By Barton B (BonaireTalker - Post #50) on Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 8:27 pm: |
A warning for those BTers presently on Bonaire. Today the Bonaire police had at least one zero-tolerance speed trap in operation. By zero-tolerance I mean one km/hour over the posted speed limit of 40 km/hr in towns and 60 km/hr outside of towns will earn you a speeding ticket.
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By Mare (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1824) on Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 8:42 pm: |
thanks for the warning Barton.
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By Kobi ~ on BON July 21st (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #885) on Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 11:31 pm: |
Thanks for the heads up. I will NOT pack my lead foot for this coming week's trip to Bonaire
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By Kini "no trip in sight either" (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2304) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 10:27 am: |
Wow...whipping along at 28mph...geez! I saw several traps last January, one by the airport and there was one over by the Superstore.
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By jennifer Eveleth (BonaireTalker - Post #69) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 10:44 am: |
How much is a ticket and how do you pay it? Man, we just re-adjusted to Southern California speeds where you have to be going at least 80 and weaving in and out of lanes to get any notice!
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By Barton B (BonaireTalker - Post #51) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 11:48 am: |
The ticket was Naf 50 (USD 28). I don't know what their rate structure is - and I don't intend on finding out .
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By Melissa Moloney (BonaireTalker - Post #21) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 5:00 pm: |
I wish they would pull cars over 10 at a time in Atlanta!
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By Susan - www.bsdme.info (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #444) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 5:08 pm: |
I learned an expensive lesson a few months ago. Unless a road is marked 60 (or 50 down south) it is 40. Not 41 or 44 but 40.
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By Kini "no trip in sight either" (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2309) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 5:54 pm: |
Susan, I was going to say "I had a friend who got an expensive ticket in January"...NOT lol! I agree with Susan, pull over and let the speeders whiz by!
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By Barton B (BonaireTalker - Post #52) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 6:10 pm: |
I understand that the police were also out south of town yesterday afternoon - down by Divi...
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By Patrick Matthew White (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 9:13 pm: |
I know I am mundane in this respect. I tend to drive the speed limit. I do wonder; however, why laws that are created to protect people are incongruent with the goal. It is a problem where I live as well. It makes far more sense to me, for enforcement to focus on aggressive drivers than the leader in the pack that is exceeding the speed limit by less than 5km/hr. Maybe they should ticket only the trailing cars that are obviously tailgating to intimidate the lead car to go faster.
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By Barton B (BonaireTalker - Post #53) on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 9:38 pm: |
Now that I know about the "zero tolerance" approach to speed enforcement here on Bonaire, I don't have an issue with going a max of 40 km/hr. In some respects, it is better than what happens in the USA where some police give you 5 mph, some 10 mph, etc... this naturally leads to people pushing the envelope to see what they can get away with and those trying to adhere to the speed limit being pushed by the more aggressive drivers. With "zero tolerance" you know where the boundary is - period.
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By Bill Thorpe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #186) on Saturday, July 21, 2007 - 12:11 am: |
When they ticket for just one km over the speed limit, it sounds like they don't have enough business--lol--if they did that here in Las Vegas, the whole damn town would be at a standstill--lol
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By Susan - www.bsdme.info (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #445) on Saturday, July 21, 2007 - 7:23 am: |
A few months ago a set of drempels (speed bumps like those on Kaya Industria) were installed between the Chinese store and the school. Traffic was backed up beyond belief. People were late for work. Everyone who had allowed just enough time to get where they were going were 10 minutes or more late. The drempels were removed!
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By Bill Perkins (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #148) on Saturday, July 21, 2007 - 4:45 pm: |
I've only been to Bonaire 5 times for a total of maybe 10 weeks and I don't remember ever seeing a police car. I've never seen anyone pulled over. I'll be returning in November/December for a couple of weeks and this is definitely good to know. Do they police both sides of the island? I've driven pretty fast when returning from Karpata before someone on BT mentioned the shortcut.
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By Barton B (BonaireTalker - Post #54) on Saturday, July 21, 2007 - 6:46 pm: |
Bill, I can't answer where one might expect to find the police but I suspect they might be on the road from Rincon if they are serious about the speeding issue. While my speeding ticket was being written, I spent the time talking with a policewoman. She said this particular speed limit enforcement effort was partly the result of a serious speeding related accident that happened a couple of weeks ago on the main road from Rincon.
