What would you do?

[Tony C]

Re: Re: You have passsed your initiation

Eddy is absolutely right. Good for you not putting up with that shit . If you had just walked away and chalked the incident up to experience every thief would be salavating at the opportunity to rip you off.Now they wont **** with you.
Larry

Now they are just salivating at the oppourtunity to rip him off and then get paid to sell his crap back to him.

I still say you should have hired some cops to break his legs.

 

[Cleef]

Final Chapter hasn't been written Tony C, have confidence!

Now they are just salivating at the oppourtunity to rip him off and then get paid to sell his crap back to him.

I still say you should have hired some cops to break his legs.

I'm not about to stop going to the park, and I absolutely will see him again.

I will claim my trophy, this I know.

 

[Criss Colon]

Why don't you try "Getting Laid"?

You need to lower your "Testosterone Level"! When the "Feria Mecanica" used to play in the "Feria Granadera"? The Canadians who ran the "Games" used to stay at the Hotel Naco.They had an 18 year old son who found a dominican girlfriend.One night after work,they were on the "Malecon" with several Canadians having a "few"! A smart ass dominican punk made some comments about the "girlfriend"!A big fight broke out.The dominican punk was stabbed in his heart,and died. The Canadian "Kid" spent almost 2 years in "Najayo"(with out a trial) His parents spent about 100 thousand dollars!He was "Let Go" one day and they (His mother was here all that time!) left for Canada!
Like I said,get "laid"!CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

 

[trina]

That's a refreshing, very rational response, Criss! Good answer. Although, I am very sorry to hear what happened to you, Cleef, I cannot imagine what you are feeling...

 

[Timex]

Moving it up!

Tim H.

 

[Hillbilly]

This might be "out there" but

Try looking in the Barrio's Compra y Ventas?? YOur stuff might show up.

See if you know any police, ask if they know the scumbag. Generally speaking, any beating you give the punk will not come near what he gets every time the Police nail his a$$.

And, if you Phuck him up real bad, it's your a$$ that goes to Najayo...so please forget that.

HB

 

[PJT]

Never can find a cop.

Cleef, if it is of any compensation, today's edition of El Caribe, digital, has a front page picture and story about the lack of security at Mirador del Sur. See the link. Put it under, "You never can find a cop when you want one". Regards, PJT

www.elcaribe.com.do/periodico_impreso/cuerpos/portada/nacional/n11.asp

 

[Cleef]

Mothers Day

I was back on the hunt this past Sunday and I noticed a far greater presence of the camouflaged, shotgun wielding types. Two that really stood out to me were the ones sipping on a cheap bottle of whiskey. I?m sure a drunk cop with a shotgun would have made my plight very interesting, to say the least.

I was there for about 5 hours and the mounted authorities were definitely working hard as I must have crossed paths with them a half dozen times or so. I think the mounted variety are a good presence, they seem pretty focused on keeping order.

The usual spots were covered by the PN?s, bridges, etc., but their movements are restricted to finding more shade and a more comfortable sleeping position. I highly doubt they read DR1 so I figure the increased presence was related to Mothers day.

I wish they?d do more to stop the people speeding up and down the road. One dickhead in a silver Mercedes (is that redundant?) was showing off for his daughter ? or perhaps his hired girlfriend ? and nearly clipped me on 3 different occasions as he thought it funny to buzz me at about 90 mph.

I?m not about to stop going, but I do keep my head up, and I carry a weapon now so I welcome the next brave soul to try his luck. He won?t get my watch, but I?ll give him a time to remember.

 

[Amicus]

The truth is somewhere in between

"Cleef: I have a long zoom lens that is certainly an eye-catcher for scum. I?m far more deliberate in my presence with the camera. I?m cognizant of every movement around me. I assume I?m getting lined up at all times."

The fact of the matter is "You were probably asking for it."

Aside from the exagerrated desire for "justice", one must remember the context. The DR is a poor country. A gringo parading around anywhere with a nice 12 speed, expensive bike ... and a hi-power camera to boot ... well, he's a prime target of envy and, for the down and out, his possesions represent a host of future meals, or maybe some coca-fixes.

There are easier ways of making friends in the barrio. Leave the bike home, and just drop in, start chatting - which will improve your command of the local dialect by leaps and bounds.

If you insist on leading an American life-style, wherever, and without the slightest regards for the context and the consequences ... well, maybe you should have stayed in Boston? The MBTA is a comparatively safe way to get about, and many people read in the Commons on a nice day.

Anonymity has its advantages.

 

[tourjoy]

Is there less violent crime in certain parts of DR?

You guys are too macho for this old guy. Where should a retired couple live to be the safest in the DR? Is the North Shore, sosua, Cabarete, Samana, safer?

