Renting a car ?

[wrtiii]

Also be sure to confirm whether your CC insurance has exclusions; for example, Jamaica.

[gdbear65]

$265 / week is a good price but will not include liability insurance which is not covered by your credit card. Do not rent a car without getting liability insurance - as mentioned the driving can be hazardous, especially when you drive the secondary routes. A1 and A2 are pretty good but the roads into the interior can be very challenging - watch for potholes and puddles with sticks in them. You will also encounter animals on the interior roads and lots of blind corners through the mountains. Do not be afraid to use your horn - it is a form of communication - we avoided hitting a dog around a blind corner because i was honking as I rounded it, in time to see the dog lazily move off the road - had I not been honking we would have hit. Don't be afraid to ask the locals for directions - outside the urban areas there are relatively few roads so the locals know them quite well. A good tip for driving on the left side - keep the passenger side to the curb. I hope this helps

[RyanP]

My understanding was that liability insurance was included in the price of the rental. That’s not correct?

[gdbear65]

My understanding was that liability insurance was included in the price of the rental. That’s not correct?

double-checked it: it's changed since I rented with Island and is now included

[rtitle]

Just FYI, I spent my last few weeks in Jamaica without a car. I found that I loved *not* having a car. I learned to use the route taxi system. That plus bicycle proved to be a great (and inexpensive) way to get around. I felt more like a Jamaican, and more in touch with my surroundings, once I started getting around like Jamaicans do.

[Weeboy1]

Renting and driving is a personal choice. I personally don’t want the added responsibility and stress of operating a vehicle in a foreign country when all I want to do is kick back and relax.
Navigating in a foreign place is difficult enough if things are going well. Don’t want to imagine the no end of grief should something occur. Whether it’s your fault or not it can really ruin your day /vacation.
Just not worth it imho. For a couple bucks for a cab... Grab a cold one, grab a lift and be worry free.

[RyanP]

I’m familiar with the route taxi service. The problem is flagging one down that is actually on their route. Many times route cabs are off their route trying to charge charter prices. It has caused a problem for me in the last. Also, we’ve had difficulty getting a route cab back to the beach from the cliffs at night. They just aren’t around as much as the day. The route taxi system is great, in theory. Due to the drivers treating tourists differently, and the lack of taxis at night, it can actually be stressful trying to get around. Wish it wasn’t that way.

[Bnewb]

IÂ’m familiar with the route taxi service. The problem is flagging one down that is actually on their route. Many times route cabs are off their route trying to charge charter prices. It has caused a problem for me in the last. Also, weÂ’ve had difficulty getting a route cab back to the beach from the cliffs at night. They just arenÂ’t around as much as the day. The route taxi system is great, in theory. Due to the drivers treating tourists differently, and the lack of taxis at night, it can actually be stressful trying to get around. Wish it wasnÂ’t that way.

You can easily read on the side of the taxi whether it's on the correct route. Just don't get into a taxi that's not on the correct route, if you don't want to charter them.
Jamaicans also can & do charter taxis if needed...same as tourists they negotiate the price.

When we need to taxi around at night...we carry a couple of drivers names/ph.numbers & give them a call as needed...we don't even think about taking a route taxi at night nor do many Jamaicans.

Also...the bartenders, restaurant personnel etc. are always willing to find you a ride...just tell them what you want to pay so you're not getting that $40us driver.

[rtitle]

Think of the route taxis as akin to buses in the US or Canada. I just use them to get between towns, from bus terminal to bus terminal, When I do that they treat me like they'd treat any Jamaican. E.g. I squeeze into a seat in the Sav->Negril route taxi and pay my 200J for the 25km ride, and sit back and relax and enjoy. I avoid private taxis for exactly the reason you describe, Ryan. They want to charge me tourist prices and it turns into a hassle. For within-town rides I just use my bicycle.

[RyanP]

I realize the route is on the car, but I can’t see that until they stop. Then, I have to shoo them away, which isn’t always the easiest. It’s route taxis looking for tourists to pay charter fares. Taking the route taxis between towns makes sense, but it is a bit of a hassle in town. I don’t mind it if I am traveling by myself, but with my wife it’s just a bit of pain.