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By Jim McPeak (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #894) on Monday, July 23, 2007 - 12:52 pm: |
Personally, I think this is great. The way some cars and motorcycles rip around those streets is insane. I hope this helps to cut down on kids getting killed on motorcycles.
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By Henk Schrijver (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #173) on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 8:05 am: |
In The Netherlands the police should be able to show a calibrate report of the tool that is used to messure the speed. If it is older then a year or doesn't excist, then you cannot trust the tool and is the fine not valid.
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By Barton B (BonaireTalker - Post #55) on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 9:34 am: |
Henk, I'm not qualified to answer your question, but I'll ask another one. When the police are pulling over ten cars at a time, how do you verify that the speed they show you was actually yours?
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By Henk Schrijver (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #174) on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 10:08 am: |
You can always challenge them. Because the speedometer in cars sometimes also incates more then you actually drive.
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By Ann Phelan - www.bonairecaribbean.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2806) on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 1:16 pm: |
I just commented to a friend how crazy fast people drive these days ..I drive fast myself, like 60 and 80 at times and have been passed about 10 times this week..the airport road is a race track.
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By Vince DePietro (Bellevue Condos # 9) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1004) on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 1:56 pm: |
Try walking along EEG Blvd around 7:00 AM as they're rushing to god knows where..
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By Pauline Word (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 2:12 pm: |
Am I the only outsider who see the irony in a police department that stops drivers going 3 clics over the posted limit but apparently does little enforcement or patrolling to stop theft at shore diving sites?
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By Vince DePietro (Bellevue Condos # 9) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1006) on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 4:30 pm: |
***but apparently does little enforcement or patrolling to stop theft at shore diving sites?***
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By bob (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2202) on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 6:48 pm: |
problem actually would appear to be insufficient resources - both for traffic control and for dive site security...
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By lisa z (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #161) on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 10:12 pm: |
Vince,Pauline just made a statment that may in fact be true. Do you think if you asked the police if they ignored the crime on Bonaire they would own up to it????
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By Vince DePietro (Bellevue Condos # 9) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1007) on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 5:58 am: |
Lisa..Of course it MAY be true but it could also be false. If you have an opinion on an issue, that's fine. But if you want to examine the VALIDITY of an opinion or belief you have to
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By lisa z (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #162) on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 7:46 pm: |
Many things on this site may be true and may be false. I just find that if anything is said that is not all that flattering, people are extremely defensive. It can be quite one sided from time to time.
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By Ted I (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - 5:49 pm: |
Maybe I missed it in this long thread, but did they use a radar gun like we typically see in the US? Just wondering if I should pack my Valentine One next time.
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By Barton B (BonaireTalker - Post #56) on Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - 6:34 pm: |
Ted,
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By Bill Perkins (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #158) on Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - 6:43 pm: |
I think I'll bring my radar detector. Of course, I never speed. Never. I always go exactly the speed limit. Not one mile faster. Not one mile slower. I only use the detector as a way of rewarding myself by detecting the presence of police with a radar gun. It always makes me feel good when the detector sounds and its light flashes and I look down and see that I'm, as always, going exactly the speed limit. My detector even sends out a false signal to the radar gun giving the police a false signal and thus rendering their reading void. Of course, that would be helpful to people who actually speed. Which I never do. So I'm bringing my detector on my next trip.
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By Ron Gould (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1012) on Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - 10:30 pm: |
Bill, It will stop you from swimming to fast as well! Because if you don't take it with you underwater you can kiss it good by... ;-)
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By Bill Perkins (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #159) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 12:13 am: |
Oh no! Are you saying the police have radar traps at the dive sites?
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By Henk Schrijver (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #181) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 3:45 am: |
Hi there,
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By Becky H - another with no trip in sight (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1282) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 3:43 pm: |
Bill, what I think they mean (and sorry if you already understood it and are being sarcastic) is that anything electronic/expensive left in your truck while diving is likely to be pilfered. Don't leave anything in your vehicle while you are diving that you will miss.
