Why do you do it?

[cruzincurt]

Why do people visiting a Caribbean port jump into a small taxi or van that has no seat belts, no air bags, questionable maintenance, probably no insurance, that speeds up and down narrow roads in heavy traffic so they can return for another fare? We would not even think to get into our cars at home without putting on our seat belts and trusting in the 8 airbag system to protect us. And we often choose our personal vehicles based on their crash-worthiness ratings.

 

Probably because there isn't any other option.

 

After a harrowing ride in Trinadad once, we just don't do it anymore. If there are shops at the pier within walking distance, that's it for us.

[Cotton]

Well - because I have a certain place I want to go and it's the only way to get there - ???:D I'm often a solo cruiser, a senior, and female. Others worry about my getting into a cab by myself anyway, but I'm a spunky old broad. I DO wish they'd get seatbelts installed, but hey - it's either that way or no way. (However, I do at times simply stay in the shopping area of the port IF there are good restaurants there. Otherwise, it's a cab for me if I want to go snorkeling.):)

[nparmelee]

Every thing in life has risks, you just have to decide which risks you are willing to take. If you aren't comfortable with the situation, you need to decide if the risk is worth the reward.

[Seal]

Yes, the cabs are frightening--even with the seat belts installed in the US--they are also very frightening

 

I have found that sitting behind the driver helps alot--you can't really see what is happening--although you can feel it

 

Sometimes when we get home to LAX it can seem as scary as some of the cabs we've been in on vacation

 

If you have no other way--cabs are it

 

I have also noticed that the few times we have had female drivers--they were very aggresive

 

Nancy:D

[Aquahound]

Why do people even visit the Caribbean? Sure, it's pretty. But, everyone knows the islands are poor with questionable governments. Most of the people live in poverty. Rickety taxis are part of the island experience. If you don't want to experience other cultures, stay on the ship. Otherwise, relax and enjoy yourself. The taxis aren't that bad.

[cruzincurt]

"Rickety taxis are part of the island experience." So are drugs, muggings and murders. But hey, we have all that in the US.

 

Yep, everything you do has a risk associated with it. I hope I survive my 5 hour drive to the port in a few weeks. And there typically is no other option. Interesting how we lower our personal safety standards but would sue the heck out of everyone if we had an accident in the US. Wonder why all the cruise lines recommend not renting mopeds?

 

Next time I'm in a taxi in Cozumel I'm going to ask the driver if he went with the Gecko instead of State Farm or Progressive.

 

I was just curious if people had thought about this "experience".

[trailhiker]

Judging by some of the "ship" tours we have taken, it's no guarantee they will be perfectly safe either. On our cruise to Hawaii in May we booked a horse driven wagon tour down into the beautiful valley of Waipio on the Big Island. Just getting down to the bottom of the valley in a brand new 4-wheel drive van (the the "How to" instructions on the front seat with the driver was an experience. It was a 25% road. The horse driven wagon into the valley floor was unbelievable! Crossing rivers with the water as high as the floor of the wagon. Yipppeeee!!!! Then....there was the time when we took an expensive catamaran trip in St. Lucia. Part of it was stopping briefly at a secluded beach for a swim. Secluded baloney! There were natives there selling coconuts and when nobody wanted to buy one, one Rastiman sailed one through the air and it landed on my poor knee causing pain for months. So....either way you go, there is a risk involved.

[Kudos2Fly]

Living is a risk... The amount of the risk you wish to take is different for everyone.. If you want to travel like you do in the US.. then you probably need to stay in the US.

 

I personally love doing stuff like that, getting off on our own when we can..

[lovemylab]

Every taxi I took in the Caribbean had seatbelts. I actually found driving with a taxi in the Caribbean no different than those in the US or Canada.

The only taxi I had that was driving at a high speed and weaving in and out of traffic was in San Juan - but this was how everyone was driving and he obviously knew the roads well so I wasn't concerned. Ironically, my taxi driver in Miami drove the same way :D

 

Like Cotton said, I have a place I want to go and a taxi is usually the only way to get there.

[LHP]

Well - because I have a certain place I want to go and it's the only way to get there - ???:D I'm often a solo cruiser, a senior, and female. Others worry about my getting into a cab by myself anyway, but I'm a spunky old broad. I DO wish they'd get seatbelts installed, but hey - it's either that way or no way. (However, I do at times simply stay in the shopping area of the port IF there are good restaurants there. Otherwise, it's a cab for me if I want to go snorkeling.):)

 

 

I am right there with ya!!! (the spunky old broad title)

 

After one ride from Channelside back to the hotel a couple of weekends ago in good ole' USA...I will take a Cozumel taxi ride any day. Seatbelts were the least of our worries!!

[newmexicoNita]

First and formost I do care about my safety and that of my friends and families, but we have driven with some pretty scary US taxi drivers. Most of the taxies we have taken in the CAribbean are clean, have seat belts and are in pretty good condition. Aquahound probably has the best answer: part of the culture although, I don't this they are that bad. We had a driver in Roatan a few years ago, took us all over, was wonderful, very well informed and had a brand new van with air, seat belts, etc. Never did we feel unsafe. I can say that for many of the drivers we have had.

 

Like Aquahound said, if you don't want to take a taxi and experience the island stay on the ship: a better answer, stay at home. Crusincurt, I am not quite sure what your point is. What would you recommend?

