A DAY IN THE LIFE

And with 4 batteries you may be able to run the refrig and maybe a TV for a couple of hours.

Bob K

Personally I would never put a fridge on my batteries.  Keep it closed and it can go 8 to 10 hours without issue, even the ice cubes are still good......hahahaha.

If you can believe it our power went out again last night from 6 to 9pm.   Sheeeeeshhhhh.  But the batteries were fine.  I was concerned that my batteries had not gotten a full charge.

So here is a question:  from completely spent, how long does it take 2 batteries to be completely recharged????

So the way to go is to get into a 24/7 circuit A area n get a back up system. Its so incredible how much I've learned about DR just by chatting with you guys.  Its almost like taking a  geography course of the island. For free LOL.

U guys rock!!!

If backup involved rechargeable lights, candles and kerosene lamps, yes.
I generally visit Barahona for two or three weeks four times per year.

The continuing car saga.  So is supposedly set with the insurance company and just now waiting on parts. I will check on them tomorrow.  If all goes well in the shop on Monday.

So yesterday the moto guy shows up at our housekeeper's sister's house demanding $10,000RD to replace his moto.  He must be wanting a Harley or something similar as his moto was probably worth $3000 at most.  Anyway we had our lawyer contact him and explain that he was speeding, on the wrong side of the road and it he wanted he could file a report with the police (which he never did) and then file against our insurance company.  I don't think the moto was registered nor did he have a license.  He did not want to do this and it would take months to resolve.  She explained to him that at the time of the accident he wanted $3000RD and now was demanding $10,000RD.  He again said he was not hurt nor did he see a doctor.  We offered him $5000RD just to end the situation. He quickly agreed and we gave our lawyer $5000 this morning. He will pick it up at the lawyers this afternoon and sign release papers.  So we are done with him I think.

Bob K

Sounds like your first almost serious accident here Bob.
Also sounds like the "victim" has done this before.
You are aware if it did ever get to court, you would be the guilty
one. Unfortunately, pesos solve most accidents here.
Not unlike breaking the road "laws" with AMET.
The only good news here is none of your crew was hurt.
Have a great day & be careful pulling onto the highway.

You are absolutely right in court it would not matter I would be at fault and it would cost me much more than !0,000 pesos. I also knew he did not want to wait for his money so I just wanted his lottery payout to be a small as I could make it. Hence the negotiations.  I am lucky to get out for $5000RD.

Good news was no one in the car nor was the moto driver hurt in any way.  So a win/win for me.

Bob K

I am surprised that one can buy a moto for RD$5000 capable of speeding. The guy was incredibly lucky to hav fared as well as he did.

I firmly believe Bob's "victim" is
a well practiced pro at his profession.

It very well may have not been his first rodeo.

Bob K

How does one practice crashing into cars with a moto and surviving? I am not saying that this is not a possibility, but no matter how good he is at it, to does not sound like a viable career choice.

the accident was probably just an unfortunate situation but then he decided to use it to pay his rent...

Probably like most there would lol

I'm thinking that he is what one calls "un aprovechado". You would have to be an expert moto driver to know how to hit a car, sail over it,and land unharmed.

Just an opportunist!!   Bob  glad that is all it was and glad no one was injured, that is the best.  Vehicles can be fixed,  people are a bit harder!!!!

By the way there does not exist a  "good" driver who is driving  a motococho!!  They are all dangerous morons!!!!

The ones I have ridden with have been very good at dodging the more insane of their motorized brethren. It is a rare day that I do not see a close shave, though. On the Malecon there are always a couple of brave souls trying to break the record for riding on the back wheel alone, which sort of makes steering impossible. Motoconchos are the major form of public transportation in Barahona. There are no city buses, but there are a few taxis.

If anyone ever invents a motorized unicycle, they will be able to sell a lot of them in the DR.

Amen, Amen, Amen

Bob K

Now there is a mental picture  - a unicycle motoconcho with  a mom,  3 kids and  of course 7 bags of groceries on the back......   

Lol!!  And, Speeding!!

& don't forget the propane tank!
You can steer a bike on one wheel with your body
quite easily. Remember when you were a kid on your bike!

Ahhhh yes the propane tank.....silly me i forgot it.....

oww my God !
we had been talking a lot about electricity cut offs!!! then murphy came...pooom! 4 hours without energy! I am baked! no wind no breeze.

I remember TRYING to steer on one wheel, just before I went over the back and fell on my head.I remember never trying it again.

Yup that damn Mr. Murphy, time for an inverter!!!!

One wheel - not a chance....

Ok what/who is mr murphy..   I got lost in the convo there

See comment 864.....

Ok got it..

Most I have seen on one bike is 7
1 kid on the handle bars.  Dad then two kids then mom with a baby/small child in each arm.  Total  7  Scared the hell out of me.

Its aamazing to see. For me 5 plus a dominican washing machine!!!!

The usual arrangement is to take a kid along to hold the propane tank on his lap.

And that is even worse....

murphy's law not mr murphy heehheheh

Accident update.  So the moto driver shows up at the lawyers office to get his money. But not only no lic he does not have a cedula (national ID card needed by all who live here) nor any kind of id at all.

So the lawyer gave him 200 pesos of his money to return today with his mother and brother who do supposedly  have ID.

Bob K

Wow the saga continues.

Murphy's law,  Mr. Murphy and Mrs. Murphy have all visited me at one time or another...... 

If his usual modus operandi is to crash into other peoples cars and extort money from them, he would surely be better prepared to collect a payment. I suspect that he ran into you because he just was not thinking at all, and perhaps someone counseled him to hit you up for money. He does not sound too bright. Pretty much everyone has to know that you need a cedula for everything in the DR.

Do the police ever confiscate cedulas as a way of insuring that violators return to pay fines?  In Mexico, traffic cops would remove the plates from the car and take the drivers license to this end

Mexico is another story! If you are guilty you are not guilty. people just operate to make frauds and everybody is fine, nobody looks for their rights. it is all money+ paperwork +time and in the end you get nothing. actually if you are a foreigner they(police) think you own the world bank I guess!! ,they just see you like money signs and their eyes make blin bling $ $.
Oh god, hope that guy does not give you so much trouble. a citizen of the country and no registered with id, I believe that he should first do his papers to get the money that he is asking for,neither mother or someone else. oh I really hope you get out of this soon and he never shows up.

I was simply assuming that it would be more likely for a person to have a cedula previously and have lost it, or had it confiscated than it was for him never to have had one. I know that recently, people had to pick up new cedulas, and some people had to go to Santo Domingo because the local office was unable to issue them.

I know some people were unable to get a cedula because a parent had no cedula, and so they simply listed a different person as the parent, thereby changing one of their apellidos.
It would be nice if he simply went away and never returned, but that is an easy  RD $5000, and he will most liely return.

No the accident was not a set up.  It was  true accident.  For whatever reason he does not have cedula or papers.  Maybe an illegal Haitian?

Anyway it seems to be settled.

Bob K

I hope so honey!