I see plenty of posters asking about worries/concerns inre driving or
hiring cars in Eastern Europe. Statistically, their concerns are
well-founded. Although advanced tracking systems are soon to be
deployed for new cars and hire cars (in Austria and Germany, anyway),
until then the concern about theft is quite valid.
This is my take on the subject: drive or hire an undesirable car.
Granted, this is not a panacea. But I think it's a worthwhile method
to steer the numbers your way.
The first time I drove around Slovakia and Tschechia, my buddy and I
drove a bright yellow Pontiac mini-van, borrowed from his BIL's auto
repair shop in Wien. It was the dorkiest vehicle for miles around. No
one had the slightest interest in it. On our latest road trip, we
traded cars with his cousin. Cousin got the brandy-new Audi TT, and we
drove cousin's godawful (but comfy) Seat van. Throughout Slovakia,
Hungary and Croatia, no one looked twice at our dumb van with the
Mödling plates on it. We parked fearlessly.
Maybe we were just lucky. But it seems to me that car theft falls into
two spheres: young scumbags out for a joyride, and organized efforts
to re-sell stolen vehicles in Russia and elsewhere. Driving a gay-ass
minivan definitely puts off Thief A, and I believe such vehicles are
also less than desirable for Thief B.
Thief A wants to impress his pals and his girlie-girls. He wants
quick, nifty compacts and sports cars. Thief B is all about the
rubles. He wants luxury cars and SUV's. The minivan fails on both
counts.
I'd be interested if anyone is aware of online statistics in this
regard (my efforts failed) and I'd also be interested in general
comments about this. Are minivans a good car hire choice for touring
places like Bosnia and Romania?
(They sure hold a lot of stuff! I liked 'em!)
- TR
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