New person here! Need some advice!

[gerryg123]

Clives is the best prices, overall. Plus, a little-known secret: He will bargain for a lower price if you push him.

[Chet & Coleen]

I love to drive and have done so over 40 some trips. That said the bigger the vehicle the more responsibility to the captain. Everything from getting them to the bus and on the bus and passenger safety on the road.

I have rented the 15 passenger Toyota Hiace a couple of times and found it a comfortable drive with manual transmission, very roomy. Remember to allow just not for butts in seats but the accompanying luggage. I did 9 passengers and luggage 1 time and it was tight. Rope to tie luggage on roof works for me. In Feb we did an 8 passenger which was comfortable for Negril and road trips w/o luggage, going in we had 2 travel days so luggage and people worked out, but we still rented another driver/vehicle coming out to accombadate all of the luggage.

I have used U-Cals in MoBay exclusively for quite a few years now. Quit shopping price a few years back, but before I did he was competitive. To me safety and quality trump a good price when it comes to rental in Jamaica. U-Cals selection of different size and quality of vehicles is excellent.

I'll post you a little driving guide I wrote a few years back when I get home tonight.

Enjoy but please do remember you are the captain of the ship.

[silverarm36]

Id love to read that driving guide. Ive driven a scooter around negril, but nothing like mobay to negril like im planning. Ive driven in thailand and mexico though, so im no stranger to driving in forgien countries. Just curious though, some one mentioned papers of somemkind, do i need something besides my american drivers license and insurance? People keep recomending drivers but if we are going to lunches, dinners, into town, to the beach (staying on the cliffs), humming bird sanctuary, the falls, shopping (4 girls on our group) wont a driver end up being more expensive than renting a van? If not, im open to having a driver.

[irieworld]

with a big group like that if you are really going to be moving around that much a van makes sense. I tend to sort of stay put, walk to stores and restaurants and take route taxis if I need to get somewhere--which is a totally different kind of trip than you are talking about.

[Chet & Coleen]

somewhat dated - but not to bad

U-Cals (Wayne Lewis or Mr Brown/owner) (p) 876-952-6798 (c) 876-386-8511
Up on the hill above the airport - will p/u at airport - nice a/c office to
do paperwork in - drop off at office on way back out and they'll run you to
airport

Nice fleet - the best cars I've rented in Ja - prices at
www.ucalscarrental.com

Old rambel I wrote years ago, but may help some

These are my observations and not a tutorial

You must understand the risk at all times

be safe

_________

Insurance - if you stay away from 4 Wheel Drive:
Your American Express may cover CVM (check in the states before you leave -
it changes constantly) or ask Mr Brown when you make reservation – MC & VISA have been out of the game for quite a few years, it always
cracks me up to see CVM covered except in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Israel and
Jamaica - Travelgaurd has a product that you can buy in the states which
covers not only CVM but has some medical tied to it, be sure to carry
paperwork from states with you at all times - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE COVERAGE -
road hazard coverage is a nice plus

When you pick the vehicle up:
1. Put all of your paperwork in 1 accessible place - you will get pulled over
(more later) and you will need the paperwork
2. Do a walk around inspection and note every nick and ding - don't just
look for scratches, look for pieces of missing trim etc. - get up in the
wheel wells and note undercarriage damage - kick the bumpers - I've video
taped before
3. Check every tire and spare, you will have a tyre failure in Jamaica
guaranteed (years ago I just looked at spare, later after a failure I
realized it had a blem, I wouldn't have made it 10 miles on the spare - if
you have a tyre problem get the flat fixed ASAP so that you have a spare - you will have tyre failure
in Jamaica)
4. Make sure you have tyre tools - some tyre repair joints don't have tools
they use yours
5. check the tool kit, pliers, screwdriver etc will come in very handy
(carry 2 nice Gerber Mechanical Multitools - not campers -I have taken a car
apart in Jamaica and St Lucia with a multi tool - usually to an admiring
crowd of spectators that didn't realize tourist could do such things)
6. Spend a couple minutes learning stereo - light and windshield operation
before you start driving, your going to busy enough w/o looking down to
operate instruments (I carry a 1/8 inch patch cable and FM modulator for my
i-pod, sure is nice if you lose IRIE FM)

Always drive with eye on verge way out in front of you, you may have never driven in a situation with as many pedestrians, dogs, goats on the roadway. This goes for 80 KPH open roads as well as in town.

There are 3 distinct types of traffic stops in Jamaica:
Ambush 1 - a road hazard out on road - with a surprising group of people right there to help you change
tyre - pay a few bucks and share a beer and make the best of it (get tyre
fixed ASAP) - stuff happens
Ambush 2 - our local radar type speed trap carried out by red stripes with radar guns
Ambush 3 - JDF forces - very serious M14's, military fatigues, jump
boots - they are looking for guns, drugs - comply completely - yes sir no
sir I understand sir (which is why you should never carry any contraband while driving)

There is no pride lost in yielding the road to an oncoming passing car, I have watched Jamaican drivers and it is somewhat undertood that a 2 lane highway is really 3.

