Scooter Rental in St Martin?

Can anyone give me information regarding scooter rentals either at the cruise terminal or Philipsburg? I need to find out where they are and how much per day.

First of all let me say for every one person that recomends a scooter rental there will be five people to tell you not to. So if you at all doubt your confidence driving one, go for the car.

Anyhow, I will be in St. Martin this December and reserved a scooter through Arthur's Car Rental (try doing a google search for their website). The cost is $40 total and they pick you up from the cruise pier and then drop you off when you are finished. He is very prompt in returning emails (within hours). I personally can't imagine a more fun way to tour the island. From what I've heard its one of the easier islands to drive and navigate. Certain places you may want to avoid because of steep hills, for example Dawn Beach. The scooter may not have enough power to get you through...so stick to the level grounds. If you have any questions please let me know! :) :)

There are many places where a scooter makes sense. St. Maarten is NOT one of them. The disadvantages and dangerous roadways far outweigh ANY advantages. It might look good on a MAP, but you need to at least tour the island first hand by car, then make the decision.

Thanks for your replies and opinions. Can two people ride on one scooter or do you need to rent one for each person?

Kal-Do you have first-hand experience with riding a scooter in St. Martin? I am curious to know what the disadvantages are besides being dangerous?

mandiecandie5-From whom did you find out that St. Martin is one of the easier islands to drive and navigate?

Thanks!

We highly recommend this company for Scooter rentals on St. Maarten. :)

It has nothing to do with one's experience on the machine, the danger comes from the very congested traffic, the narrow roads, and most importantly OTHER drivers.

Aside from that, a scooter driver will have to pay 110% attention to driving and miss out on enjoying the scenery and culture along the way. Not to mention stop and go traffic on HOT pavement in the HOT sun. Believe me, there's no substitute for having a roof over your head and the A/C on HI in St. Maarten.

I would like to second Kal's comment about the dangers imposed by other drivers on St. Maarten. I just came back from a southern Caribbean cruise on Sunday night, and I was injured by one of those "other drivers" on St. Maarten on Friday. While stopped at an intersection waiting to turn left, my rental car (a mini-van) was violently hit by a load of cinder blocks flying off the back of a tractor-trailer that had lost control coming down Cole Bay Hill. The cinder blocks were piled up to the windows of the mini-van, and one came through my window and landed on the lap of the person next to me. We were very relieved that we had rented a mini-van instead of a Toyota Corolla, which sits quite a bit lower. I hate to think what the outcome would have been if we had been sitting on scooters.

(I just attempted to attach a photo of the accident scene. If I was successful, you will see the mini-van surrounded by a pile of cinder blocks with my friend assisted by a helpful bystander trying to retrieve our belongings from the car.)

PHILIPSBURG--While agreeing with many that the driver of the trailer truck involved in the accident on A.J.C. Brouwer Road near Midas Mufflers on Friday, August 13, should be commended, assistant police spokesman Inspector Johan "Janchi" Leonard is asking what has to happen for something to be done to regulate heavy equipment traffic in Dutch St. Maarten.

"We have been fortunate not to have any deaths from this runaway heavy equipment, but do we have to sit and wait until one of our family members loses a limb, or worse a life, before we realise that something has to be done?" asked Leonard.

Friday’s accident landed seven people in the hospital and caused extensive damage to the truck and three other vehicles, one of which was partly covered with blocks, and the destruction of a concrete wall.

According to the report the driver gave to police, the truck’s brakes malfunctioned while it was travelling downhill. Leonard said that seemingly these vehicles were not being inspected regularly. He said concern must be placed on this, especially in light of the start of construction at Princess Juliana International Airport.

"This project has already resulted in many vehicles using our roads during busy times and something has to be done to at least ensure that they are in proper working condition, or who knows, the next time there may not be any space for a driver to manoeuvre and lives could be lost," Leonard told The Daily Herald.

Good points by everyone! Although the scooters sound like a lot of fun, I don't want to risk injury or death for a little fun on the road...

