The two times we were in Bonaire last year, there seemed to be a lack of police enforcement on LOUD motorcycles driving very fast. I think it is a testosterone thing. Has anything been done to curb this problem? Or should I bring ear plugs?

Bill: "lack of police enforcement" you say? I'd be surprised if there is anything to enforce, law-wise. Bring your earplugs if you need to... If police don't uniformly consider "breaking and entering" something to enforce, don't look for motorcycle noise on their daily log. [Heard first hand story of home break-in not considered "break-in" because the window wasn't locked. No kidding.]

Niki...the more things change, the more they remain the same....it's sad, isn't it? You're on your own for a lot of things on the island, lately. I wonder how the hotel folks made out at their meeting with the officials concerning the break-ins at the resorts and in the villas and apartments, etc? It does seem to be getting worse.....but, Joe and I will definitely be back next year!

I have to listen to 18 wheelers 24/7, Bill, so a few motorcycles seems to be an improvement. I do recall our first trip to Bonaire during Regatta week (September) and there were Harley's and Japanese cycles all up and down the main drag and Kaya Industria as well as all over the Divi property (right inside on the sidewalks at the timeshare side) and it was just horrible...I have since learned that this is not a "regular" happening and we no longer return at that time of the year. I did not find the noise levels bad at all this year (June 2004) while on Bonaire.

Hopefully things have quieted down, Bill. Go on back and enjoy yourself! Ayo. Carole

Niki,

I am not a lawyer but... can it be a 'break-in' if no door or window is broken? 'The Law' tends to be quite precise (as we want it to be if we are on the 'other' side). The entering and burglary would still hold and be just as serious and frightening even if there was no 'breaking'. Now if the whole event was dismissed because the entry window was unlocked...

Write and tell me about 'The 25th'. :–)

one year we stayed right on Kaya Grande (main street) near center of town.. orphan flamingo care across street, squaaaaak! dogs barking allll night bark bark bark,,,motorcycles racing up and down the main drag..vroom vroom...people next door owned parrots..more squaaaakkk! man, we could'nt wait to get underwater where it was quiet.. bubble bubble..(smile)..needless to say we hav'nt stayed in that same apartment again.

Bill, last July, Kelly and I had a hard time enjoying ANY dinner on the waterfront due to the motorcycles going by (same guys over and over again). It was VERY annoying and dinner was not relaxing at all. I'd bring your earplugs, but then, you may not hear any dinner conversation (if you can have one over the noise).

Bring a broomstick ,
whack it in their frontwheel , ... give 'm some "road-rash",
will keep them quiet till they regain consciosnous(sp.?) again

In the mean time you might consider moving to a quieter place

sjosss

Complain to the people of the restaurant ???

Oh Dear ! Jos..you need to go diving more often and swim off all that anger and aggression....don't hurt the nice motorcyclists ....

Debbi, the bikes that these guys drove back and forth, incessantly were not "nice motorcyclists." They had those whiny, noisy, rocket bikes and it was the same group of guys going back and forth, popping wheelies and showing off to their friends...they were highly annoying, and had I had a broomstick...I might have been tempted!

Hi Glen,

The screen was "broken into" in their case. So some intrusion damage did happen. The odd thing is that coming into someone else's home to rob them no matter what the doors and windows look like is just plain criminal in anybody's justice system, I should think. Drowning out dinner conversation should be against the law. No wait a minute, sometimes it is desirable! JK

About The 25th... :-) I will...

Niki,

Sounds like 'breaking and entering' to me. Was the event then ignored??

Do we know what the legal code on Bonaire says re entry and stealing?? That doesn't help the people you talked to but would be interesting to know. Based on Roman law, Dutch law is different from the US codes.

The event was ignored, being an attempted break in. I think the thief actually didn't get in because the window opening was too small. A week or so before, though, this same unit was successfully robbed.

Shhot, you guys should have been at Divi when they had the rice hulling operation on Kaya Industrial. They would vacumn the rice out of the grain carriers at the south pier, load it into 'dump' trucks which would then go south on the waterfront road, turn left onto the one way street, turn right onto Abraham, and then left onto Industrial. And do this 24/7.

But only until they had filled that ship. It wasn't 52/24/7!!! The rice ships were only occasional, weren't they??? I have seen only one or two in the many weeks I have been there over 20 years.

(Message edited by glenr on July 6, 2004)

I can no longer keep silent.....
In April we were honored to be included in a local club ride around the island. A group from Aruba crated their bikes over for the special weekend of Orlando's wedding. Orlando is the owner of the Harley Shop on Bonaire.

We traveled up north to a wonderful BBQ and dance.

It's wonderful to ride up the coast with the wind in your hair....great memories!
Harley Chick !!

Linda, looks like a LOT of fun! Those weren't the bikes I was referring to...the rice rockets, or whatever you call them that make that loud whining noise, and they are locals that ride up an down the waterfront street at night...back and forth...ugh!

Crotch rockets, is what Joe says they are called, Cynde! LOL. I knew them as Rice Burners years ago.....I know the sound...hate it, too. Ayo. Carole

I assumed you were talking about the "crotch rockets" but some people don't like the thump..thump..thump of Harleys either.
We did get a kick out of the ride, though, as we're used to 300 mile day rides in the mountains and we weren't sure how many times we'd go around the island. Instead we saw neighborhoods really far off the tourist beaten path! Such fun and a nice memory!

thump..thump..thump thump..thump..thump thump..thump..thump thump..thump..thump thump..thump..thump thump..thump..thump
VROOOOOAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMM!!!!!

Ok , I can live with that , would love to even.

There has to be a reason they patentpended the sound of an Harley engine

Diver Debbi : do you think more diving could cure this ???

sjossss