Impound vehicles
Police need to set up traffic control points, stop vehicles and check that all the documents are in order ("Renewing vehicle registration vital for insurance cover", Gulf News, August 24). If not, impound the vehicle or issue a fine that must be paid on the spot. With available technology it is easy for police to input a plate number and check if the registration is valid and how many fines are outstanding against the vehicle owner. All that is needed is to have patrols check shopping mall parking lots and tow away vehicles with expired registration. If the owner wants his or her vehicle back, make them pay all fines and charges due before the vehicle is released. Sending a text message to someone who does not care about outstanding fines or renewing registration is a waste of time.
From Mr Louie Tedesco Dubai
Driven by money
It is really simple — insurance for a vehicle is given for 13 months and the registration is for 12 months. If the general public is forced to renew their registration
after 12 months, the insurance companies will make a lot of money.
From Mr Peter, Abu Dhabi
Control insurance providers
Insurance premiums are paid for a particular car for a specific insurance period. The insurance companies should pay the insurance claims even if the registration is expired, until the insurance period exists. Not registering cars is the business of the authorities and it is only them who should be fining and penalising those offenders, not the insurance companies. Insurance companies are private entities and not on a par with government regulatory bodies.
From Mr Eduardo, Dubai
Respect local customs
As the UAE develops, it becomes more cosmopolitan with people of all nationalities and backgrounds flocking to the country to enjoy the shopping and sight-seeing opportunities, and the culture. However, there are a few who do not make an effort to read about our culture and religion or understand our background. I would like to point out that the first thing any global business course emphasises is learning beforehand about the culture and customs when undertaking an international venture so as not to be humiliated or disrespectful towards the host country and its people upon arrival. We tend to come across stories in the news of expatriates who dress indecently. There are also stories of individuals performing indecent acts publicly. Fingers are then pointed in all directions — at expatriates who do not take the time to read about and acquaint themselves with our culture and customs, or at the country for not clearly communicating what is and what is not acceptable. No matter who is to blame, one thing has been made clear: that such acts of rebellion and indecent exposure or activities are not acceptable, especially not to UAE citizens. It is true that more efforts should be made to highlight what is not acceptable before an expatriate enters the country, such as through informational videos on aircraft or at customs. However, it is crucial that people entering any country — not just the UAE — should read up and familiarize themselves with the customs and culture of the country. It then becomes common sense and a must to respect them, which in turn means respecting yourself and following the rules and regulations.
From Ms Fatima Kazim, UAE
Don’t blame the road
I guess, instead of finding fault, we must congratulate authorities in Sharjah and the UAE in general for the amazing infrastructure. Traffic bottlenecks are created by people, not by the roads — especially people who do not have any respect for other motorists and traffic. I congratulate the authorities in Sharjah for the new road.
From Mr Adrian Bratu Sharjah
Confusing routes
I appreciate the efforts of authorities in Sharjah for developing new road infrastructure (“Drivers find new road in Sharjah confusing”, Gulf News, August 23). However, they should also have a clear vision [of a project] to make things easier for commuters
and road users. The same problem occurred when the Al Wahda Bridge was opened for traffic. All service roads were not properly connected to the main road and motorists were confused as to where to turn and where to stop. Despite the fact that the authorities received complaints from many people, they did not address the issue.
My first drive via the new underpass was similarly confusing. I request the authorities to take this opinion in good spirit to give us all the pleasure of a comfortable drive.
From Mr Dorairajan Ravi , Sharjah
No sense of direction
The report in Gulf News is very true as I have lost my way countless times in Sharjah. There are not enough signs to help motorists get to various localities from the main thoroughfares. Sudden turns or exits might surprise you or you may miss them altogether.
I wish Sharjah authorities would do something about this and make life easier for commuters.
From Mr Naresh, Dubai
