TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Tourist almost robbed

These people are getting bold. Checkout the video. Might have to scroll down to see it.
LINK

How current is that video?

It was posted on the police site 53 minutes prior to when I posted link. All the comments are really current.

Very current. I was told last trip not to wear a chain!

Yes even in cupecoy. A hole rice scooter a holes attacking

It has been like that for several years.

So very sad. Best thing they could do would be to ban the scooters completely from the island. I know some innocents would be hurt by such an action but doing so Would solve a lot if problems including scooter deaths that seem to happen on a very regular basis, not to mention the scares unsuspecting motorists often have to deal with.

You will never see scooters banned . Be aware and protect yourself the best you can .

I don't think that scooters rob people, robbers do. If scooters were banned (won't happen) then those robber would choose other methods.

There might be some very nefarious scooters out there.

Yet, it does seem that scooters are involved in a very large percentage of crimes on SXM. Just sayin'.

Same can be said with guns.

Do you really want to go there?

Aww thats too bad that this happens,,,,anywhere for that matter. Another reason to always be alert and do not travel around alone.

I don't think that scooters rob people, robbers do. If scooters were banned (won't happen) then those robber would choose other methods.
I agree 100% with that statement Zanshin!

It does give them a fast easy getaway.

and don’t forget to ban cars, they’re always causing drunk driving accidents

cruzer--no, we DON'T want to go there. This thread is getting ready to be locked, if it continues in this fashion.

Sorry, Carol,

I guess we’re all entitled to our own opinions. The following are mine and I’m sticking to them!

As far as I know, cars just don’t have the same off road getaway options as scooters. Car drivers are less inclined to pass on the wrong side or weave in and out of traffic, sometimes startling the unsuspecting driver into near accidents or worse. Car drivers don’t usually get their jollies popping wheelies annd showing off. And car drivers are generally a little less foolish than the moped daredevils showing off when they do. Or perhaps l just missed it?

They will NEVER abolish the use of scooters and for the benefit of those who rely on them for relatively inexpensive transportation, I get it. But if they were to do so, I’m thinking the vehicular fatalities across the island would drop considerably.

Well said.

Pat--I agree with your assessment of scooters and scooter drivers. What will get this thread locked, if it does, is people continuing with the gun analogies. Absolutely no reason to go there.

I watched the video with interest and would like to pass along a piece of advice given to me by my husband years ago. He came from another part of the Caribbean where ( not so jokingly) the national pastime is referred to as "choke and rob", with tourists and locals alike being relieved of valuables regularly. In the many places we visited, he always reminded me to carry my purse/bag/whatever on the side of my body that was away from the road. i.e. if the road and passing traffic was on my left, my purse was on my right side. I notice that the man in the video has his bag on the arm closest to the road, making it easier for a passing cyclist to grab.

good advice Southshore except if someone really wants the bag they'll get it. While in Italy I had my bag across my chest away from the street and a scooter came up on the sidewalk grabbed the bag and me along with it. He dragged me several feet before I could get the darn bag strap over my head so it could be taken off my body. Sometimes they just slice the strap with a knife to get it.

Good advice when applicable depending on surroundings.

IMHO, I think these two had words before the scooter guy came back for retaliation. Notice the father is turning around as they are walking, the scooter pulls up. Not a snatch and go! Yes, it's way out of hand with these renegades on scooters. Yes, there times and places you have to keep the "periscope" up!!

The thing with the scooters is that they can get away faster...they can weave in and out of traffic or even go off roading and evade police. So, while the scooter isn't doing the robbing, it is certainly making it easier for the person doing the robbing to get away.That said, if they did ban scooters, I think traffic could be EVEN WORSE than it currently is.

I didn't see it that way but I wasn't there.