Man, a rational animal?
Every day I see scores of people at unauthorised crossing points desperately running to get to the other side. It is always a race between man and machine. Though most of the time man prevails, the consequences when he fails are of a very high magnitude. Even if there is a pedestrian crossing a few feet down the road, most people feel it beyond themselves to use the crossings. I believe that man is a rational animal but I fail to understand why he cannot grasp the implications of what he is doing. I have seen people perched on the road dividers all set to make a dash across highways. There are people who do not think twice about rushing through heavy traffic either. They think they are athletic enough to cover the distance in record time. While it is heartening to note that the authorities have come down heavily on people who cross the road at unauthorised places, the initiative to desist from these types of behaviour should stem from the individual. Unfortunately, many pedestrians fail to get the message. They only think about their own convenience and not about the trouble they are putting other people into. Unless the attitude changes, there will be no change in results. At the end of the day it is your life.
From Mr C. Sunil Roy
Dubai
What route to take?
Good move and congratulations, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) ("Dubai commuters can now plan their journey," Gulf News, April 20)! I have been trying to use the public transport system but was unaware of the bus numbers and routes required to reach my destination. I hope the new system will help anyone who wants to use the public transport service. Additionally, until the system is up and running, it would be great if the bus numbers and their respective routes were made available on the official website.
From Mr Arun Varghese
Dubai
Website comment
Reasons to explore
I've been using the public transport system since 2007. I was on a visit at that time and had no idea which bus to take. One day, I decided to board a bus at Gold Souq's bus station in Deira. An RTA attendant gave me a map and briefly explained the route the bus would take. It was a very convenient and economical commute since the fare was only Dh1.50 at that time. The information provided by RTA's call centre makes it even more convenient to use the public transport service nowadays. In fact, the helpful agents ask the user which location or street they would be commuting to. It is because of the convenience on offer that my cousins and I have been able to explore places we couldn't have possibly afforded by taxi. I hope the new system will accommodate everyone interested in using public transport. Good luck and more power to the RTA!
From A Reader
Dubai
Website comment
Online notifications
This is a very good idea as commuters need not wait for hours to use a bus service. Instead, they will now be able to know the estimated time of arrival. Good work RTA! Additionally, it would be wonderful if such information was made available online, too. It would allow commuters to check the arrival time before leaving from work.
From Mr Faique
Dubai
Website comment
Plan and publish
Infrastructure in Dubai is amongst the best in the world. It would be great if an interactive schedule was published on RTA's official website for all modes of transport. This could be coupled with a planner providing the best route alternatives.
From Mr Ammar
Dubai
Website comment
Too scared to drive
I travel from Dubai to Sharjah every morning and there are certain areas that have no underpasses, especially near Ansar mall. There have been accidents in this area before, with more waiting to happen. I'm too scared to drive for this reason. I request the authorities to make the necessary arrangements. As drivers, our lives are at risk, too, for it's not always the driver's fault. I'm totally against rash driving but do care for drivers who drive safely and could unintentionally be involved in an accident caused by careless pedestrians.
From Mr M. Sumant
Sharjah
Global cooling
I am very happy that the temperatures have been low for the past few days. This drastic change is a miracle. During global warming the temperature increases but in UAE it has decreased. People do not have to worry about unpleasant weather when planning to go outdoors. Such is the advantage of a world without global warming. I wish the issue would disappear for everyone to have a cool world and peace of mind.
From Mr Shubhankan Mukherjee
Dubai
Help from another
This is in response to the letter by Ms Katherine Nash where she talks about people who complain a lot ("A little gratitude," Gulf News, April 12). Well Ms Nash, we don't crib or whine over silly issues - it's usually about something which is complicated or needs help. I guess Ms Nash doesn't have any complaints, but not everyone has the same fate. I agree with her that we must be thankful for the small things in our life. I just wish Ms Nash could help us solve all our problems.
From Mr L. Mathew
Dubai
