what am i most surprised by???

donmobay · #1 02-04-2009, 10:41 PM

the driving... passing on the right passing on the left... getting passed by speedsters.. the sytems of traffic signals,signs and general rules of the road. there is one sign near my house that seems to be totally ignored by all. people do not stop at stop signs here.. how do you figure that??? as long as everyone keeps moving its fine...????

swooperman · #2 02-05-2009, 01:15 AM

What I never have been able to figure out is why these fools never on time. They always are in such a hurry to get somewhere

catcherintherye · #3 02-05-2009, 06:27 AM

I'm afraid it's true. If I hadn't seen it myself I never would have believed the type driving that seems to be a way of life in the DR.

There appears to be this overall sense that the drivers don't care where they're going as long as they are first. I've been passed by every type of car imaginable in every way imaginable. If they are behind someone they think they have been insulted.

I had a guy in a jeepita pass me on my way into POP airport. I was 10 feet before the gate where the parking attendant takes your money. I had my window down and the 5 pesos in my hand, but this guy had to be first. He went over the concrete median divider and cut in front of me with just inches to spare.

I just laughed and waved. He was happy he had 'won', and I was slightly amused by his antics, but when faced with it constantly everywhere one drives, it tends to get a little old very quickly.

donmobay · #4 02-05-2009, 09:31 AM

is surprise in this country. the hotel lima which ive only had a room in years ago before they divided the rooms into two. it was fantastic then. french built with surprising gentleness and quiet. well it is finally getting a much needed painting.. the lease was lost in a gaming betwwen the chinese... now it is a short stay hotel. i have been visiting this city for years and a big place right around the corner never new it was what it is or had a bar in it for dancing ,and the waitresses wood listen to you and were very flexible.. etc. if you know what i mean... i went in one night and sat down and was joined by a waitress (i assumed) and i was just getting over my first dominican breakup with maria(name change to protect the innocent) and had a few beers with my new friend danced a few meranges , twirled twisted and hung on and had a good time... her friends joined us as i was doing the funding and they all liked free drinks...did one of them end up dancing on table and having a great time with the whole room clapping and yelling? vague memory...at this point

Mason3000 · #5 02-05-2009, 11:33 AM

There's a great piece on driving in the DR in the archives that I'm too lazy to find. It details all the idiosyncrasies of driving in the DR. From the machismo element to the significance of different types of horn honks, to what to expect from public cars, gua-guas, etc. Look for it, it was a very good piece.

JDJones · #6 02-05-2009, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swooperman

What I never have been able to figure out is why these fools never on time. They always are in such a hurry to get somewhere

Now, now. It's precisely because they're late, that they drive in such a hurry.

If they weren't late, they wouldn't be driving fast.

Chirimoya · #7 02-05-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mason3000

There's a great piece on driving in the DR in the archives that I'm too lazy to find. It details all the idiosyncrasies of driving in the DR. From the machismo element to the significance of different types of horn honks, to what to expect from public cars, gua-guas, etc. Look for it, it was a very good piece.

search on "silly gringo decorations" and it will come up. I love that line.

Chip · #8 02-05-2009, 01:42 PM

Driving here can be an adventure to say the least. A few tips, avoid driving at night on the weekends and especially during the holidays as the streets are full of drunks even in the morning. Also, just don't get in a hurry and your (or mine

) competitive nature won't have cause to get you into trouble.

Admiral · #9 02-05-2009, 02:05 PM

I got a laugh out of a motoconcho passing a police vehicle (with its emergency lights flashing) on the left as a taxi was passing the same cop on the right IN TOWN in Cabarete. No problem there. Just try any of the above in the states and see what happens.

Mason3000 · #10 02-05-2009, 02:32 PM

Chirmoya, that was indeed a great post. For everyone's benefit here it is....

-----There are rules, but they are not official. They are known, through some mystic process, only to Dominican drivers and foreigners who have been here long enough to learn them. Here they are, listed in no particular order of importance.

#1. Use your horn a lot, for any reason or no reason at all. Blast
the guy in front of you for stopping for 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.

#2 Always drive at top speed. Patience is a sign of weakness.

#3. 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.

#4. If you are a male driver, never let a female driver pass you. A
real man can't put up with that kind of nonsense.

#5. 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.

#6. If the driver ahead of you is making a left turn, ram him.

#7. 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 going to lose, so obviously it's up to him to stop.

#8. Ignore traffic lights. They're only there to impress the tourists.

#9. 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.

#10. 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 any
tourists in your car.

#11. 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.

#12. Seatbelts are silly gringo decorations.

#13. 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.

#14. 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 them any warnings?

# 15. When you park your car, remember that NO PARKING signs do not apply to you personally.

Of course, given the number of motorcycles on the road here, there are some special rules for them, too.

#1. When driving along that stretch of highway which runs through Cabarete, go at your flat out, top speed. It's your right to endanger yourself and the community; and besides, people love to hear the noise your engine makes when you have the throttle wide open - day or night.

#2. If you see a traffic jam up ahead, just use the sidewalks. If
you should run down a pedestrian, it's his fault for not jumping out of the way quickly enough.

#3. When you park your motorbike, leave it in a place where it will cause the greatest inconvenience; the road, the entrance to a driveway, the doorway of a store, etc.

#4. Hang your helmet on your handlebar so if you have an accident, people will have something to scrape your brains into after they've been splattered all over the road.

#5. It is not necessary to repair broken headlights or tail lights.
Car drivers should be able to see you in their highbeams, and they generally drive as if you're not there anyhow.

Oh yes; a driver's licence is nice, but who really needs one?