Car or scooter?

If you go for a scooter make certain you have a great health insurance plan. Drivers here are some of the worse drivers around and if you get run down chances are they will not stop. On top of that roads are horrible and don't have shoulders.

Have you been to the islands or you were here for a vacation and now you want to live here?

Car.

I've ridden a motorcycle for 3 years here... it's risky but doable.

FYI, drivers on STX are pretty damn courteous , but do not respect motorcycles any more than they do a car, so you have to be alert.

I have no clue what Sausage is talking about, if anything they drive too slow and stop too much (which is hardly what I consider dangerous) but when you can relax into it it's nice to see people being polite and letting cars in from side roads etc..

That's obvious. You are comparing a motorcycle to a scooter and then state drivers do not respect motorcycles any more than a car. So by that standard you don't stand a chance on a scooter.

I would recommend a car though people do use scooters and motorcycls

If this thread doesn't turn into 1 of our typical opinion battles before I get to rent one I can give some thoughts soon, after I rent a scooter.

car

Personally, I'd go with car. Too many surprises on the pavement for my taste. And it's easier to steal, and hide a scooter. I know of 2 that were swiped in the last 3 months. There's also the security aspect. Being inside a car and able to lock your doors is not a safety guarantee, but it can give you a slight edge as a deterrent.

I'm guessing OP recognizes the need for transportation and figures a scooter will be less costly than a car. That's probably true BUT using a scooter as a primary means of transportation has it's obvious limitations not the least of which is the safety factor.

Ask yourself, do you mind getting wet when it rains and you have to drive to the other side of the island? How will you carry a week's worth of groceries back from the store? Will you feel safe driving a scooter at night? What if you have to drive in the rain at night? While you might try to convince yourself those are minor inconveniences but they get "old" pretty fast.

Get a car, you'll need it and be glad you have one.

Will you feel safe driving a scooter at night? What if you have to drive in the rain at night?

Great point, I never ride my bike at night & it's not my main transportation (I just ride it to work and back, or out to check on horses) the glare from the headlights when cars are driven on the wrong side of the road is too much & I just don't like doing it.

a scooter or bike as main transportation is doable, but there will be limitations .. I've carried a lot of groceries in a large backpack before... haha

Thanks all for the information. I have been to the island and do realize that there would be limitations. I can't drive at night anyway because of my vision so that wouldn't be a worry. I am hoping to rent a place close to town. I do understand there's a problem with theft. I'm from a small town we usually don't have to worry much about stuff like that. lol

Not only theft.

Car is the way to go.

just remember it seems to get dark here earlier than most places stateside. summertime in the states it usually stays light till about 9 ish. here it gets dark at about 7ish

It doesn't "seem" to get dark earlier here - it does. All to do with latitude and proximity to the equator ...

We get an average of 12 hours of daylight throughout the year, same as everywhere else on the planet. We get less daylight in summer days than in the states, but we get more daylight in winter.

It gets dark at around 7pm in summer, 6 pm in winter.

Roads are not well maintained (at least here on STT) and ill lit for night driving. Many have no lines on the road, center lines included and potholes are a hazard. If you get a scooter be very careful. There are a lot of people on the road that pay absolutely no attention to what they're doing. A car offers more protections and security.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

it "seems" there are differing opinions on that as well LOL

Even with lines the taxi vans pass dangerously all the time. I've had many near miss head on collisions with them. The safari drivers are just as bad.

it "seems" there are differing opinions on that as well LOL

Not at all. There is a difference between times of sunrise and sunset and the number of daylight hours in any given 24 and this is not disputed.

and it "seems" you dont know what the terms "seems" and "seems so " mean in cruzian

and where did i dispute anything?

We have only been here a month, so take my opinion for what it's worth. I think it will all depend on your unique situation once you get here, have housing, have work, and know your daily routines.

I agree with the person who said that, if anything, the drivers are too courteous. I have had numerous people slow down and stop so that I can my make my right hand turn in front of them. Most people are very aware. If someone is in the middle of the street for a while, it is because they are avoiding a pothole. If they stop at a time that seems weird, they are letting in a friend or letting a pedestrian cross.

However, I have run into a few drivers who a) appear to be driving under the influence, or b) are new to the island and sometimes forget we drive on the left. (I am one of these people from time to time, still being new.) I think we are all hyper aware because of these few drastic exceptions and dangers.

We have once car and are thinking of buying a scooter. I have a coworker who has had hers for a year with no problems. Her house and work where she parks it are away from the public and trafficked regularly by people she trusts (coworkers and neighbors). I met someone at the gym who also has a scooter and loves it. He had driven a motorcycle for years prior to moving here and he said that the bumpiness of the roads has taken some getting used to. Other than that, he loves it.

When you get here, you'll see if it's a good fit for you, given your location and daily routines.

Good observations