Are the police that disinterested? How much do they get paid by the government? How much in bribes and extorted pesos?

 

[mor4us]

Sap gloves looks like the answer

You need to lower your "Testosterone Level"! When the "Feria Mecanica" used to play in the "Feria Granadera"? The Canadians who ran the "Games" used to stay at the Hotel Naco.They had an 18 year old son who found a dominican girlfriend.One night after work,they were on the "Malecon" with several Canadians having a "few"! A smart *** dominican punk made some comments about the "girlfriend"!A big fight broke out.The dominican punk was stabbed in his heart,and died. The Canadian "Kid" spent almost 2 years in "Najayo"(with out a trial) His parents spent about 100 thousand dollars!He was "Let Go" one day and they (His mother was here all that time!) left for Canada!
Like I said,get "laid"!CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Learn to use your fists through boxing and karate classes then buy a good pair of kevelar lined sap gloves and one punch to either the head or body is about all you will ever need to do. Being lined with kevelar the gloves are knive proof and some of the better brands reach up past the wrists. I dont leave home without mine and btw, I thought Clocks and such were outlawed in DR? I have yet to get there but am hoping to visit this fall.
Jeff

 

[gringo in dr]

Learn to use your fists through boxing and karate classes then buy a good pair of kevelar lined sap gloves and one punch to either the head or body is about all you will ever need to do. Being lined with kevelar the gloves are knive proof and some of the better brands reach up past the wrists. I dont leave home without mine and btw, I thought Clocks and such were outlawed in DR? I have yet to get there but am hoping to visit this fall.
Jeff

Clocks are definately not outlawed. I have several in my house. Although they don't keep very good time because of the power grid problems.

If you meant glocks they are not illegal either. What is illegal is certain calibers unless you are a cop or military.

 

[Cleef]

"tourjoy" and "joel pacheco"

You guys are too macho for this old guy. Where should a retired couple live to be the safest in the DR? Is the North Shore, sosua, Cabarete, Samana, safer?

Are the police that disinterested? How much do they get paid by the government? How much in bribes and extorted pesos?

I would think the farther you are away from S.D. the more your safety will be assured. The police are just graduated criminals, I know it sounds odd, but I guess they're still working the kinks out of the system. Avoid police under all circumstances is what I've come to believe.

That being said, my bad experience in S.D. was more by way of me being too carefree and, well, stupid perhaps?

As with any trouble, if you go looking for it, you'll find it, no matter where you are. Some people used to think the Church was safe and now look at it.

If you avoid the bling bling (that goes for cameras, phones, etc.) avoid traveling alone and hide that you're a tourist, you will not find any trouble, even in the big city. If you're alone, carry something that you can use to defend yourself with. After my incident I carried a pipe on my side (actually a broken seat post) that was flat black and surely looked like it was going to hurt smashed upside your head. As with the mental midgets that walk around with guns there, it's the same - false confidence - and that's enough to send most of the low lifes scurrying to scrap with limpiobotas. If they see you are packing even mace or anything of the like, they'll more than likely pass you over.

In addition - and this may be macho to some of you, and you can kiss my *** anyway - I'd recommend being aggressive if approached. 'No' means 'no'...."como se dice 'no' en espanol mi amigo?" If you have to get in someones face to make that clear, again, most will scurry away when it's clear that you're crazier than a bed bug.

It might be impulsive, but when I stood up and went after the whaleshat that pulled a knife on me, and then tried to grab my bike, he was a galloping pile of dust in no time.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend running after them in most cases either. But I felt so violated - and party pissed at myself for being such a bambi sitting there. Just dumb anger.

I will say this, that experience completely changed my life there. I was always looking over my shoulder after that and I didn't like it.

Again, the trick is to do what you can to avoid being a victim.

And Joel, same thing, ZC is a hotbed for petty crime, but if you stay in all the well traveled areas and have solid transportation options you'll never run into a problem.

 

[NALs]

I'm so sorry for your inconvenience in one of the nicest parks in the DR. I feel a sense of apologizing because I'm dominican and don't like to hear anyone being victimized in my country, let alone a foreigner. My suggestion to you is to always stay in areas with lots of people around and keep your guards up of who is around, who might be watching, etc. The DR and Santo Domingo could still be considered safe, but everyday as more and more dominicanyorks are deported for commiting crimes in the U.S., that validity gets bleaker and bleaker. I said it before and I will say it again, EVERY SINGLE DOMINICANYORK THAT IS DEPORTED TO THE DR OUGHT TO RECEIVE THE DEATH PENALTY UPON ARRIVAL TO SANTO DOMINGO. THEY ARE A SHAME, A DISGRACE, A WASTE OF HUMAN FLESH AND INHALED OXYGEN TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND AS TRAITORS TO THE NATION AND IT'S IMAGE, THEY OUGHT TO PAY WITH THEIR LIVES. That could also be said for some of the politicians, but the truth is that the politicians only keep the poor poor, but these low nobodies are bringing what I call domestic terrorism to Paradise. Here is an idea, buy yourself a dog, a mean looking dog. That should scare some folks away. :angry:

 

[Joah]

That being said, my bad experience in S.D. was more by way of me being too carefree and, well, stupid perhaps?

