05/2014 - Car Scam in Puerto Plata

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seville

According to my mechanic it does only happen in Puerto Plata.

---

How long have you lived here and you believe a Dominican? About anything?

All over the world neighboring towns and villages are rivals, ususally denigrating each other. If you talk to Puertoplateños, Sosua is Sodom and Gomorrah combined. All in good fun, but they really do believe it.

I was brought up in one of twin towns and the same thing happened. When I got a scholarship to a school in the other town it was like going to Fallujah as far as my friends were concerned. That was sixty years ago but the DR is still 100 years behind that era socially and educationally.

I never waste any opportunity to denigrate Sosua. I am a Puertoplateño now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weyland

How long have you lived here and you believe a Dominican? About anything?

All over the world neighboring towns and villages are rivals, ususally denigrating each other. If you talk to Puertoplateños, Sosua is Sodom and Gomorrah combined. All in good fun, but they really do believe it.

I was brought up in one of twin towns and the same thing happened. When I got a scholarship to a school in the other town it was like going to Fallujah as far as my friends were concerned. That was sixty years ago but the DR is still 100 years behind that era socially and educationally.

I never waste any opportunity to denigrate Sosua. I am a Puertoplateño now.

---

I know the apple rarely falls far the tree but do you really think the fruit of your loins would be dumb enough to use a Dominican mechanic (that in itself is a supreme oxymoron):rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weyland

How long have you lived here and you believe a Dominican? About anything?

All over the world neighboring towns and villages are rivals, ususally denigrating each other. If you talk to Puertoplateños, Sosua is Sodom and Gomorrah combined. All in good fun, but they really do believe it.

I was brought up in one of twin towns and the same thing happened. When I got a scholarship to a school in the other town it was like going to Fallujah as far as my friends were concerned. That was sixty years ago but the DR is still 100 years behind that era socially and educationally.

I never waste any opportunity to denigrate Sosua. I am a Puertoplateño now.

---

WW is right. You assume a lot. Just because you would be foolish enough to use a Dominican mechanic does not mean I am. :smile:

And if I recall correctly the first time that scam was tried you were with me and you fell for it immediately. You were the one urging me to believe the Dominican that was telling us that my car was broken. I was the one ignoring him. How long have you lived here and you believed that Dominican scammer? It is the difference between book smarts and street smarts. With your above mentioned scholarship you gained a lot of book smarts. Street smarts; obviously not so much.:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seville

And if I recall correctly the first time that scam was tried you were with me and you fell for it immediately. With your above mentioned scholarship you gained a lot of book smarts. Street smarts; obviously not so much.

---

All true. And what was worse, like Snoozer, I had been told about similar scams years before but it didn't immediately come to mind. It was only when the guy was so persistent it dawned on me.

But it was partially your fault. I warned you about a very nasty drainage gully at the corner, but just to spite me you accelerated into it like a rally driver (or like Thunderstar). There was a horrible crunching noise so when the guy stopped us few yards further on it was all too believable that you had done some damage.

You are right about street-smarts. I have very little and it has cost me dearly all my life, most of all here in the DR. On the other hand, when I look at some guys who have street-smarts and little education I would not want to be like them.

You have a nice balance of both, as some guys do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WickedWillie

These wankers been doing this shit for years.

They specifically target susceptible individuals like an older gringo driving alone or a gringo couple, as per when you had your incident.

The ONLY way to prevent this is to have darkened tinted windows ALL ROUND and keep the windows up. (for some this may mean getting the A/C fixed..right Seville:rofl:)

Then the baddies cannot see clearly who is in the vehicle so will never take a chance that it may be some heat packing narco with his crew.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weyland

The deciding factor is not the town, but whether you have soft target written over you. I can confidently say it has never happened to any publico I have been riding in!

---

I'd swear you guys are trying to tell Seville something here....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weyland

All true. And what was worse, like Snoozer, I had been told about similar scams years before but it didn't immediately come to mind. It was only when the guy was so persistent it dawned on me.

But it was partially your fault. I warned you about a very nasty drainage gully at the corner, but just to spite me you accelerated into it like rally driver (or like Thunderstar). There was a horrible crunching noise so when the guy stopped us few yards further on it was all too believable that you had done some damage.

You are right about street-smarts. I have very little and it has cost me dearly all my life, most of all here in the DR. On the other hand, when I look at some guys who have street-smarts and little education I would not want to be like them.

You have a nice balance of both, as some guys do.

---

Could this be considered praise coming from my father? You know that is what every son really wants; his father's approval. Now that I have it I feel that I can move forward and I will be a much better adjusted person. Thanks Pops!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seville

Could this be considered praise coming from my father? You know that is what every son really wants; his father's approval. Now that I have it I feel that I can move forward and I will be a much better adjusted person. Thanks Pops!

---

Erm grandad - you missed me off the last paragraph!

Anyway - saville and I are off to drive around Mombasa - dodging the hand grenades obviously!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seville

Everyone should be very aware when driving in Puerto Plata. On two previous occasions Dominicans attempted to scam me while driving. They throw something at your car or under it so you hear some kind of bang or other noise. Then they pull up to you telling you they saw something fall off your car or whatever. Of course they know a mechanic that can fix the issue and are only too happy to help you. The first time this happened the guy even looked under my car and came out holding a part that "fell off". The part was not from my car. In both instances I just told them to go away.

