I was reading the post "rampant crime" with the usual thread of comments, observations, etc... and it occurred to me that the petty crimes at beach diving locations might present an opportunity for local entrepreneurs. What would divers be willing to pay to insure that their trucks remain un-pilfered? What would it be worth to be able to take your sunscreen, coolers, books etc... 5 bucks an hour? 10? A truck sitting service seems like a plausible enterprise.

Sounds something like the old "pink bus".
I've still got the tank top.
The old bus serviced the sites from "Salt Pier" to "The Lake".
The bus made minor profit from sales of "save a dive" type stuff, along with sales of ice cold Polars and Brights.
They would let you put expensive gear in the bus while you did the dive and you could expect it to be there when you got out.
There was no contractual agreement about the gear being there, more a trust thing.
Once the old bus died it cost too much to repair.
If one or more "pink bus" type things could be implemented I think it could be a winner.
I would pay a $ per dive for security.
The big dive ops might get together and do another "pink bus"type thing', such as security at say 500K of beach of dive sites
Should they be able to get with the old photo tours "pink bus" silk screen they'll sell a ton.

Your thoughts?

Look, the big problem is us. We trust way to much, stop it. Dive sites north and south are unprotected. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING THAT HAS VALUE AND HIDE IT IN THE CAR. Windows open, nothing left inside. Problem solved!

The Pink Bus is still in operation but it is now the Kite Bus. As much as people enjoyed the service...I don't think many $$$ were left at the bus for equipment being safe after the dives. I for one enjoyed the Dive Bus but I can understand that it is now the Kite Bus.

Bas, I agree that the old Pink bus was not a money maker.
Would it be possible to fund a new "bus" that would have a presence for the same dive sites as the old bus?
Help me out here with your thoughts.
There has to be a way to make shore diving safer than it is.
I take every thing I don't want to lose into the water with me.
Many new visitors do not.

The pink bus at dive sites is no longer doing it for the simple fact that it was not a money making proposition. Really that simple.
In the real world, divers are not going to be paying $5 or $10 to park their vehicle at a dive site. I will tell you unequivocally that I'm not.

As Jerry indicated above, the solution to the perceived problem is elementary. Leave your windows down, take your keys with you, & leave nothing of value in the truck. This has been written ad nauseum on this board.

If everyone did this, there would not be a problem at dive sites. Most dive sites are probably within a 10-15 min radius from where you're staying anyway. No need to bring extraneous items. If you need emergency rx meds, put in watertight canister or old dive light canister & take with you.

This should be the job of the police.

5 or 10 an hour is less than one would make selling the valuables out of the car...
I agree with Jerry and Vince.



This has been talked to DEATH!

Please don't feel pressed to join the conversation
if you're tired of the subject.

I would enjoy being able to go to a dive site without worrying about my truck being trashed and to have stuff that I would like to have with me with me or not to have one of my group stay with the truck and stuff.

Of course it would be nice if there were no crime. Of course it's the responsibility of the police to at least try to stop crime.

People who don't have children don't have to hire a babysitter and divers who don't want to pay for a truck sitter wouldn't have to, but it would be nice to have the option for those of us who do.

If I were a local enterprising young person or just someone who needed a little extra money, it wouldn't be such a bad way to spend time and make a little money. An ad on the wall at Cultimara and /or the Reporter and a cell phone don't cost much for startup.

How would that work logistically at a dive site?

Say you are diving at Alice in Wonderland; you paid your $5.00 or whatever. I am also diving at the same dive site, but choose not to pay the fee. What happens then when the security person sees someone breaking into MY truck? Or we are at Andrea II; there are 8 trucks there, 2 have paid the fee. What happens then?

I'm a little clouded/tired today, but how would this work?

I suspect that since the majority of crime is opportunity based, having a 'beach monitor' minivan at a site would likely have the ne're-do-wells going somewhere else?

I would think it would work the same as hiring a babysitter. My babysitter wouldn't be responsible for other children on the beach just because she was there with my children. However in terms of truck security her presence might provide a deterent for others on the beach. The financial agreement would be between she and I and her responsibility for that period of time to me and my vehicle.

This is just one model, the bus idea another. I can see a need and an opportunity.

I guess I just have an issue with paying vs. not paying, in terms of someone seeing someone taking things from my vehicle, checking their list and I'm not it as having paid my $5 and turning their heads. On the other hand, if I DID pay my $5 and someone else didn't, why should that person have the same benefits.... just lots of 'ifs'.

I'm in the don't take it with you if you'll miss it when it's gone category; but I'm always open to new ideas !

Sure do miss the pink bus !

