Letters: May 14, 2012

No more rewards
I wonder what is the point of imposing a fine for an offence in the first place (‘Motorists in Dubai can pay fines in instalments,’ Gulf News, May 9)? If people are given discounts and ease of payment, then the laws have no effect on offenders. If people do not feel the pain of committing a crime, they tend to repeat it. Instead of giving leniency, the authorities should make a law that all fines should be paid within a month. If people accrue more than Dh3,000 in fines, they should not be allowed to drive to deter them from committing further offences.
From Mr Shabir Zain Al Deen
Dubai

Confiscate violators’ cars
I totally agree with Zain Al Deen, there is no deterrent. If you cannot renew your registration because you cannot afford the outstanding traffic fines, then the vehicle should be confiscated until all fines are paid and the registration is complete. Does this mean that those people are now driving with unregistered and possibly uninsured vehicles?
From a Reader
Dubai

A shameful act
The Air India pilots’ strike is a known fact (‘Air India sacks 10 striking pilots and derecognises their union,’ Gulf News, May 9). That they often inconvenience passengers is sad and unacceptable. It is high time the government intervenes and settles the issue amicably without further inconvenience to the passengers. That the national carrier often goes on strike is shameful to the nation.
From Mr K. Ragavan
India

Government must take a stand
It is high time the government and civil aviation ministry withstood such antics by Air India staff, be they pilots or from other support functions. A message, which cannot be doubted, must be sent by the government that this shall not be tolerated. All bailouts for Air India are primarily borrowed money from the government treasury and the people of India. The nation would like to see their national carrier doing well rather than being held to ransom by the staff. In the past few years, people have seen only negative results and information about Air India. This must change forthwith. Impediments should be shunted out, no second thoughts.
From Mr Raja
Dubai

Talks needed
We should hear both sides of the story before taking a stand. These pilots have not been paid their salary for the past six months and still they have continued working. Why react today? We should put ourselves in the same position and see how much it hurts. The pilots had been discussing this with the management for days, but they were not prepared to talk. Yes, there will be demands which could be considered unreasonable, but don’t we talk with our children? Think it over coolly.
From Mr Ravi
India

A true patriot
Indian superstar Aamir Khan’s foray into reality TV is not surprising, having shown a tendency for getting involved in national issues, such as lending tacit support for Anna Hazare during his anti-corruption campaign (‘Aamir Khan makes a successful debut on TV,’ Gulf News, May 8). Even directors, whose films have national themes, are banking on him to appear in their films. With a flair for comedy and a social conscience, it won’t be long before he gets a call-up from the Prime Minister. His pilot episode about female foeticide, a scourge of Indian society, drew thousands. Patriotism personified.
From Mr A.R. Modak
Johannesburg, South Africa

Ensuring safety on roads
This article has come at the right time and is very informative (‘Checking tyres could save your life,’ Gulf News, May 9). In this hot weather, the chance of a tyre bursting is very high. It is common practice that some people search for tyres with inferior quality just to save money. Another tendency is to stretch their use as long as they can without even considering the wear and tear. This is very dangerous in these extreme conditions. When a tyre bursts while travelling at high speed, people tend to lose control of the vehicle and this is not only dangerous for them but also for other vehicles on the road. If we own a car, it is our primary responsibility to maintain it, especially from a safety point of view. Changing tyres on time and monitoring them constantly for pressure and wear and tear is a must. Let us hope that this article will create the required awareness among people and that they will take timely action to ensure safety.
From Mr Shivshankar K. T.
Dubai

Make checks mandatory
Very useful information. My question is, what percentage of drivers are aware of the safety requirements for tyres? And secondly, how effectively do they check and carry out the actual task of checking the pressure and filling them? Once summer starts, not many make the effort to get down and check their tyres due to the heat. My simple suggestion is let the authorities authorise a number of tyre shops or have ‘approved tyre clinics’ so that we can just drive in and let the competent personnel of these shops or clinics do their job. They can then put a sticker or issue a certificate that says the tyres have been checked and fit. This has to be a legal requirement for all cars and checking them should be made mandatory every three months. The authorities can check the sticker or certificate for valid dates. Also, they should keep the charges for tyre checks and certification at not more than Dh15.
From Mr Satheesh
Sharjah