As with any trouble, if you go looking for it, you'll find it, no matter where you are.

Again, the trick is to do what you can to avoid being a victim.


Dear Cleef,

I sorry you had such a terrible experience...I'm glad you are Ok. I must add...
you just didn't listen! Everything your mother told you....you just didn't listen!

Joah

 

[GilbertArenas]

Wow have things changed that much?

Wow, my entire Science class used to take trips down to the Park (walked even) for science experiments back in high school (1994). About the most violence you'd see in the park were high school kids leaving campus to fight.

Reading these posts is finally beginning to convince me what my wife's family has been telling us these past 3 or 4 years, the DR has become a very violent place since we left. I always predicted it would happen, I was amazed even as a young kid that there wasn't more violence in a city with such a huge gap between rich and poor.

Nevertheless it makes me sad, as my wife used to walk over with her father from Gazcue and climb trees in that park as a kid/ride her bike etc.........and ran around that area alone as a teenager. Maybe Balaguer's unscheduled "walks" in Mirador used to discourage thieves in the area. Who knows?

So for the people who have lived in Santo Domingo since 1988 or so, has crime really gotten that much worse?

 

[GilbertArenas]

Forgot to mention.......

Wow, my entire Science class used to take trips down to the Park (walked even) for science experiments back in high school (1994). About the most violence you'd see in the park were high school kids leaving campus to fight.

Reading these posts is finally beginning to convince me what my wife's family has been telling us these past 3 or 4 years, the DR has become a very violent place since we left. I always predicted it would happen, I was amazed even as a young kid that there wasn't more violence in a city with such a huge gap between rich and poor.

Nevertheless it makes me sad, as my wife used to walk over with her father from Gazcue and climb trees in that park as a kid/ride her bike etc.........and ran around that area alone as a teenager. Maybe Balaguer's unscheduled "walks" in Mirador used to discourage thieves in the area. Who knows?

So for the people who have lived in Santo Domingo since 1988 or so, has crime really gotten that much worse?

Some advice for Americans/Europeans in the DR. This is a big step many just won't take for the sake of safety/peace of mind (including myself). But many people in the DR walk around with a gun (or guns) for a reason. Having a gun sticking out of your pants is a common thing in Santo Domingo....and deters common thieves. Of course, a logical Euro or American would deduce having a gun means bringing it home too......which could theoretically hurt your child/family etc. Agreed......but remember by being an American, you are being targeted 1000% more than the avg Dominican.

My father always went around with his gun in the DR, definitely saved us from being robbed a few times or being heckled by would be thieves. One quick motion/glance to the gun sent thieves running. However, that being said it sounds like times have changed in the DR if people are being robbed regularly in that part of town. Maybe they have guns now too......

 

[NALs]

You're right, but...

I think people from Texas won't mind at all about the gun thing. And about the crime deal it's a yes/no type of deal, for now at least. Yes, there is an evidence of much more consistent crime in the city (mostly in the rough neighborhoods, but some in the nice one's too). You can still walk around much of the city if you like, just that now you have to lookaround more often to make sure everything is ok and that there are people and lights around. The streets of SDQ are considered unsafe after 11pm, though anything happening could be attributed to carelessness. It's no doubt that what ever crime rate increase it is attributed to all those no good dominicanyorks being deported for being criminals in the U.S.A. or elsewhere. I said it before and I'll say it again, any dominican deported to Dominicana ought to receive the death penalty - even if the criminal act was falsification of legal papers. That should deter any would be criminals from actually committing to such derogatory profession. So, to summurized, are things extremely dangerous - no. Is it still safe enough to walk around, given that one takes some extra care - yes. Will this last - can't say, but at the current rate of things probably not. Is it more dangerous than it used to be - certainly. So, when you hear family members telling how bad crime has gotten in the DR, all they are really saying is that it's worst now than it used to be, but it's not hell on earth, at least not yet.

 

[sunshine_79]

I think old Bocephus said it best ...

"I'd like to spit some beechnut in that dude's eye
And shoot him with my old 45"


Good ol' Hank