If I'm lucky I get to spend 10 to 13 days out of 365 enjoying all that Bonaire has to offer.

We usually stay at Sorobon which is at the far end of the island. My favorite snorkeling site is 1000 Steps (close to the opposite end of the island). We usually have a mix of divers and snorkelers. What makes a day at the beach a pleasure? Beach chair to sit in or a towel. Maybe something to drink/eat and an ice chest to keep it cool. Some sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. A radio or book to read. Fresh water to rinse with. Maybe we'd like to grocery shop on our way back so our shopping bags and a decent swimsuit cover and shoes. Or maybe stop in Rincon for ice cream or somewhere to eat so we'll need money. Heaven forbid that we'd like to have a camera.

Not bringing anything to a dive or snorkeling site will not stop someone from breaking the window, cutting the gas line, taking the battery or the tires.

What did it cost me to get here? $800 to $1100 airline seat per person. $200.00 per night room rate. Food, drinks, equipment rental - you all know what it costs in time and money to get there.

If I had kids and wanted to dive or snorkel without having to worry about them or make another member of our group responsible to keep an eye on them I'd hire a babysitter. If some enterprising person agreed to watch my truck for a couple of hours, whether just for me alone or part of an organized watch group, I'd be happy that they were willing to provide me that service.

For me it just part of the cost of vacation. It may not be a solution for everyone. But I'd like to enjoy every minute of every very limited day on the island.

It all depends on your view I guess; I don't generally take things with me to the dive sites, but I DO enjoy every single minute I have on the island. The ability to take or not take things with me isn't a make or break deal for me. The times I have taken things with me, i.e. cooler, drinks, snacks, shorts, shoes, etc., I've never had a problem in all my trips with anything being taken. I must be living right !

Everyone is different, that's what makes us all so darn special !

I agree with Donna and Bill
When are you going hun, I'll be glad to help ya out.
my fee?
simple...plane ticket+...what? self promotion?
OK...gosh

Never mind D and B

sorry...no offense. I am just bored and have a bad sense of humor...

nahhh you have a GREAT sense of humor !

Krispi, get back to turning rocks over!


Snort, snort, snort......

For once I agree with Vince. Man, that is utterly amazing that I am!!!

Krispi, that was funny, I don't care who you are.

I'm with the take nothing, leave nothing, everything open option. I always go back to our house after a dive, so no problemo.

Fortunediver..And..can you just imagine the possibilities if we were discussing POLITICS

I quote from the post: "would think it would work the same as hiring a babysitter. My babysitter wouldn't be responsible for other children on the beach just because she was there with my children. However in terms of truck security her presence might provide a deterent for others on the beach. The financial agreement would be between she and I and her responsibility for that period of time to me and my vehicle."

okay...so let me see if I'm getting this, You pay your $5 or whatever, I don't. Mr./Ms. Carsitter for hire sees someone breaking into my vehicle and stealing my stuff but won't do anything because I didn't pay my $5? RIIIIGHT sounds like a great idea to me....NOT!

Yikes people this is crazy! And this has been discussed ad nauseum.

Krispi...your killing me!

I'll bring the soda Beck-ee if you will share your popcorn!
I have LOTS of salt water taffy to share too! LOL

Of course I'll share, RA!
My salt water taffy was gone the day I got home -I took it to work and the vultures devoured it. Guess I'll have to go back! Oh - and I did eat a cricket, LOL

move over please.... ughhhhhhhh

Becky, hold my seat will you, I am going out to the concession stand to get some twizzlers. Want something? Wanna see my nice fish-es?

Truck sitting sounds like a great business for petty thieves to get involved in. It would be like a drive through for people who like to be victims. The only reason you would need a truck sitter would seem to be because you have something valuable to steal, so why not pay the thieves by the hour......... I am sure it sounds logical to some people but I just don't see an upside for divers.

Back to the top of the thread, which has again been hijacked.
As mentioned, it should be a local police concern.
The fact that there are thieves around is not my fault.
I know what to do to thwart them on my end.
The local police, with enough funds and direction from above,could set up a sting operation and catch at least some of those who steal from rental dive trucks.
I agree that that this topic has been beaten to death.
It's a zombie topic that won't die, just as the problem won't either.

What if we cut out it's heart?


Cut off it's head???















Shoot it with a silver bullet????

ARG....."zombie topic"....it's my new favorite thing......

WOW and it's not a full moon for a few more days! BT has gone mad I tell ya!

