Drivers said rocks are being thrown at their vehicles while residents complain about the reckless drivers of tour vehicles.
Over the last several months, the Variety learned that MVA has been receiving complaints from tour agency operators that people in some villages on Saipan are throwing rocks, eggs, garbage and other debris at tourist vans and buses.
Aside from causing broken windows and denting the vehicle’s body, such incidents can also cause accidents, the drivers said.
Worse is the impact of these incidents on tourists aboard the vehicles.
The “most problematic” areas are Tanapag, the vicinities surrounding the Mobil station in San Antonio, Guangdong in As Lito and the Shell pumping station in Dandan.
MVA Managing Director Perry Tenorio met with tour operators and recognized that such behavior was sending the message that the CNMI “is unsafe and visitors are unwanted.”
MVA is asking for the community’s help.
“We are also asking the perpetrators to reconsider their choices,” Tenorio said.
Some residents, for their part, are unhappy with the tour vehicle operators.
A resident, who declined to be identified, said her vehicle was almost hit by a tour van coming out of another street at high speed.
“My two young boys would have definitely been the victims as they were sitting on the right side of my vehicle,” she said.
It was not the first time she had such an experience with drivers of tour vehicles, she added.
She can no longer tolerate such behavior.
“I am not going to wait until one of them kills my children.”
She added, “This happens all the time. I understand MVA is asking residents not to throw rocks at vans because of the effect on tourists. I can’t say I blame the residents at all. Instead of asking the residents to refrain from throwing rocks, perhaps the tour bus drivers should learn to drive properly and obey the rules of the road.”
MVA will also urge tour operators to launch a “safe driving initiative.”
Korean Tour Guide Association of Saipan President Oh Jang Su said they have already launched a safe driving campaign among tour agents.
He said 100 tour vans of about eight tour operators now have stickers urging motorists and pedestrians to call a certain telephone number if they have complaints about the drivers.