After visiting St. Maarten/Martin several times, I highly recommend that you do not rent a scooter. We refer to them as suicycles!!! No kidding!

gtaylor, thanks so much for posting the article about the accident on Friday. I had been searching the internet for a St. Maarten newspaper article about the accident, since I knew there were reporters on the scene and had talked to one of them. Can you post a link to where you found this story?

The Daily Herald. (They added today's paper after I posted the above link.)

E-mail me for much more.

Rent a Jeep. Has that same airy outdoor feel and the fun of driving something different, but the safety of a car body.

Our family enjoyed driving around the whole island, but I agree, the driver doesn't get to sight-see. The roads are narrow two lane in need of a lot of repair.

Kevin

gtaylor, thanks again. I was able to see the full text of the article with the link you provided. I tried to send you an email but was not able to. I think my email address is accessible through my Cruise Critic profile, and I would appreciate any additional information you can provide if you would be so kind as to send it.

The 'send an email' capability in the Profile information doesn't work. I found in a FAQ that it had been disabled. PM's, too.

However, you must have just added an email address, as I can download a vCard from you. I don't think it was there before.

I'm sending stuff now -- suggest you be sitting down when you open.

Gary

CRUISEFOUR- Members of my family have been to St. Martin multiple times and have rented scooters. They had no problems driving them. They drive on the same side of the road as the U.S. (St. Thomas and others are opposite), the island is relativlely flat, and the main roads are well paved. We plan on using the scooter to go to a few beaches and possibly Marigot.

I have used scooters many times on many islands and have experienced crazy drivers everywhere. So stick to the main roads and pay attention (you would have to be paying 110% attention if you were driving a car also!). Nothing beats the experience. We don't go to tropical places to sit inside an A/C car! Just my opinion. :)

CRUISEFOUR- Members of my family have been to St. Martin multiple times and have rented scooters. They had no problems driving them. They drive on the same side of the road as the U.S. (St. Thomas and others are opposite), the island is relativlely flat, and the main roads are well paved. We plan on using the scooter to go to a few beaches and possibly Marigot.

 

I have used scooters many times on many islands and have experienced crazy drivers everywhere. So stick to the main roads and pay attention (you would have to be paying 110% attention if you were driving a car also!). Nothing beats the experience. We don't go to tropical places to sit inside an A/C car! Just my opinion. :)

There ARE crazy drivers on the island, especially some on motorcycles and scooters!

While the island may be 'relatively flat', you cannot get to Guana Bay, Dawn Beach, Oyster Pond, Orleans, Butterfly Farm, Galieon, Orient, Cul de Sac, Pinel, Anse Marcel, Grand Case, Friar's Bay, Happy Bay or the Minguet Gallery without navigating some EXTREMELY steep roads.

The route headed the other direction; to the Cole Bay overlook, Simpson Bay, the other route into Marigot, to Maho for the planes landing and Sunset Beach Bar, navigates very steep hills. And these ARE 'the main roads'.

Read the leasel7 story, above, and then think about it.

CRUISEFOUR- ...the island is relativlely flat.

Hmmmmm, are you sure you're talking about ST. MAARTEN??? There is absolutely no way you can go anywhere beyond Philipsburg without encountering major steep sloped hills, narrow roads, nasty curves and of course crazy drivers. Just think about these roadways with steep hills:

* Cole Bay Hill (route to Simpson Bay, Maho Beach, Mullet Beach & Marigot)

* Marigot to Grand Case (route to Friar's Beach)

* Roads leading to Orient Baie (route to Orient Beach)

* Road thru Quarter d' Orleans (route back to the ship)

* Road thru Sucker Garden & Naked Boy Hill (route to Dawn & Orient Beaches)

* Road to Guana Bay (route to Guana Beach)

Hey, but what do GTaylor and I know. On a combined basis we probably have made 50 trips to St. Maarten and stayed on the island for 50-100 weeks.

Hey, but what do GTaylor and I know. On a combined basis we probably have made 50 trips to St. Maarten and stayed on the island for 50-100 weeks.

Getting ready to go down next month to add four more weeks onto that figure.

Well I guess I was pretty close on that ratio of non-scooter fans! LOL! BTW--that pix was pretty scary, all the best to whoever was involved in that.

