Before any other interpretation is placed on this I want to make quite clear after 20 years of world travel we bought on Bonaire.... the best place we found.... period!

Suggestion: since we have no real data just a lot of innuendo about how "dangerous" this island is how about starting a simple topic where "incidents" can be reported. If it turns out that 3 pairs of shorts one t-shirt and 2 pairs of glasses have disappeared at Atlantis in the past year.... perhaps this will:
1. put things in perspective!
2. show where we need to be careful and the authorities can pay more attention.

I would like to make quite clear that there is NEVER $10 let alone $600 left in my vehicle and my rx sunglasses are now in my bc ever since my friends lost theirs.... but having to drag your tevas with you????

As a long time wreck diver I thought about taking a bag and tying it off underwater but I have had cameras, deco drop tanks and reels all removed by people ON THE SAME BOAT that I was!!! So I have no illusions that it is those perfidious natives that are necessarily responsible. Most of whom are the most charming and gracious people that I have yet encountered.

Any way the point is start a list lets find out what is going on..... I am pretty sure that no other island in the carribean would DARE to do this!! I think it would be quite beneficial to get this out in the open..... is it a problem or not?

david

Whoops ... was that your drop tank and reel?

Sorry.

Bob

From October issue of "Undercurrent", California diver reports following incident during his June trip to Bonaire:
"The punks cut your gas line to steal your gas because of a locked gas cap. So remove the gas cap. Cheaper to buy gas than pay for cut gas line, which insurance doesn't cover."

So it now appears that in addition to requesting the car rental company to remove the spare tire to avoid having to pay for its possible theft, must now ask for a non-lockable gas cap. True, crime is everywhere; guess this rationale must satisfy.

If the rental companies were no longer able to add "escape" clauses to their contracts for theft of tires, caps, etc., I have a feeling things *might* just improve a tad. But then, I've always been a dreamer.

Al,

I just got a press release from AB Carrental, which had this little tidbit in it:

Full Insurance also includes a lower deductible: just $X, compared to 3.385 * X on our regular CDW. However, for theft or vandalism damage, the deductible is reduced to $0!

Excellent, kudos to Marc and AB, sign me up I'm going north.
Marc, are you going for the no locking gas cap no more than a quarter tank theory?

Thanks for the info, Jake! It is good to hear there have been some changes made in the favor of the customer. I hope the rest of the rental agencies can come on board with a policy such as this. We have used AB every trip to Bonaire and we will be using them again in June....terrific folks who work hard to keep us happy. Carole

Hi Jake (and all), and thanks.

Yes, the new insurance also covers cut hoses and such.
Seb, we will not follow that theory. If we did, we might as well hand out free gas; would save them the trouble of having to suck it out and possibly hurt themselves... We wouldn't want that, would we? ;-)
No, we will try to find other counter measures.

I should point out that this insurance is an experiment. If it should turn out that because of it, customers tend to be less careful with their vehicle and the number of damages goes up drastically, we will re-evaluate it next season.

Common sense is still the best and first precaution against crime; like Jake says, this insurance only covers the damage to the car, not your camera or money. That's also why the conditions will include one exception to the $0 deductible in case of a smashed window: if the (mandatory!) police report shows that there were valuables inside the car, we will hold the renter responsible for the window and put the deductible back to $169. I think everyone will agree that this makes sense; you're more or less advertising if you keep a camera on the back bench. That can't be considered responsible use of the vehicle (however unfortunate that fact is).

Questions can also be directed to marc@abcarrental.com

Marc
Manager, AB Carrental

Just got off the island after ten days with a rental.. Took a small chain and lock for my spare as suggested on this board. Had no problems the whole stay. We even got a little sloppy and left a few items in the vehicle at times. No money of course or wallets, but Akona boat bags, flip flops, etc.

Glad to hear things worked out with no incidents, Rich. Every little bit of "good" helps out! Ayo. Carole

Actually with the Teva issue, I think I found a pair of sandals at just about every dive site I was at on this last trip. Someone had left their teva's at 2 different sites, I had seen about 4 other pairs on various sites as well so there you go. I'll knock wood as I have never had a problem but can understand how easily it could happen.

Marabeth, when were you there? I was there last week and left my Tevas at dive site entrances when doing shore diving. They were always there when I returned. Thanks for keeping an eye on them!

John R.

Hi John,

I was there Dec. 27- Jan. 3 and a far too short trip I might add so next Christmas it will be for two weeks - yippee. Anywho - I was happy to keep an eye out on them at Pink Beach, Alice in Wonderland, Ol' Blue, and Oil Slick Leap. But where the heck was your car????

Were you there during the wind reversal - my dive buddies and I were beaten up pretty badly at Pink Beach - I still have a dousy of a bruise on my shin - AARGH! Oh well, I still wouldn't trade it for the world.

Mara

I can't really tell from this thread, but is there a lot of theft and vandalism there?

Thinking and hoping the warning plastered on our rentals dash was exaggerated, we left things in the truck all the time and never had a problem.
Were we just lucky?