We are on the long and agonising road

Salik. Salik. 50 dirhams. You have to pay me 50 dirhams to pass through," yelled Omar enthusiastically and excitedly.

Omar is no official. Neither does he own a car or has a driving licence to begin with. Yet the eight-year-old boy knows what Salik is all about that he demanded the children racing their cars against his to pay a toll of 50 dirhams if they are to pass through. Omar has successfully erected a mini Roads and Transportation Authority (RTA) system in his family's living room (and if you do not know what the RTA stands for, you should be fined or barred from driving within the city limits).

When I first heard of the fee - I was surprised. No actually, I was shocked. Not because of the amount (which may well come true one day) but because it seems that even our children have become well informed and indeed updated about the state of the roads in the city.

Even during the recent visit of the US President George W. Bush, the joke that went around was on the roads. "By popular demand, Bush is to be the next head of the RTA because he succeeded in putting an end to the congestion of Dubai's roads," said one SMS that I received. "Bush's first decision as new head of RTA is to name Condolezza Rice as his deputy," said the next one.

There seem to be a general state of obsession with roads - one that is never ending.

I bet that many of us have or soon would indulge - yet once again - in a topic that seems never to exhaust us from talking about. Road affairs would make its presence felt during holidays, days off, working hours, lunch hours, and perhaps even during sleep. Talking about the roads has become one topic, which we never seem to give up. In fact, we seem to be obsessed with anything and everything that is directly or remotely related to roads.

Criticism and critical thought over the changing behaviour and character of the roads system seem to be of grave concern. Congestions, diversions, detours, closures, Salik, the metro, and all the other vocabulary related to roads would be repeated tens of times (and I bet on this) every single week. These endless complaints are perhaps "natural" - to some extent I guess. We all use the roads to varying degrees. We all have to use the roads at one point or the other.

Excessive

But the obsession with talking about the roads has reached an excessive state. It is as if, the more we talk about it the lesser congestions, diversions, detours, and closures we would face when venturing on the roads. In fact, we could all use some positive thinking when discussing the roads - especially that many of us become very agitated and upset when the topic is brought up. For a change, let's look at the bright side of things as we are trapped in our vehicles waiting for the signal to go green (and hopefully pass through it after the fifth time), or for the congested lanes to move.

While stuck in traffic, we can surely make use of our time. Like for example: comb and trim your hair, retouch your lipstick, ensure the eyeliner is properly aligned, get connected on the mobile phone with friends, family, the boss (optional), and business associates, or learn a new language, or catch up with the latest news on radio. What you can accomplish while being held hostage in traffic is numerous.

Honestly, I do not understand why everyone is complaining. The curse of the roads I have become accustomed to hear at every gathering I attend. It even dominated a condolence meeting where people who came to attend spoke more of Salik and the congested roads than the departed soul.

In fact, I empathise with the light poles, street lanes, and road bricks for the number of times that they have been hammered, broken down, re-drawn, re-located to new neighbourhoods, before they had even made their presence felt. Imagine their pathetic plight as they live under the fear of being transported to a new location yet once again any given moment of time without prior notice; imagine the plight of motorists.

Hence, let us build on the positive thinking approach and stop being harsh on the remotely tolerated authority.