TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Frequent gendarme patrols in grand case

We just had a two hour dinner in grand case and 4 trucks full of tough guys came by during the dinner.........also the local municipal police came buy in a car.......it has been nice and peaceful here the past 10 days and I'm sure these guys have a big part. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Well, we just had eaten the last few days at more than one the many fine establishments in grand case. The authorities should seriously do something about the ignorant moped/bikers, that have no consideration for dinners who dearly pay to enjoy their meals. I'm sorry and I know it's a public street but who the hell wants to hear bikers roaring down the Main Street while trying to enjoy a hundred multiple cost meal! Maybe the gendarmes should pay more attention to the jerks tearing down the streets while the paying customers try to celebrate their time in paradise! Does anybody else agree?

What is 4 trucks of tough guys?

I don't think it matters whether your paying for a drink or a "multiple hundred" meal. What are the restaurant owners doing to work with the local police to stop it? Was it one or two kids on loud bikes doing wheelies or a gang of bikers?

Actually, I thought that they had cracked down on that, although for as long as I've been going to Grand Case, those guys have been doing that. We haven't eaten a LOT in Grand Case the past few trips, but I really don't remember the frequent loud motorcyclists recently, like in the past.

They cracked down for a brief while a couple years ago but the mopeds are back. The restaurant association that was formed seems to be non-existent any longer, sadly. When we were there recently, we were taunted by young kids on mopeds. We have family in Grand Case but probably won't go back after dark any more.

Wow, ok, sorry to hear that.

Another vote for the village

Tough guys as in soldiers with a military bearing......they just drive nicely around..........we've seen them everywhere.......not too much.........but I am certain they know all the streets and neighborhoods well as I'm told they are on temp duty from Europe. Saw them at oyster pond as well.

As for scooters they have been there forever. I'd say they were fewer and calmer and just seemed to be making a ride down "Main Street grand case'........after all grand case is their Main Street, city center. It is also their residential neighborhood.

I'd rather have a few scooters at night (being good scooters as opposed to purse grabbers) in grand case than having my doctor friend neighbor fire up his very loud Harley at 6:00am to go to work in the summer. Wakes me up every time. I'm gonna call the gendarmes on him. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Anyway, we've spent 5 nights in grand case and the safest we've felt in all visits........we always have our eyes open tho.

That's a relief - I thought you meant "tough guys" as in "looking-for-trouble BAD tough guys"!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

The Military is here doing training, so I imagine that's what you encountered. The Gendarme are routinely patrolling Grand Case, so it is much safer. They are also cracking down on the motorbikes, scooters, motorcycles etc, but you can't get them all. Those young guys know when and where the Police /Gendarme are and avoid them. Frankly, I'd like to see the people in Grand Case get more upset over the noise from these vehicles rather than worry about longe chairs on the beach.

We spent 10 days on the island in March and ate in Grand Case probably 5 nights. I'd say the bikers where the most controlled I'd had seen them in years.

We even commented to a few restaurants that they seemed to have cracked down on them a lot.