Journey Time to Charlotteville from Crown Point ?

[Richard M]

Hi All,
I'm visiting Tobago in November staying in Toucan Inn. I have booked a jeep from Sheppy
and I'm hoping to visit Pirate's Bay at some stage. Could anyone give me a rough
journey time for the drive as I believe the roads can be quite twisty and it could take
an hour to drive 15 miles ? Are the roads well lit for driving at night ?

Thanks for any help!
Richard

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Richard

Welcome aboard!

Toucan Inn to Charlotteville via the Atlantic Coast road is normally something between an hour and an hour and a half. Allow another 20 minutes walk to get to Pirates Bay.

Forget any thoughts of street lighting, except in Scarborough and one or two main areas. Having said that, driving at night can be easier than during the day - the headlights warn you when somebody is coming the other way around blind bends.

[Joanne Green]

Hi Richard -- Keep in mind also that there is no dusk. At approximately 6 to 6:30 pm (depending on the time of year) it is DARK!!

[David Watkins]

Richard,unless the roads have been repaired since Feb/Mar'05 then definitely DO NOT attempt the drive at night.Steve's timing is about right if you do not get stuck behind trucks!!!!Drive safely,
David

[Richard M]

Thanks, I'm actually re-thinking my plan to hire the jeep for a week now.
It seems to be safer to get taxis in the evening and we may
just hire a taxi for a day or two to go to more remote areas.
It's just me and my girlfriend travelling and I'm a little bit paranoid
about security on deserted beaches - having a local
driver with us seems like a good idea.
I would normally hire a car/jeep on hols though because we
aren't into staying in the same spot every day, am
I being overly cautious in getting taxis ?

Richard

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Richard

Yes!

[Marco]

I'd stick with your first plan and go with a jeep the whole time. I find there's nothing worse than having to rely on other forms of transport.

Re. the roads - after a couple of days you get used to dodging the (sometimes huge) potholes - and if you're lucky enough to have another car in front then just take the same line they do.

[Jo B]

I would echo Steve and Marco's replies and recommend you hire a jeep. We had one for about 10 days and covered over 500 miles in that time. That included several journeys across the Bloody Bay-Roxburgh road and we made it through the Anse Fourmi road to Charlotteville (only passable if dry and in a 4x4). Fuel is incredibly cheap too - we used about £15 of petrol. Once you get used to the potholes, as Marco so rightly says, we found driving in Tobago, especially the North tremendous fun. The roads north of Castara are really very quiet, just watch for the road repair lorries round some of the tightest corners. Admittedly we didn't do much driving after dark, not out of concern for the conditions but more because we preferred to be able to have a drink with our meals. The drink-driving law enforcement may be lax, but spotting potholes and avoiding the occasional mad driver would require sharper reactions than one would have after even a couple of Caribs.

Do remember that the soft-top jeeps are completely insecure, so if you do plan to leave it don't take anything of value with you other than what you need for your day out.

Jo x

[Richard M]

Thanks for the feedback, I'll stick with the original plan
so. I'm getting a hard top jeep as I had read the soft tops
were insecure.

My concern was more about personal safety rather
than road safety, travelling at night or in deserted areas.
I got the heebie-jeebies reading some of the posts in the
health and safety forum, but from what I read there aren't
any incidents of tourists being stopped or mugged in their vehicles.
That kind of thing can happen anywhere really anyway
and unless there's a particularly high risk which doesn't
seem to be the case then there's no point in living in fear!

I normally beep the horn going into tight corners with no visibility
as a warning to oncoming cars, is that likely to cause offence in Tobago?

We also 'flash' the lights to indicate to someone that you are
yielding/letting them out/pass but in Italy it's a warning that you are NOT
going to yield does anyone know what the Tobagonian interpretation
is likely to be ?

I'll take pot holes over traffic any day !

Richard

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Richard

does anyone know what the Tobagonian interpretation
is likely to be ?

The local interpretation is likely to be one of total confusion!!! Their intitial reaction is that there's a friend or relative in the car trying to catch their attention to say hello. By the time that they've established that there's only a couple of visitors in the car, they'll be past you so signals are academic anyway. Use of horns is a similar thing - done to attract the attention of friends and relatives more than to act as a warning.

Let's just say that you need a very 'loose' and relaxed attitude towards the entire driving process. Read our article in Tobago/Getting About/Car Rental for further information. Don't be put off though. Driving in Tobago can be wonderful fun and I couldn't envisage going to the island and not having my own wheels.

[Mandy H]

Hi guys,

My boyfriend and I are travelling to Tobago for the first time in March 06. I have been going to Barbados for the past 20 years, and we felt like a change, and have plumped for Tobago - we're very excited having looked at this site! I can imagine spending my lunch hours on this forum right up to March!!

We like to spend our days in Barbados driving round the island to different beaches on both atlantic and caribbean coasts, eating in rum shops with the locals, and are hoping to do the same in Tobago.

I was just wondering what the drink drive laws are in Tobago as they are non existent in Barbados. It's not that we will be downing beers and wine, and then driving home, but is it the norm to have a couple of drinks and still drive home, or is that a no no?!

Just interested in hearing views.

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Mandy

Welcome aboard!

I don't know what the exact legal description of driving over the limit is there, but its nothing as formalised and clear-cut as in the UK. I guess if the policeman thinks you're drunk and incapable of driving safely, he'll make you walk the line. However, be aware that being drunk in charge of a vehicle will not simply mean a fine and driving ban - you'll probably end up spending the next few days in the slammer with a bunch of reprobates. Not a good way to spend your holiday.

[Mandy H]

Thanks Steve!

We don't intent to end up in the slammer, but as we're hiring a car for the two weeks, I just wanted to check that a couple of Caribs and a safe drive home would be ok rather than get a taxi every night!

By the sound of it, we'll get a taxi to and from Sunday School though!!

Love the website, and fear it's going to become a regular place to while away my lunch hour at work between now and March

[Andy D]

I drove for the first time in Tobago in May this year and agree with previous posts.It took a while to get used to their style of motoring but once i'd mastered it i never looked back,it was great!
Potholes are a problem on many roads and signalling to overtake virtually non existant but as long as you read ahead and keep your eyes peeled it's not a problem.I'm going back in Feb 2006 and i'm very much looking forward to driving again.