Joe: Some of the worst offenders are the taxi drivers, too! My advice would be: rent a car. Drive cautiously and defensively. Don't let anyone intimidate you. Stay far to the left and always approach corners as though there might possible be someone stopped in the street around the bend. Be watchful as cars tend to stop for no apparent reason to let someone in traffic, visit with friends or just because...

It's no wonder that almost every car you see on St John has at least one good size dent. Between the very slow driving tourists and the aggressive, erratic, tail-gating islanders, I felt extremely lucky to survive the past week with no (additional) damage to my rental. It rained fairly often, making the steep roads very slippery. I've never had to use 4 wheel drive as much as I did last week.

I grew up in a tourist community and therefore understand some of the frustration that the locals feel when we are driving around hogging the roads and rubbernecking. Most of your "aggressive, erratic tail-gating" drivers seem to be of the younger crowd and that is a world wide problem of youth behind the wheel. I spent a great deal of time driving in Boston when I was younger and to be honest with you there is little difference. I have yet to need 4WD in St. Thomas. If the roads are that bad in the rain I'd stay home. Kind of like when it snows here in New England, most people stay off the roads when it is snowing.