We're just still in that young/adventurous/don't consider the danger-phase our lives...and personally the whole beach thing is slightly boring for me and this adds that excitment the others in my group and I need!! :) After driving scooters all over Europe growing up, I don't think anything worse can compare! I would consult the SXM-experts more on driving and rentals because there are many non-cruisers that visit these boards with a wealth of info! :) :) :)

First of all let me say for every one person that recomends a scooter rental there will be five people to tell you not to. So if you at all doubt your confidence driving one, go for the car.

 

Anyhow, I will be in St. Martin this December and reserved a scooter through Arthur's Car Rental (try doing a google search for their website). The cost is $40 total and they pick you up from the cruise pier and then drop you off when you are finished. He is very prompt in returning emails (within hours). I personally can't imagine a more fun way to tour the island. From what I've heard its one of the easier islands to drive and navigate. Certain places you may want to avoid because of steep hills, for example Dawn Beach. The scooter may not have enough power to get you through...so stick to the level grounds. If you have any questions please let me know! :) :)

We just booked a jeep wrangler 4-wheel drive for our trip to St. Martin on 9/3. It is the off season there so it was only $65 for the day...only $25 more than the scooter...sounds like a small price to pay. The company is SXM and has an office at the port in St. Martin. I booked it through http://www.stmaartencarrentalguide.com/ yesterday and got the confirmation this morning.

We just booked a jeep wrangler 4-wheel drive for our trip to St. Martin on 9/3. It is the off season there so it was only $65 for the day...only $25 more than the scooter...sounds like a small price to pay. The company is SXM and has an office at the port in St. Martin. I booked it through http://www.stmaartencarrentalguide.com/ yesterday and got the confirmation this morning.

ATLCPLE2- We reserved a jeep also for the same date. I think that will be the best way to see the island at our own pace. :)

7 more sleeps until cruise

I know this is an old topic, but for those that are still looking for a Scooter or ATV Rental, just ask Johnny of Johnny's Scooter and ATV Rental. He does tours as well. He is your number one scooter or ATV place to go on St. Maarten.

http://www.johnnysscooterrental.com

It has nothing to do with one's experience on the machine, the danger comes from the very congested traffic, the narrow roads, and most importantly OTHER drivers.

 

Aside from that, a scooter driver will have to pay 110% attention to driving and miss out on enjoying the scenery and culture along the way. Not to mention stop and go traffic on HOT pavement in the HOT sun. Believe me, there's no substitute for having a roof over your head and the A/C on HI in St. Maarten.

Since this thread was dredged up from 2005 I thought I would update page 2 with poster Kal's excellent post. Traffic has only increased and the roads are much the same so I for one would say that its even more dangerous to rent a scooter for the day in 2016 compared to when he wrote this in 2004.

I have a different experience, but maybe it is because i am used to being focused in traffic. Always and anywhere, also on St. Martin. And yes I agree that there is more traffic, and especially the local women drive like maniacs. They will just enter the road from left and right without using their indicators or paying attention. So with that in mind driving on the Dutch-side when you are paying attention is actually very doable. The French-side is way safer when looking at traffic. For example if you rent a scooter in Simpson bay and drive from there over the bridge towards the airport, traffic ain't that bad, and you are still on the Dutch-side. From there you can watch the planes at Maho and after that continue all the way trough Mullet where there hardly is any traffic. And as soon as you reach Cupe Coy you are entering the French-side up the hill across the Terres Basses area and into Nettle Bay / Sandy ground of to Marigot. A very nice and easy route. So absolutely doable! From Marigot you drive back to the Cole Bay roundabout and you are back on the Dutch-side, go across the big new bridge over the lagoon and you are back to Simpson Bay again. And trust me that route is very easy when looking at the amount of traffic. Okay going into Philipsburg is a different thing, but if I was on a cruise and wanted to rent a scooter, I would just take a bus for 2 dollars from Philipsburg to Simpson Bay and stop at the Simpson Bay bridge across the Royal Palm and rent a scooter at Johhny. Because from there you can explore the island without any traffic problems.