renting a car in the Dominican Republic

[bogdan]

Hello! Having read the Lonely Planet strong discouragement from renting a car in the DR, I am rather hesitant to do so. They say that, as a tourist, getting in trouble on the road (due to disrespect for rules, that is quite likely) can be very costly since one is assumed to be at fault, and then maybe even kept in jail for a long time, etc. Does anybody have a view on driving there as a foreign tourist?
Thanks a lot.
Bogdan

[rellosk]

Here are a few recent related threads and a blog with a recent entry. Use the search button and you will find many threads on the pitfalls of renting a car in the DR, as well as ones on driving in the DR.

women tourist driving in DR

Car Rental

http://dr1.com/blogs/entry.php?u=sunshine79&e_id=1473

[bogdan]

Hmmm.. -- mixed opinions. Maybe we'll have such a good time that we'd like to go back, and then we would feel comfortable getting a car.
Thanks a lot for the links!

[ricktoronto]

Basically it is an idiotic idea for newbies and often costs more than the alternatives.