are cars allowed on ambergris caye ??I always thought no cars exexpt for construction/and taxis but in my three years of vists have seen cars many cars with there boom box playing loud muisc, they always look the same dark color with dark tinted windows,whats the real story ?? just read in the paper[ambergris caye today ] that a 7 year old kid was hit by one of those cars we all see.the driver you ask,well a 20 year old girl ,you guessed it no insurance no driver license but not the owner??the man she was with ,named junior he ,was the owner,maybe junior soprano ?? he said he did not authorize her to drive it?? but he was with her when they ran over the child ???duh duh..the police did not charge him only the driver .a scary story in itself as he was with her????????????..

Maybe he did not know he was in "His" car jeff. He must have thought it was someone elses car. Were They leaving BC's on a sunday afternoon? :rolleyes:

2 miles north thats a good one ,but do not think it was drink?? but the other d word?..but any way whats the deal with cars can you bring a car here and keep it here??? may be wiil leave my mercedes convertible at your house??? or park it at my condoat at royal palm.. will be cool driving to peters for a beer/pizza to go .or may eat in at the new bistro got to call chef adam and ask do they have valet parking?? all kidding aside, whats the deal would like to only see only golf carts,and bicycles on the road,maybe just a dream and it is too late??????????

Vehicles are allowed on the island with a permit from the San Pedro Traffic Committee, not an easy thing to get. Many folks have been "grandfathered" in and pass down their permits to family members.

Cappy, I don't think you can get The M benz up to my place without scratching it ( or maybe getting carjacked)( just kiddin!) But if you can I'd love to use it to cruse into town for dinner at casa picasso. I was crusing around last week with a friend in a toyota truck to captian sharks to pick up stuff for my boat so I guess its ok if you have the permit as SIN has stated.

I was horrified when I read that story. I have 3 kids. Some of my friends think I am over protective but I really don't like them to ride their bikes on the road, and I don't like them walking on road either. Like my Dad always said, it's not yourself you have to worry about, it's all the other idiots on the road you have to watch out for!!

So many unlicensed kids here have a few beers and think it is wonderful to drive 30 mph down some of the island straightaways. Well it probably is funny, til you burst a tire and/or run out of control and hurt yourself, the vehicle, or even worse , a poor passerby.

Sadly vehicle permits are obviously not difficult to get, as within just the last six months there are now dozens and dozens of cars where there were none before. Can a vehicle permit be grandfathered? My understanding of that term is that a permit is issued as ownership occurred before a restriction, but until recently vehicle permits were supposedly - or still are - under a moratorium, and previously were tightly controlled.

While most visitors and new Belizeans think the less vehicles the better, the flip side to the coin is more than worth consideration too: what right does the "Johnny come lately" have to decide what locals can or can't do with their new (or not) found wealth.

Cars, Vans and Trucks are probably here in San Pedro to stay, so what to do. We now have quite a lot of vehicles with no real test procedures for roadworthiness, roads that are not roadworthy and a high percentage of the driving population with almost no training or skills, even if in possession of a license. This extends beyond the drivers to the cyclists and pedestrians too, as there is very little road sense here; as none has been necessary until recently.

Kids and Adults alike continually run or walk into the road in front of me, pull out from a Stop sign or parking space right in front of my Golf Cart, without even a thought that something might be coming that’s fast, hard and painful if it hits you.

On a good day, with a full charge, I hit the giddy heights of 10mph, and so far I’ve had the foresight to avoid a problem or managed to stop or swerve. A vehicle at 20 or 30mph has no chance on these streets, brakes clogged with salt and sand and a vehicle that’s probably not seen a service mechanic since something last broke - even if in the hands of an excellent driver.

A total revamp of the driving test and license renewals - I believe they have a maximum three year validity – is urgently needed. Equally so is an extensive road safety campaign for cyclists and pedestrians taught preferably in school - in the UK the Green Cross Code and Cycling Proficiency and something similar in the US I’m sure - is urgently needed.

Progress comes with issues it seems.

I wonder what the total amount of fines for just one day would be if tickets were issued for every stop sign that was run and every vehicle that exceeded the speed limit? :rolleyes:

Of course what ever that amount would be, just think how much more it would be if the police also ticketed themselves.

thank you for giving me the facts,about cars on the island .as I am only a johnny come lately ,and I am sharing only my opinion !!! Would it not be in the towns best intrest and all local belizeans ,to heavily fine or jail ,drunks ,dopers or uninsured, and unlicensed drivers ?? some of the local people in power have kids , or a grandchild on the island.. but to let the owner of a car get away with crap like just happen is joke on all local folks.Again I am just a once a month gringo who would like like to see only good things for sanpedro.It is a great plce to live the dream..

bywarren, lots!

jeff, it's kind of hard to say the person driving didn't have permission when the owner was in the passenger seat.

2miles, it happened on Sand Piper street at 10:00 in the morning.

Let's face it, no one in government will ever have the balls to say you can't have a car or truck on the island unless you can show a valid need.

Another part of the problem is that it's often cheaper to buy a car or truck than it is to buy a decent golf cart. Maybe the government needs to drop the duties on golf carts to make them more attractive not only here but in Belize City and other areas of the country.

You can also add the rumour that 30 new taxi permits have been issued, that should solve our traffic problems.