Is there a theft risk at Buddy Dive???

[pilot fish]

What type of items would you want to provide additional security for?

Have a security guard or cop posted at shore dive sites. Just have the police do their job and not just stay holed up at the police barracks watching Oprah and the Price is Right on TV.

 

[pilot fish]

gypsyjim, does this statement, taken from one of the many Bonaire travel brochures, sum up the island for you and the picture you would like visitors to have?


"It is the warmth and friendliness of the people" that keeps visitors returning year after year.
Bonaire has the reputation of being laid back, slower paced and very tranquil. It is a safe, sleepy, slow paced island."
:laughing:

 

[herman]

Anyone that tells you that you have nothing to worry about on Bonaire, in regards to theft, break-ins and petty crime in general, is simply not telling you the truth. The suggestion that if you get :hit: on Bonaire it was somehow YOUR fault, is hogwash. You need to know, Bonaire does not make public any list, record, or accounts of the crime on that island so the actual numbers are not really known. There is a high incidence of theft crime on that island, for its size and population. Also, be aware the "police", such as they are, will be useless, both in protecting you from crime and apprehending the criminals after you have been victim, IF YOU HAVE BEEN A VICTIM, which I'm sure you will not.

Having said all that, I think you will be fine at Buddys. Just do not rent a truck or car and do any shore dives. The accounts of break ins to rentals cars is staggering in volume. Most importantly, do not listen to people that claim to be experts on Bonaire, that claim to go there many times a year over many years because invaribly they are people that make money on Bonaire, own stuff on Bonaire, and they will be adversley affected if everyone knows the truth about Bonaire.
Please contact me when you return. I'm sure you will be fine, just be careful and watch your stuff.

By your own statement there are no statistics, how do you know this to be true? How about the thousands who go there each year with no problems?

Staggering in volume? How then, have I gone back year after year with zero problems. If the problem is as bad as you say,then I should have some first hand experience with the 25 or so truck rentals that I personally or those IN my group have rented.

So, instead they should believe those who have almost no actual experience on island. I wish I did own property on Bonaire, fact is the island cost me thousands every year....I keep going back and can't wait to get back again.

If keeping your rental truck / car locked is "asking for a problem" then, by extension, so is the act of renting a vehicle and leaving it unattended in the first place. If you don't rent a vehicle then you have a bit less exposure to crime.There are just way too many accounts of divers getting stuck with having to pay the rental agencies the $500 deductable before they leave the island. The spare tire scam is notorious. On a small island that size, with just 12,000 people, what kind of market is there for spare tires?

Really. If it's that bad, one would think that after either personally or my group renting over 25 vehicles over the last 10 years at lest one of us would have had an issue. We have had none.

Have a security guard or cop posted at shore dive sites. Just have the police do their job and not just stay holed up at the police barracks watching Oprah and the Price is Right on TV.

How do you know they are not doing their job? I have had my NC beach house broken into 3 times and so far no one had been caught, guess my police force is watching Oprah too.


Folks, for whatever reason PF has some big problem with Bonaire and has had it ever since he joined the board. He likes to trash the police on the island and rants about the huge amount of crime on the island but fact is he has been there once, barely left the resort and had no issues- something he posted way back and please correct me if that is incorrect. Everything he post is second or third hand, old news or unsubstainted personal opinion. He has no first hand knowledge or personal experience, unlike a good many of us.
PF, sure some people have problems and no one has ever denied that but to hear you tell it, the vast majority have problems on island. That is simply not true. How about the thousands who come to the island and do not have problems? They do exist, you choose to ignore them. Your "proof" is at best skewed. You fail to take into account that happy people do not go from board to board posting how much fun they had year after year or to put it in a more comparable way, they do not go from post to post telling how much fun and what a great experience they heard someone else had.

 

[Waterman1]

Here is the challenge: What unique thing to you do our use - a security device for that mater, that you have found worked for you, or helped stop a theft of your property?

 

[Waterman1]

So lets all agree to disagree. I think we can all admit that crime happens everywhere, many times in some place more than others. It can happen here at home, or on vacation on a beautiful island. We don have to take into consideration that around the world thieves do like to target travelers or anyone for that matter that has things of value....Its really up to each one of use to "be prepared" just like we do before we dive. We check and recheck our equipment, just to make sure nothing will happen, even though we have had countless dives. We should employ that same philosophy to safeguarding our gear.

The previous poster had a great comment "sometimes just locking your vehicle is not enough."

Lets turn this thread into a positive one and start providing good tips that we and others can use to help protect their gear and property while on a dive.

 

[pilot fish]

By your own statement there are no statistics, how do you know this to be true? How about the thousands who go there each year with no problems?

Do you discount the many dozens of people that have posted having been victims of the same types of crimes year after year? Nothing changes. Do you think those people are lying? Does this represent a fair and honest picture of Bonaire for you and one you want divers to have?: "It is the warmth and friendliness of the people" that keeps visitors returning year after year.
Bonaire has the reputation of being laid back, slower paced and very tranquil. It is a safe, sleepy, slow paced island."
As I said, just because many people have smoked for 30 years and have not died of lung cancer doesn't mean smoking is safe and without risk. Would you agree?

Anyway, posters are free to make up their own minds and assign the proper weight to your " be happy, don't worry mon" post, or my realistic, cautionary post.

 

[Waterman1]

The cautionary post is something that everyone should at least consider - knowledge is power - Does anyone do anything unique to help safeguard their gear?

 

[pilot fish]

Lets turn this thread into a positive one and start providing good tips that we and others can use to help protect their gear and property while on a dive.

One thing a diver can do to remain safe is avoid places that have a police force that continually does not provide the proper protection against crimes on divers. If you keep hearing the same types of crimes against divers, YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, good chance nothing is being done to solve the problems and may even involve the so called protectors in the crime itself.

 

[pilot fish]

The cautionary post is something that everyone should at least consider - knowledge is power - Does anyone do anything unique to help safeguard their gear?

You have to ask yourself, why is the messenger being attacked? Maybe someone is a dive shop owner, or tour guide that makes money taking victims, I mean divers, to Bonaire?

 

[pilot fish]

Ad from a rental car company on Bonaire. Notice no cautionary note on crime, or advice to ALWAYS LEAVE CAR UNLOCKED AND NOTHING OF VALUE IN THE CAR? Interesting.

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY :laughing:

"Even for a small island, there is plenty to see. However it does require some form of motorized transportation. If you do choose to rent a car, it will be necessary to produce a valid driver's license, be at least 21 - 25 years of age depending on the rental agency and you may be restricted to the type of vehicle you can rent as well,) and pay a deposit or use a credit card for security.

Once you have secured a car, be sure to familiarize yourself with the traffic signs (a copy should be given to you) and the rules of the road. We drive on the right, the same as in the States and most of Europe. Be aware that if you rent a bike or motor scooter, the same rules that apply to cars also apply to you.

There is little public transportation, however, taxis are reasonable and will be happy to give tours at an hourly rate. The Sightseeing Tour Companies can also accommodate both large and small groups.

Those visitors who wish to leave as small a carbon footprint as possible when visiting Bonaire may consider renting a "green" vehicle from AB Carrental. This vehicle is powered solely by sunshine and electricity, so gasoline or diesel do not need to be purchased."