We will be staying at Sapphire late February. Would love to go to Marios and other places that have us drving thru the Lowlands at night.

In the past this has been a dangrous area, especially at night. The justification then was "during low season". With the economy the way it is, the hi season is probabaly more a 'lower'season.

No platituded of watch your back crap, I want an honest opinion on the situation. I haven' tseen an increase in crime over the years, just a level of it's severity.

We live in Cupecoy and do not drive thru the lowlands after about 9 pm. There is a stretch that has no lights, and it's too remote for us.

Is it because we've had or heard about trouble there at night lately? No. We just don't put ourselves in the situation.

Elaine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We live in Cupecoy and do not drive thru the
> lowlands after about 9 pm. There is a stretch
> that has no lights, and it's too remote for us.
>
> Is it because we've had or heard about trouble
> there at night lately? No. We just don't put
> ourselves in the situation.


Very good answer Elaine. We drive through there after dinner and sometimes later then 9 oclock and I think the hype is mostly old history but I dont want to find out so if I happen to be on that road I keep my doors and windows locked and keep going till I am where I want to be. But to tell the truth I follow this advice anywhere on the island these days because its the smart thing to do. Come to think of it I do the same thing at home these days to so I guess my age is starting to catch up with me. No sense in taking more chances then I have to.

Our friends were staying in Cupecoy and we drove back & forth a lot, at night.
Not fun because the road is so windy and those crazy drivers make it dangerous!
Glad I wasn't the DD!

We rented a condo at Nettle Bay & used to drive to/return from the Dutch side well after midnight. No problem, whatsoever. Spotted French Gandarmerie car on a few occasions but they never stopped us.
I wonder what could stop me at night when I drive a car. A road baricade built on the road by poor guys in need of my change ...All those old stories of Lowland road robberies must be exaggerated, no doubt.

It's still happening - in broad daylight. It's not exaggerated. A month or two ago a woman and her friend were pulling up to the gate at their villa and she had forgotten the key or whatever to the gate. While sitting there calling her husband inside on the cell, a car pulled up behind, blocking them in. Two thugs got out, beat both women and stole their purses and cells etc and drove off before the husband got to the gate. Mid afternoon. So yes it does happen - even in the high rent district.

Elaine,I'm sorry to learn what happened to this woman. Culprits' car was behind her so if she hadn't forgotten the key, she could hv carried on to the villa & possibly smash them with the closing gate... Another unwanted coincidence was that she hadn't blocked cars' doors although she always does it, I presume, in New Hampshire, Orlando, Bronx or wherever she lives

Actually, she lives in the villa. I'm sure if she could have opened the gate they would have passed right by. As with most of this type of crime, it's opportunistic. They saw their chance and took it. It's a shame.

The only conclusion to your story, Elaine, is that probably Lowlands is inhabited by lowlives.... Thus highlives should avoid Lowlands stay at Highlands...but there's not an area in St.Matinin named that.

LOL

In reality, we drive thru the French lowlands all the time and have no issues. We don't roll up the windows or lock the doors. But, it is our choice to avoid it after about 9 pm or so. It suits our comfort level.