 

Nita

[Happy ks]

Why do people visiting a Caribbean port jump into a small taxi or van that has no seat belts, no air bags, questionable maintenance, probably no insurance, that speeds up and down narrow roads in heavy traffic so they can return for another fare? We would not even think to get into our cars at home without putting on our seat belts and trusting in the 8 airbag system to protect us. And we often choose our personal vehicles based on their crash-worthiness ratings.

 

Probably because there isn't any other option.

 

After a harrowing ride in Trinadad once, we just don't do it anymore. If there are shops at the pier within walking distance, that's it for us.

 

This sounds just like some rides I've taken in cabs in Vancouver, BC, Los Angeles, CA, Boston, MA and Seattle, WA.

[Sheffie]

I am surprised that those of us who are Baby Boomers made it through childhood! No seatbelts. No carseats. We slept on our stomachs as babies! We had bumperpads in our cribs. No bicycle helmets!

 

Yes, things did happen to some, I am sorry to say, but we cannot be protected from everything.

 

As others have posted, if we want to experience the islands, we go ahead and go w/o seatbelts and airbags.

 

The scariest part of my vacation is getting to the airport past all of those crazy drivers who might have road rage!

[newmexicoNita]

I am surprised that those of us who are Baby Boomers made it through childhood! No seatbelts. No carseats. We slept on our stomachs as babies! We had bumperpads in our cribs. No bicycle helmets!

 

Yes, things did happen to some, I am sorry to say, but we cannot be protected from everything.

 

As others have posted, if we want to experience the islands, we go ahead and go w/o seatbelts and airbags.

 

The scariest part of my vacation is getting to the airport past all of those crazy drivers who might have road rage!

Those of us who are even past the baby boomer stage lived even a more damaging life. We loved eating the batter when mom made the cakes (oh my goodness, raw eggs) mom stuffed the turkey the night before and when we finish Thanksgiving dinner we put turkey and dressing back in the oven for a day or so cause there was no room in the fridge. Then those horrible built in cutting boards or as my dad called them, bread boards were used to cut veggies and then chicken or was it visa versa. I don't remember mom ever washing them is really hot water and bleach. She washed them with the dish cloth and soapy water, but not with bleach. Oh course we didn't have dish washers til the late 50s or later so our dishes were not very steralized. One of my friends and I talk about this all the time: her 40 something daughter thinks we lived in total filth.

 

Nita

[Sheffie]

Oh, oh, oh, my mother-in-law kept the opened Miracle Whip in the cupboard! Can you imagine? That was the one that I really objected to.

[caribbean dreams]

After a harrowing ride in Trinadad once, we just don't do it anymore. If there are shops at the pier within walking distance, that's it for us.

 

Thats very sad:confused: you are loosing out on alot of beautiful things and really experiencing life on the Islands by just wondering around the pier.

[cruzincurt]

Hey, easy, I just asked for thoughts and opinions. After 18 cruises, we've seen and experienced what we want in the Caribbean ports. We now cruise for the ship experience. We'll be the ones around the pool on the port days enjoying the peace and quiet of the ship all to ourselves.

 

I understand one of the school districts just outlawed "tag" because someone might get hurt. Dodge ball has been long gone. And don't run with those blunt scissors.

 

I was just curious since there seems to be this trend in the US to protect everyone from everything. By the way, don't use that electric drill for dental work either, so says the warning label.

[ksheehan16]

I think that most people realize that not having all the current safety features is not the best situation but that the increase in risk is small. The benefit of a new experience outweighs the small risk increase.

[cruisinbulldog]

When its your time to go, I like to be in paradise..

[98Charlie]

Most if not all of the taxis and vans that we have taken have been newer models with seat belts.

 

Even when riding with someone in the US (taxi or not), it often seems to me that the driver is going pretty fast. He knows the roads, I don't.

 

The taxi is his livelyhood. Wreck it and he's out of business. Fail to maintain it mechanically, same story.

 

As far as insurance, if they are a licensed taxi then they will have whatever minimum insurance is required by their government.

 

Having said all of that, is it as safe and secure as here in the US? Probably not. But, that isn't going to prevent me from enjoying the port if that is the way I decide to go.

 

Charlie

[RoofingPrincess]

By the way, don't use that electric drill for dental work either, so says the warning label.

OMG, you're kidding!! :eek: :D :eek:

[cruzincurt]

"When its your time to go, I like to be in paradise.."

 

I'm not so sure that downtown Nassau is exactly "paradise".

[98Charlie]

OMG, you're kidding!! :eek: :D :eek:

Diverting from the actual topic here but some other warnings (found atMichigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch web site)

 

1. A brass fishing lure with a three-pronged hook on the end warns: “Harmful if swallowed "
   
2. A flushable toilet brush warns: "Do not use for personal hygiene."
   
3. A household iron warns users: “Never iron clothes while they are being worn”
   
4. A massage chair warns: “DO NOT use massage chair without clothing... and, Never force any body part into the backrest area while the rollers are moving.”
   
5. A snowblower warns: “Do not use snowthrower on roof.”
   

 

And now back to the topic

 

Charlie

[Cruzn Chuck & Susan]

OMG, you're kidding!! :eek: :D :eek:

The beauty of cruising,is that there is something for everyone. We each have our own idea of what we consider relaxation, fun, paradise, travel, etc, etc. Thats's why we love cruising..it's what you make of it and that can vary from cruise to cruise. One of my DH and my favorites was a transatlantic on the QM2...no ports of call, just 6 days on a magnificent ship! Now..that's paradise!!!