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By Bill Perkins (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #160) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 3:58 pm: |
Thanks, Becky. Of course, I'd take it in the water with me and hide it in a zip-lock bag under a rock or an out-cropping of coral. Not too deep though so as not to damage it. I'd hide it along with my Rolex watch, money clip, credit cards and jewelry. I know to never leave such things in a truck at Bonaire. And leave the windows down so that nobody will be tempted to break them in order to steal what's not in the truck.
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By Randy P (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #611) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 4:05 pm: |
On a related note, I am surprised that some enterprising souls haven't taken steps to fill the void the Pink Bus left.
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By Ron Gould (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1013) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 5:55 pm: |
Bill, you had better write yourself a note to remind yourself where you hid all that expensive stuff! We can tell that your are not to sharp! lol
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By Bill Perkins (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #161) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 7:22 pm: |
I wrote a note once before telling me where I hid my valuables and then I lost the note. Now I place a transmitter in the zip-lock bag. It sends out a signal to a small receiver I carry with me when I dive. The closer I get to the transmitter the faster the light flashes. It's pretty cool. Most people don't realize how secure a zip lock bag becomes when it's deeper than 10 feet. The water pressure seals it tightly shut. Most people also don't realize that if you peel a raw egg at a depth of 30 feet or deeper the egg will stay together in the water--until it's eaten by a fish.
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By bob (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2217) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 8:09 pm: |
yeah,
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By Bill Perkins (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #162) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 8:12 pm: |
I read about taking a tennis ball down deep where it compresses. When going back up when it expands making a very loud popping noise and causing divers to wish they had on a brown wetsuit.
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By Ed Reg (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 8:36 pm: |
just got back from a week on Bonaire and was very impressed by security patrolling Andrea I and II. we dove there several times and talked to the security person once. That is the only dive site we saw a car marked as security and wondered if other sights are being patrolled by unmarked cars. I thanked the driver and told him it was appreciated. That and we took pictures of teenagers walking around the other dive sites before we went underwater. Never have had any problems, but then, we never leave anything in the truck either
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By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5814) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 10:51 pm: |
Me too, Ed! I was at Andrea I the other day and was waiting for the rest of the group to get out of the water and down the road came a Security truck. Very nice to see, I "assumed" they were patrolling the area there for the new development of buildings there above both sites. Haven't seen them at any other sites. Glad they are doing it though.
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By john mitchell (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 11:15 pm: |
It seems to me that it would pay big time for security to be provided at most dive sites. Bonaire Tourism could advertise this and get big tourism mileage I would think.
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By Bill Thorpe[ 2 trips in sight-Oct-March (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #211) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 11:28 pm: |
After spending a lot of time in Mexico, I find Bonaire a fresh breath of air.
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By Randy P (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #612) on Thursday, August 9, 2007 - 11:53 pm: |
Well, "might" isn't a factor, there IS a problem on Bonaire as well, albeit to a smaller extent than many other places, including my hometown and neighborhood. IMHO providing some form of "security" merely shows the desire to take the necessary steps to control the small minority of miscreants who would try to ruin a tourist's good time.
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By Ann Phelan - www.bonairecaribbean.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2827) on Friday, August 10, 2007 - 12:19 am: |
Has anyone noticed how fast folks are driving?? I get passed as I am mere feet from a stop sigh..WHAT THE HECK..
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By John "Smack" Anderson (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1410) on Friday, August 10, 2007 - 9:48 am: |
Thanks Ann for putting this thread back on track(I believe it was about "speeding"?) I'm definitely guilty of that on occasion so I'll be more consciencious in the future. Dive safe, drive safe.
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By Carolyn Melo (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - 10:48 pm: |
We just returned this past weekend just ahead of Dean, and noticed that there was a great deal of aggressive driving once outside of Kralendijk proper.
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By Vince DePietro (Bellevue Condos ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1035) on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - 6:08 am: |
Carolyn..Honestly, come to New Jersey..We've got lots of "miscreants" on our roads who tailgate (& do a lot more dangerous things).
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By Donna Gassert (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Saturday, September 1, 2007 - 10:25 pm: |
I too drive the limits - what's the hurry anyway - and am passed frequently. What concerns me most is when I'm slowing down for a left hand turn. As an added measure of safety - and to save myself and drivers door - in addition to my turn signal, I also put my arm out the window... an ounce of precaution...
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