bother?
The banana float rides are not exactly a new phenomenon, are they?"
No, not new at all. I wasn't talking about spreading the word about the banana boats, I was referring to getting the word out about the recent near misses, and about the attitude of the drivers.
And No, we certainly do not want to make this into another NA, which is why instead of clamoring for enforcement of existing laws, or for the enactment of new laws, people start to control the situation themselves, by informal enforcement, ie. do not support these loud, dangerous, annoying pieces of junk until they start behaving like they actually cared about others.
Geeez, why do I bother?
There's no easy answer. A combination of regulation and enforcement over a sustained period of time can change things but I think neither the resources nor the will to do anything about this are in place.
It would have to start small, like enforcing boat registration, and then moving up to safety standards on boats beyond registration (life saving equipment, flares, and the like), moving forward to basic boating rules of the road, and then putting a trained law enforcement entity on the water to enforce all of it.
Do any of you see that in the near future in the Dominican Republic? I don't.
Like in worldwide aviation, where safety regulations and inspections were put into place over time as each plane that created a scorched place on terra firma taught us something new, it will take a critical mass of boating accidents to create something enforceable on the water.
It would have to start small, like enforcing boat registration, and then moving up to safety standards on boats beyond registration (life saving equipment, flares, and the like), moving forward to basic boating rules of the road, and then putting a trained law enforcement entity on the water to enforce all of it.
Do any of you see that in the near future in the Dominican Republic? I don't.
Like in worldwide aviation, where safety regulations and inspections were put into place over time as each plane that created a scorched place on terra firma taught us something new, it will take a critical mass of boating accidents to create something enforceable on the water.
Why rely on optional entertainment, when 'someone else' is in control? Is control that floats your banana?
If so......
Watch what they do, assess it, make a decision!
Is it Si or is it No?
Sounds a bit like the song, "should I stay or should I go?"
ba ba ba bum pa bump.
Can you hear it? Does it resonate?
If so......
Watch what they do, assess it, make a decision!
Is it Si or is it No?
Sounds a bit like the song, "should I stay or should I go?"
ba ba ba bum pa bump.
Can you hear it? Does it resonate?
My man do you see how people drive vehicles in DR? If so then how do you expect them to be any better with boats? Keep your head on a swivel and enjoy your swim,but be prepared for an emergency dive,especially this week,semana santa everyone is drunk.
Swim in Cabarete bay. The only motorized water craft there are a couple of fishermen who were grandfathered in before the ban. Sosua has roped off areas for swimmers only but the bananna and glass bottom boats blatantly ignore the prohibition. Sosua needs a police boat but alas that would cost money they don't have.
I've come MUCH closer to being hit by kite and sail boarders in Cabarete than by the bannana boats in Sosua. The first time I went into the water in Cabarete a guy swam out beside me and told me asked if it was the first time I had been in the water there. When I said it was, he told me to keep my head up all the time as the boarders came in an out constantly at high velocity and would never see me. I did and enjoyed the swim but kept busy keeping out of the way at the same time. Still better swimming in Sosua any time though.
Last week my husband was close to being hit by a kitesurfer at La Boca, Islabon (Cabarete). The surfer was heading towards him closer and closer every time, ON PURPOSE. The reason for this rude/stupid behaviour was that the wife should be able to take interesting pictures of her husband!!!!:angry: What if the surfer would have lost control over his board? Luckily an accident didn't happen this time.
Ban on jetskis and horses?
This is from today's DominicanToday :
Dominican authorities prohibit jet skis and horses
Santo Domingo.? The Ministry of Tourism, trough its Resolution 87-2009, has prohibited the use of jet skis and any type of motorboats, as well as horses and any type of equipment that might put beachgoers at risk during the Easter break.
This is from today's DominicanToday :
Dominican authorities prohibit jet skis and horses
Santo Domingo.? The Ministry of Tourism, trough its Resolution 87-2009, has prohibited the use of jet skis and any type of motorboats, as well as horses and any type of equipment that might put beachgoers at risk during the Easter break.
2 reasons
horse S**t on the beach, normally due to the uncareing attitude of the DumbA$$ on top.
DumbA$$'s having horse races on the beach, and your supposed to get out of their way! And they don't have the first clue about controling a horse.
horse S**t on the beach, normally due to the uncareing attitude of the DumbA$$ on top.
DumbA$$'s having horse races on the beach, and your supposed to get out of their way! And they don't have the first clue about controling a horse.
We go to that beach very often and i like to swim father out in the ocean keeping my eyes on the banana boats rushing past. The boat past 2-3 meters from my head when i was actually close to the beach like 5 meters and it looked safer far away. I see the same all over again! Today there were actually no banana boats, maybe the diplomat made them stop
Crazy bananas Dominican style!I have a customer who was here a month ago and he was struck by the boat off Sosua beach, had to have 17 stitches in his leg but was lucky it didn't hit his head. He could see it coming but the driver was looking over his shoulder instead of where he was going!
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