Driving

[superscot69]

Just wondered what all your thoughts are on driving in the UAE. Just returned back to the UK after a 10 day trip to finalise my new work venture and as this was my 4th trip this year just wanted to gather your own thoughts!

I can really only describe it as outrageous and seriously dangerous when you take to the roads either in Dubai or where i was heading to RAK.
Totally no regards for you or any passengers within the vehicle by certain drivers. Woe betides you if you’re in the wrong lane as no one and i mean no one really gives a singing hoot about you!
Choosing my wording carefully.

Over the 10 day trip i would say at least on 3 occasions we were nearly wiped out by people with totally no regards to your welfare and when i say 3 occasions i mean per day!

Why bother to indicate when they have no intention to let you in to the lane in any case. Speed can only be described as shocking and i mean shocking with speeds well outside the recommended limits set and inside overtaking in the slow lane is common practice at speeds Michael Schumacher would be proud off.

I seriously took to insane road rages at times with what people intended to do to us, and with a country that is supposed to be awash with money they really need to invest in some serious traffic management with sever penalties imposed on those who flout the law. Very few police cars on view and the lane jumping to get 10 feet in front was in my own thoughts pointless and this was going on over a whole 5/6 lane carriageway at speeds that was mind boggling. The thing that to got me was the cars involved were extremely expensive cars compared to the UK prices. Give us your thoughts

[streetspirit]

I pretty much agree with all of this.

I was a confident driver in the UK. I hate it here. I assume that every other car on the road is out to kill me. So far I've avoided about 10 accidents by thinking that way.

My biggest gripe is the complete disregard for the safety of children. I have two littles one completely strapped in correctly in safety seats.

Getting overtaken at 140+ by a car with a baby (youngest I've seen was about 6 months old) just sat on the passengers lap or worse still sat on the drivers absolutely makes my blood boil.

[nikkisizer]

Hello superscot69,

I totally agree with you but unfortunately it is the norm out here and I doubt it will change, not in the near future anyway!

At first it really frustrated me too but over time I am sorry to say you just get used to it.

[AlexDhabi]

I agree that driving standards are poor in UAE. I think the combination of different nations' driving norms helps to make it more dangerous Lane hogging, tail-gating, under-taking, driving on the hard shoulder, flashing of headlights, misuse of the horn (and even slow drivers become hazards). I find it interesting that the worst driven vehicles are both Toyotas: the Hiace minibus and the Landcruiser. I reckon it is safer to drive yourself (be alert and use indicators even if others don't) than get in a taxi.
It is difficult to enforce the rules by imposing stiff fines, when many of those terrible 4x4 drivers don't care what price they pay for fines. I believe from talking to my white-robed colleagues that how much you have paid in fines is a badge of honour. They cannot believe that in over 12 years of driving in UAE I have had just one speeding fine and one parking fine (nor can I, I am not that good a driver - like you say there are not many road patrols).
In the National today there is a story of a single driver who accumulated 9 million Dirhams in traffic fines in his various vehicles, most of which had expired insurance and registration (MOT equivalent). Even if they confiscate the car and licence off such people they just get in another vehicle or borrow one belonging to a relative.
At present there is a debate in the UAE on whether seat belts should be compulsory in the back of the car. If you have a large family it is physically impossible to belt up anyway. We still see babies on laps in the front of cars and kids on the laps of drivers - or standing up between the seats.
I have heard some of the fatalistic reasoning behind blatant disregard for safety of oneself and family is that they believe it is already written which day they will die. Thus no matter what action you take you will only die on the appointed day. I've heard this sort of reasoning from more than one person and it is not limited to just one religion/culture. Lack of consideration for consequences for self and others on the roads (and in other walks of life) is extremely self-centred. How do you convince someone who thinks like that being at the wheel of a car is like having a loaded weapon?
Finding a solution to bring UAE roads into the developed world requires a complex multicultural solution.