That brings us to Tuesday. I went to Puerto Plata early in the AM. I was going to the Ministry of Health to see about getting a couple of shots prior to my Africa trip. Almost as soon as I turned on the the malecon I noticed a SUV following me. To be certain I slowed and sped up several different times and it stayed right with me. When I turned at the fire station the SUV turned with me. So I made another left and it followed. Then I made two more lefts which brought me back out on the malecon. I no longer saw the SUV. I drove down the malecon a few blocks and then turned around to come back.

I turned at the fire station and went up the street and made a right turn. I parked on the street. I did not see the SUV. Went into the building but it didn't take more than 15 minutes to figure out that getting the shots there was going to be too much hassle. I did notice a Dominican guy standing next to me when the woman was trying to explain all the BS I had to go through to get the shots. That BS included going to another place a few street over and getting a blood analysis prior to getting the shot.

I returned to my car and the friendly Dominican drove up next to me just as I was going to start the car. He was motioning for me to follow him; as in he would show me where I needed to go for the analysis. But I was just returning to Sosua and I ignored him. Then when I turned the key to start the car nothing happened. I had power but nothing happened.

---

Happened to me! I was driving on the four-lane road in front of Playa Dorado complex when I heard a bang on my right side. Didn't notice any problems. Silver Honda SUV pulled up next to me and pointed to my tire. I stopped, wisely on the busy street. All tires okay. Guy got out and pulled out a part. This scam is for real and should be avoided by pulling over, checking your tire and then driving off with a unfriendly finger pointing the way to the scammer. If you rent a car always call only the representative of the car agency. If you own a car, call only your mechanic. Do NOT accept any unsolicited warnings and/or advice from any Dominican! Drive on to a safe spot or at least a public place, check your car and call your representative if needed. Never ever trust unsolicited Dominican advice. Now as I say this, I must admit that one time in Santiago I had a driver point out to me that my car was overheating and, in fact, it was. But that guy simply told me that and then drove on. He was right, but neither he nor a follow-up car did anything else so I simply pulled into the Gran Almirante Hotel in Santiago and they provided all the assistance I need . . . fresh water. Still, my advice remains . . . Trust NO unsolicited advice from any Dominican!!! My other advice, believe in your heart of hearts that EVERYTHING is a scam. Final advice, make your own decisions without pressure from anyone.

According to local residents that I spoke with this past weekend, the new spot is just B 4 you get to Fun City (after Star Hills) heading west into Puerto Plata. Several guys are located in the cane fields and will trow an object under your car. Seconds later a SUV will try to get you to pull into Fun City and tell you that a ball of fire was seen coming out from under the back of your car.:wink: If you are targeted in this area, you have been warned, continue at a safe speed toward your destination. As for the SUV that tries to get you to stop, one sign will do:fu:.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by steviewonder

According to local residents that I spoke with this past weekend, the new spot is just B 4 you get to Fun City (after Star Hills) heading west into Puerto Plata. Several guys are located in the cane fields and will trow an object under your car. Seconds later a SUV will try to get you to pull into Fun City and tell you that a ball of fire was seen coming out from under the back of your car.:wink: If you are targeted in this area, you have been warned, continue at a safe speed toward your destination. As for the SUV that tries to get you to stop, one sign will do:fu:.

---

That is exactly where it happened to me. Never thought of someone hiding in the cane fields but makes sense because I was pretty sure I did not see anything on the road when I heard the bang. The silver Honda CRV directed me into the Fun City parking lot.

Has never happened to me when in a publico.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weyland

Has never happened to me when in a publico.

---

But you have no airco and your clothes might wrinkle from the 5 tonnes of Dominican Grandma that is seated on your lap.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by continentalmike

... your clothes might wrinkle from the 5 tonnes of Dominican Grandma that is seated on your lap.

---

Hey! Julie is not that fat!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by continentalmike

But you have no airco.

---

Those I have graciously permitted to drive me about in the DR can testify that I always implore them to turn off the aircon and open all the windows instead.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weyland

Hey! Julie is not that fat!


Those I have graciously permitted to drive me about in the DR can testify that I always implore them to turn off the aircon and open all the windows instead.

---

OK, I understand that you prefer a simple life, which can be a good thing.

Btw did I miss the part where the little retard bred?

I hope not - the future president of Haiti - or little retard as you call him - can only be 7 years old.
I know they start young but 7 is a bit too young!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thunderstar

the future president of Haiti - or little retard as you call him - can only be 7 years old.

---

Just turned 5 and playing happily with Buzz Lightyear's right arm as I write. Not sure where the rest of Buzz Lightyear has got to.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by continentalmike

OK, I understand that you prefer a simple life, which can be a good thing.

Btw did I miss the part where the little retard bred?

---

Who would that be?

When I pointed out the dangers of being crushed by a 5 tonne Dominican Grandma in a publico, Weyland retorted that Julie wasn't fat yet. So making the bridge from Grandma to Julie, I asked when her son had made a baby...

As always, we have gone rather far afield :) :)