Drive defensively
I think the writer aims to describe certain driving traits and likely behavioural outcome as a result (‘How road rage reveals your personality’, Gulf News, February 15). It is best to leave bullying drivers alone and drive defensively. Not giving way to those irrational drivers will definitely compromise personal safety and those of fellow drivers. Do not try to deal with them and do not become a victim. You can not change their behaviour, only they have the ability to change themselves. So leave them alone and let the traffic radars and highway police deal with them. Be a responsible resident and drive safe.
From Mr Arifeen
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Stick to the rules
If people persist in driving in the fast lane, they know what happens. Why be there if they are going at speed limits? Stay out of that lane. Otherwise, they cause accidents as is the case with Kholousi Khayal’s experience in the article. Stick to the rules all the time, not when it suits!
From Ms Josephine Sullivan
UAE
Irrational driving
Last week there was this driver flashing his headlights, and I didn’t respond. He ultimately had to change lanes and then appeared again in front of me slowing down to which I reciprocated by keeping a safe distance. He realised that he was being irrational and couldn’t keep slowing down for long, and sped away.
From Mr Rohan D.
Dubai
Website comment
We need to behave
The bottom line is that if we continue to behave like children, our freedoms will be taken from us and we will end up heavily regulated. In other countries there is a lot of maturity and respect for the law and the safety of others. For example, when there is an area of pavement painted where we aren’t supposed to drive on in Scotland, it is respected and not driven over. Here, the authorities are being forced to put bigger pavement barriers.
From Mr Omar Al Khan
Dubai
Speaks to your personality
This is absolutely right. The way you drive reveals something about your personality, whether selfishness, narrow-minded, kind hearted or calmness. This is something that I really liked to watch closely during my drive as well. People who are so impatient when driving are basically impatient people in their life. I feel it is their basic nature that comes out naturally by not giving way for someone when changing lanes or speeding their vehicles thereby not allowing the other person to enter the lane even on a busy road. There are funny people out there.
From Mr Hari
Dubai
Website comment
Negative perceptions
I think most of these reader explanations are incorrect. I sense a lot of opinion-based conclusions. I also think that it is a bit too negative – possibly offensive. Thank you for labelling impatient drivers in somewhat rude ways. Very kind of you!
From Mr Khaled Reza
Al Ain
Website comment
Discrimination
The Gulf News story about the Indian grandfather who was slammed down in the US after a caller reported about a ‘black man’ was sad to read (‘Indian grandfather slammed down in US after caller reported ‘black guy’’, Gulf News, February 15). The Indian man was walking near his neighbourhood in Alabama, US when he was slammed by two police officers and this is completely unacceptable. The reason was that he couldn’t give a reply in English for his identity. The rude behaviour of the US police demonstrates still the race discrimination that is there. Will the administration of Barack Obama look into this? It is a valid issue as the US preaches equality and democracy.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
Advocate against racism
After his recent visit, Obama passed a condescending remark about how India should be united among religions. He needs to first advocate against racism in his own country before offering advice to other countries. Racism among the US authorities, especially at immigration and police is very visible for all to see.
From Mr R. Vasudevan
Dubai
Website comment
Don’t fling mud
In response to R. Vasudevan, there is no doubt that this is a deplorable incident. But, we can say that this incident has been taken seriously. Let’s not fling mud at each other here.
From Mr John S.
Dubai
Website comment
Transparency
I totally condemn this act by the US police. It is an extreme violation of human rights. This person wasn’t powerful enough to be treated like this. I think that hard action must be taken against the police man who did this. The police department and the media should show all the inquiries and action against the police officer, so there will be no such incident again.
From Mr Qasim
Sharjah
Website comment
Developing skills
Schools are meant to be a place where children can spend quality time learning and playing (‘Parent of child with learning difficulty can’t find schools’, Gulf News, February 15). Teachers should have an urge to give their best when they have chosen this noble profession. These young minds are extremely impressionable and learn from their surroundings, making it imperative that they be surrounded by people they can emulate. Schools need to be made a fun place for children, where they can learn basic behavioural, academic and creative skills without any pressure – not only the children who have learning abilities, but also ones who can’t take the pressure will face the same problems in the academic system that we follow.
From Ms Sharmila Rai
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
School for every child
Shame on our so-called ‘inclusive’ educators. Every child has the right to get an education. Charging tens of thousands in school fees, willingly not wanting to have special educational needs (SEN) teachers and provisions as it will slow them down in a race to the top of the list is not acceptable. Selection of students has become so meticulous with special attention given to children with learning difficulties and behaviour problems. I thought children actually learn things at school and shape up their skills. The purpose of school is forgotten. Our children do not support schools in a constant race to the top sought out schools list. Schools must support our children to thrive.
From Ms Larisa
UAE
Website comment
Involvement in classrooms
Placing children with learning disabilities in mainstream classrooms can be difficult for the pupil and the teacher. The child becomes frustrated trying to keep up with the others. The teacher does not have the time for the individual attention the pupil needs. There are ways of keeping the pupil in the mainstream classroom, but they would need to have a tutor working with them in the classroom or have a lesson plan that is at the pupil’s level of learning, and let the pupil work at their own pace. This way the child is in the main classroom and does not become frustrated trying to keep up with their classmates. Another way is to keep them in the mainstream classroom and take them out for tutoring part-time. A child learns by watching other children. Often pairing the pupil with others helps him or her learn.
From Ms Susie Marx
UAE
Website comment
Attention needed
Arvind Kejriwal’s attention and immediate action is very much required on the safety of women in Delhi, India (‘Delhi’s new chief minister Arvind Kejriwal vows to wipe out corruption’, Gulf News, February 15). Strict laws should be implemented against rapists, thus bringing justice to those respectful girls who are brutally raped and murdered.
From Ms Vinita
Sharjah
Website comment
Lets see what happens
Delhi’s new Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sent a dire message to the residents of Delhi that he will serve the capital city for next five years in his speech. He was wearing his usual blue sweater and grey trousers, holding the magic wand to control thousands of people from across the country. His team consists of six cabinet ministers along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The atmosphere was enthralling, but marked by its simplicity. Amid thunderous applause of his fans, he promised good governance with a vision to make Delhi a corruption-free city and assured the people that his government would bring in the Jan Lokpal Bill soon. Now we can keep our fingers crossed to see what is cooking in the capital in the next few months.
From Mr Sunny Joseph
Kerala, India
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