Well this one got beat to death. IMHO this is really a no brainer..The reason it's not done is because it is not economically feasible to do it. Additionally it opens up pandora's box to a host of other problems some of which have been outlined above.
If others disagree with this simple premise, their prerogative. Personally though, I'd be very careful of taking their business advice.

excuse me? uh-huh..I haVE A $1000 camera in my car...some food, yeah, and some flip flops.
Here's 5 bucks..make sure no one steals my shoes please?

thanks..OH..and I will be at 100 feet for over an hour. K...thanks...

yeah...GREAT business opportunity!

Heck, I want in on it!!!

Back to the babysitter analogy; if I paid my babysitter to watch my kids, on a beach or otherwise, and she saw ANOTHER child in danger, or doing something he/she shouldn't be doing with no supervision, or needed help, I would one hundred percent unequivocally expect my sitter to get involved. Say my sitter is taking my kids to the pool; sees an infant in a car seat strapped in a car that is clearly unattended, it's 90 degrees, etc..... you get the picture....

Sorry I know this has really been beat half to death but I thought about it last night and it was really bugging me.

.... my sitter takes my kids to the mall... a scared little 3 year old comes up and says can you help me, I can't find my mommy and is crying... "Uh, sorry kid. Can't help you. Your mom didn't pay my $5 fee".


Sorrryyyyyyyyy I'm not buying this either.

There is a business opportunity here but maybe a little broader than mentioned.

Over the course of a day, there will be people at most dive sites. These people will be happy to purchase drinks, ice cream and snacks.

A fleet of snack vans could serve divers and bathers on most dive sites with all of the above and would act as a deterrent for thieves.

This would drive the thieves to the few remaining dive sites and make them easier to catch by the authorities.

Any opportunities for employment on Bonaire has to be a good thing.

To those of you that responded in a courteous manner - Thank you.

I am ashamed that I added to the hijacking of this thread.

It was a short 9 years ago that I came out of lurking on this board full of "new" ideas and questions that had been discussed many times prior on BT and its' predecessor. Though people did inform me on how to find previous discussions in various matters, most treated me with respect. I failed to extend the same courtesy to the original poster on this thread last evening.

Donna and Bill, I am sorry.

I don't think this thread was so hijacked, really. The conversation continued to right up to the post before your's Tom. It is interspersed with random silliness, which I enjoyed, but at no time were Donna and Bill insulted, even though people didn't agree with them.

They are welcome to join in the silliness, and I hope they do....

Ah, I see that Donna and Bill have deleted their profile. I'm sorry if that was their reaction to this discussion, but I don't feel that their reaction is a necessarily a fair way to judge this thread.

CB: I certainly do agree with you! Goodness gracious.. I haven't read anything here that would warrant THAT. My oh my...

Jerry...





OK..now it is hijacked..LOL

On our last trip in May, we encountered a problem with my regulator at a site that was on the opposite end of the island from our place. We have an extra set of regs and a computer, but guess what....we didn't have it because we couldn't leave it in the truck. On our way to numerous dives, we've seen some great photo shots, but guess what....no camera, can't leave it in the truck. Our nice, expensive prescription sunglasses we have to leave at home when we go on dives...might get stolen from the truck. If we take our uw camera's we're forced to take them on all our dives that day whether we want to or not so they don't get stolen from the truck!

So Donna & Bill, I would love a solution to the problem too and think your idea is a good one! I also agree with Menno, watching the vehicles should be the job of the police! I think leaving your doors unlocked and your windows down so criminals can rummage through your vehicle looking for something to steal is equivalent to leaving the doors of your house open so robbers don't break your windows to get in!

Unfortunately, the problem has existed for many years. As Bonaire becomes larger, more people, more tourists, I don't see the problem going away. The police have never (as far as I know) tried to do anything about the problem. Maybe with the new government they will address it.

That said, not to be complacent, but I just don't see any changes coming that would make leaving your vehicle more safe while you are diving, so we deal with it as best we can at the moment, as we ARE tourists/visitors to ANOTHER country. If you don't like the current situation, go somewhere else until the current situation on Bonaire changes. Again, it is ANOTHER country.

Donna and Bill's profile was deleted yesterday morning sometime, so it's been long gone before the hijack.

text removed by moderator

I NEVER leave anything of value in my car in the states...anywhere! I certainly wouldn't do it in a foreign country. I dont even leave stuff in my car in my driveway. I just think it is too tempting for some!

(Message edited by modcynde on October 2, 2009)

sounds like if someone wants to hire anyone to watch their truck they are free to do so. they should realize that most honest and reasonable people who are watching a vehicle will (and should) stop people from rummaging through other vehicles within sight whether they are paid to do it or not.

I still have faith in the honesty of most people, however reasonability and rationality left the room a long time ago.

This thread is proof of that.