driving Jamaica
 

Considering driving around island in a rental car.i.e.
kingston - negril - montego Bay - ocho rios. Pls.
advise re: safety, road conditions, road markings, rental car company.

Driving a rental car around Jamaica is a breeze compared to most islands. The roads are well maintained. Get a good map and you won't have any problem. When you get away from the city they aren't marked very well, so you just make a guess. They aren't cheap so check around.

My experience may be a little older than the previous reply, but I thought the roads were terribly "maintained" (i.e. not!), skinny, dangerous and the last time I was there extremely full of traffic (especially around lunch and 5 pm). I wouldn't drive there.

I personally haven't driven Jamaica but I've been in private cars and buses, and have talked a lot to people who have. I don't think the average American driver should do this. It's not just a matter of road conditions (variable) or traffic (can really back up), but safety. A friend of mine who speaks fluent Jamaican and can handle the culture pulled a car into the only gas station open in Montego Bay at about midnight because of a tire problem. While pulling in he apparently said hi to some really grungy beggar type hanging around. Shortly thereafter the beggar came up and told him to get lost. That beggar probably saved my friend's life because as he was pulling out of that gas station about 6 Jamaican cars were converging on him. He had his own chase scene with a bad tire across awful roads until he finally lost them. Maybe this is a really unusual horror story, but I think that if you're not a Jamaican yourself you ought to reconsider the car idea. Good luck....

I was in Jamaica in October and think Jamaicas roads in general are in terrible shape. Even with a map it is very difficult to get around because most of the roads are not marked. Between the towns are miles and miles of empty land. If you break down you are out of luck. I rented a car in 1992 and was involved in an accident. A Jamaican in a car rear ended me and the car I was in a total loss because my car was pushed into the back of a bus. Even though I did not cause the accident the rental company charged the entire car to my credit card. It took my two years to remove the ten thousand dollar charge from my card. It took me longer to receive money for my injuries. When I finally found a bank that would convert the check Jamaican dollars to U.S. dollars I lost big time. Do not rent a car here. I lived in the Virgin Islands and drove all the time and never had a problem. This is not the place to strike out on your own in a car.

I've been to Jamaica fives times and drove during my first visit. But never again since. The roads are improving, but generally they are in poor condition (large pot holes which can't be seen after a heavy rainstorm). Plus the Jamaicans have a tradition of "overtaking" a slower moving car in front of them. This often leads to a lot of rear end accidents and near head on collisions when driving around the front cars. As for Jean's experience with being charged the for her accident, I am curious to know how there was a loss in currency exchange since the Jamaican dollar has plummeted consistently since 1992.

I must agree with the others regarding the terrible conditions of the roads. I don't know where on the island Kyoub was driving, but the roads are not a pretty sight. I was there 3 months ago. If you are traveling from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios you will see exactly what I mean.

On the bright side, there are a few areas where the roads are not so bad. The main road between Runaway and Ocho Rios is fine and can be handled by the average tourist. The roads (main roads) in the town of Mandeville, on the island's south coast is fine as well.

Don't even think about driving from Ocho Rios to the Blue Mountains or to the Rio Grande River!! (these attractions are located in the town of Port Antonio) I took this trip with a professional Jamaican driver,and even so I was clinging to the seats and anything else I could hold on to.