Actually for almost 11 years I had lived in the North Coast of the DR. It was my decision based on several matters non of it to do with the DR to leave. The last 3 yrs I have had 6 to 8 nice return trips, finally selling my house and now deciding its a good time to explore other destinations.
Al NYc post...I'll try to answer
As far as # 2, #3, and #4 on my DR tips for staying safe in my previous post, this is what happened.
#2. Never drive a car at night between Sosua and Po Plata... Because you may hit and kill a cow on the road, or a motoconcho with no lights working. I've done both.
A. About 13 yrs ago I traveled a lot between Sosua- P. Plata to visit my GF at night. Heading to P.Plata just b 4 the Miltary Base a farmer had several cows in those fields. One was on the main highway which not only I couldn't see, but the car from the other direction also said he couldn't see being hit. Totaled my car, didnt have to pay off the farmer because the law states at night it is the owner of the animals fault, end of story, end of car, seat belts and bags worked great!
B. Accident and death of the motoconcho. The most tragic time while living in the DR or anywhere for that matter. Just after leaving P. Plata at night, I hit a moto concho that was not riding in the moto lane, but center of the car lane with no rear lights where you past Playa Dorado heading up Star Hill climb. All I will say is that I took him to hospital ASAP, he died the following day in Bournagal, and between my contacts, police, an agreement of payment was made to the family. This is the worst experience in my life that a man lost his life which I was directly involved with, and that his family will never see or speak to him again. I can't write anymore about this with the pain I always have with me, however I know not as much pain as his family feels each day though.
#3. Never get caught taking a non P2P women who you don't know is married to a Dominicano to a cabana..... I've done that and somehow survived.
Pretty simple, picked up a local who was waiting for a publico, offered her a ride to P. Plata where she was attending university classes. We spoke about many things and when I offered to give her a ride back to house she agreed. We met after her classes and and had a few Presidentes first at a bar before heading back. As we were leaving and agreed to go to a cabana just outside of P. Plata a male approaches the both of us with this crazy look on his face. He ( I find out its her primo) doesn't speak english, but what I could understand someone in the bar contacted him knowing she was family. She then tells me all, and I tell the guy I know nothing about her having a husband, he grabs her and off they go, I live for another day.
#4. Never tell a Dominican who owes you money, if he doesn't pay now than you are taking him to court..... I've done that and ended up with a hugh medical bill.
Crazy as it sounds for a gringo, I lent an amount to a Dominican to pay off his property that was paying a crazy interest rate and was going to lose his house for non payment. I knew him for 5 years as a hard worker who had many gringo customers,his own business, and was a goid family man. So I had my lawyers draw up the repayment plans at a much lower but acceptable rate. First 5 months, all payments made. Christmas comes and no direct payment in Jan. I'm off island until March or April and still no payment in the following months. I contact him several times from oversees and the story keeps changing. Fast forward my return and meeting him at another customers house and confront him. He goes absolutely crazy like looking for an object to hit me as he kept saying I was embarrassing him in front of his customer who I knew very well. I leave after telling him I'm going to my lawyer to start sueing him. I should not have told him what I was doing, he contacts someone and just as I am getting out of the car, bam across the back of shoulder and head I am hit with a solid 2 by 4 or something like that ( no witnesses ) . I am taken to CMC in Cabarete and with a cuccussion, fracture shoulder I am in the hospital for 4 day. As I just returned to the DR my insurance payment was never tranfered online as I made it oversees at the end of Dec, health insurance was cancelled, time for CC and Banca Santa Cruz.
Several weeks later my laywer is talking with the police, no witnesses, nothing canbe done. After several more months I finially start getting partial payment as my lawyer is involved in dealing with this guy 100 %. In the end I know I will lose a large portion of the orginal potential value of the loan when you way out the lawyer, and medical bill, but $$ I can replace in time.
Even with just these stated 5 rules, my time was spent very safe concidering the many locals I knew, as well as I never dressed like a tourist or drank much before driving. I did stat taking it for granted that between those two place on the road, there was no light poles, others driving with high beams, pot hole hell, and lets not remind some gringo who always gets car jacked.
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