When I was a youngster in the states before interstate highways etc oncoming traffic would flash their lights to tell you there was a patrolman ahead - in Jamaica they
still practice this art - flashing lights mean cops ahead - flashing lights
hand held out means speed trap - flashing lights finger pointed down means
JDF - heed the driver signals

Keep gassed up at all times

What looks like a 4 way stop w/o stop signs to you is a round-a-bout (downtown Negril is
large with a center Island many don't have center Island but same rules) swing left and rotate/circle through intersection until your lane turn

Cars are precious in Jamaica and locals know every pothole - do not follow a
route taxi, he is Mario Andretti one moment and slam on brakes for a fare the next - do
follow a local in a nice blue plated car, when they are slowing down it's
because there are bumps or potholes ahead

remember where turn signals are - a car coming down the road on a sunshiny
day with wipers on is a tourist getting ready to make a turn

Do pull over to the verge and let traffic pass

Do not watch the person in the left hand seat of the car ahead of you
thinking they are driving - the driver is on the right

1/2 of all tourist dents I have seen in Ja involve backing into something -
when you go into a car park (hotel - store - where ever) pick your parking
place (shaded) and back in it makes it much more manageable a couple hours later when
the sun has gone down and you have downed a couple drinks.........

Please please remember your entire driving career you have conditioned
yourself to dodge right to the ditch when you get in a tight spot -
Jamaicans have been taught to dodge left - the middle of the road is to your
right - see the problem

Have a ball - stop the car, buy a cold drink, set on a stoop/tree stump/rock
somebody is going to come up and ask you what you're doing, buy them a cold
drink, conversation will evolve.....

recommended stuff in car - cooler with bottle opener, water and soda's for
kid's and me plus those little bottles of coke and a split of rum for me -
dog treats - those little Halloween type hand out candy treats
(non-melt able) or packs of gum for kids - little crayola packs for kids

[Sweetness]

Great outline Chet - you are very knowledgable on this subject. I have heard of rare occaisons of a fourth type of "ambush" where there is a rural road and what seems to be a problem in the road but when stopped you are truly ambushed by theifs. Again these may just be "stories" but I would still caution folks until you are a seasoned JA traveler to know the runnings.

I have always wanted to rent and drive in JA but chicken out every time. I would do OK on the highway and maybe in Negril but Mobay I think I would get confused with the wrong side of the road and which lane to be in, etc. Plus I have heard of so many traffic accidents lately with fatalities. Gonna try some day though really I am.

[ackee]

DRIVING IN JAMAICA
Those of you who have braved the roads may add their own words of wisdom

1. Turn signals will give away your next move. A real
Jamaican driver never uses them.

2. Under no circumstance should you leave a safe
distance between you and the car in front of you, or
the space will be filled in by somebody else, putting
you in an even more dangerous situation.

3. The faster you drive through a red light, the
smaller the chance you have of getting hit.

4. Never, ever come to a complete stop at a stop sign.
No one expects it and it will result in you being rear ended.

5. Never get in the way of an older car that needs
extensive bodywork. The other guy doesn't have anything to lose.

6. Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible
to ensure that your ABS kicks in, giving a nice,
relaxing foot massage as the brake pedal pulsates.
For those of you without ABS, it's a chance to stretch your legs.

7. Never pass on the right when you can pass on the
left. It's a good way to scare people for a free laugh.

8. Speed limits are arbitrary figures, given only as a suggestion
And are apparently not enforceable in Kingston.

9. Just because you're in the right lane and have no
room to speed up or move over doesn't mean that a
Jamaican driver flashing his high beams behind you
doesn't think he can go faster in your spot.

10. Always slow down and rubberneck when you see an
accident or even someone changing a tire.

11. Learn to swerve abruptly. Jamaica is the home of
the high-speed ‘dally’, thanks to the KSAC, which
puts pot-holes in key locations to test drivers'
reflexes and keep them on their toes.

12. It is traditional in Jamaica to honk your horn! At cars
that don't move the instant the light turns green.

13. Remember that the goal of every Jamaican driver is
to get there first --by whatever means necessary.



14. The easiest way to get your driving license is to buy it...

15. Never slow for crossing pedestrians.. rule doesn't apply for pretty girls that are trying to cross, where you should immediately stop the car and start the sexual harassment..

16. The more distorted and blown your speakers can get, the more it impresses girls and better it sounds..

[brasi]

I have used Clives and the JUTA. Clives has been great, I choose him over JUTA by a nose bc most of the time I believe that Clives (or any personal transfer service) will get me to Negril faster and with more customizable stops for reasonably more cash. Clive's is the best price I know of...for a chartered ride.

That said, if I was in a group, I may go with JUTA for cost 40ish pp rt...the service is fine, just sometimes ya wait at Sangster for a van to fill.

Clives is $30 one way w a free RS/or 2. Usually just me in the car and on the road in no time. I tip the driver $10... and ask to stop for a few $200J Stripes in Lucea...road soda...good convo and more personal...like anything, call to confirm. Been solid 4/4 times for me. I don't nickel and dime this cost bc it's pretty cheap if you think about the time and gas involved...

[SweetSue]

CLive's is good. Last reach I had to make an unexpected change which required me to leave @ 4am to go to the airport. Usually I meet the car on the main road in Orange Bay - sometimes it is a shared ride and I don't expect them to come up into the hills to get me - but for a 4am pickup I really needed them to get me from the house. NO PROBLEM - the driver was there ON TIME, despite the late change in plan. Of course, it didn't hurt that the young man driving turned out to be my friend's nephew! LOL.

[Marblehead]

I've driven in Jamaica since 1984, circumnavigated the island twice, driven on many a goat path in the sticks, and have logged ~3,000 kilometers. I wasn't driving a bus full of people though. You better be the straightest, most sober tourist in Jamaica and one heck of a driver to take on your plans. Jamaican drivers and especially truck drivers can be incredibly reckless and agressive. Are you really ready for a bus load of nattering people while driving on the left, shifting with your left hand and dodging people, animals, potholesand other drivers? With all due resoect, Marblehead thinks your bull goose looney.