Expected availability
I read Haresh Kheshkani’s letter on reckless driving, and I fully support him and the fears he has because of the drivers on the road (‘Letters to the editor: Drivers risking my life,’ Gulf News, November 12). I appreciate that he has taken the effort to write to the newspaper, hoping that some corrective action will be taken. Thankfully, gone are the days when people are just making phone calls while driving. With bluetooth enabled cars, calls are not that much of an issue. What’s worrying is the tendency to read messages and emails while driving and that explains why eyes move from the road to the phone, back and forth constantly. Technological advances are great, and I do believe that it’s good to be connected, but these aren’t more important than our lives and families who will bear the brunt of the irresponsible behaviour of some individuals. I think employers have a great role to play here - the expectations to immediately and constantly respond to emails, calls and messages put pressure on employees to take the risk. If you were to conduct a poll, I would guess that more than 80 per cent of respondents would say that they answer official emails, calls and messages on the go.
From Ms Ranjana
UAE
Think before acting
The moral of the story here is to be more responsible in our own way, as people can’t be bothered to put away their shopping trolleys (‘Careless shopper’s trolley scratched my car’, Gulf News, November 12). Just imagine, the trolley only needs to be put in its proper place, taking just a few seconds! Still, those irresponsible people are not doing it and cars are getting scratched. Try self-service, think about where you are. Be aware, care for others, demonstrate polite manners and be patient.
From Ms Joaquin
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Dents from car doors
This is also true to the people who open the doors of their car without bothering with the damage that they cause to the cars parked beside them. Some people are busy talking on their cell phones and are so distracted that they don’t even care to open their doors safely. It is their prerogative to damage another’s car. I also have a problem with the person who is cleaning the car next to your car or on the road, the car in front is spraying water to clean their windshield, and it’s spraying your car that is nice and clean!
From Mr Babu
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Garbage trolleys, too!
Your article about shopping trollies left haphazardly in parking areas is very true. The same is the case with the garbage trolleys kept near the road parking. Some people carelessly move it, making a scratch on the parked cars nearby. I am also a victim of that.
From Mr Sreekumar Menon
UAE
Website comment
Lack of civility
Scratches and dents are the pleasures of owning a car in the city. Parents let their little ones push trolleys and play with them. Even if you see a trolley being pushed by a child that hits your car, you dare not say anything - you can offend the parents. Lack of civic sense seems to be the norm!
From Mr Ashim Abdullah
Dubai
Website comment
Solutions to this problem
To solve this issue, like in Canada, the supermarkets can install an alarm which is triggered the moment you unload the last shopping bag in your car. The alarm will only shut off when you park the trolley back into the trolley-designated area. The sound of the alarm is so irritating that the shopper is bound to walk the trolley back to the area. Only then will the alarm shut off. This technology is an expensive one, but it will save the aggravation of other shoppers’ inconvenience.
The other method is to install coin slots on the trolleys with a value of Dh10 to release it. The trolleys come with a chain lock attached to other trolleys and only when the trolley is put back in its designated area, where the other trolleys are chained to one other, will the Dh10 be given back to the shopper. These are the methods that every supermarket or department store should introduce to teach the negligent people who take it for granted and abandon the trolleys for others to suffer.
From Mr Kazim Mirza
Dubai
Website comment
Other ways to help society
Even with the protest of the ‘Kiss of Love’, I think our society in India has given most freedoms to every individual to act on their wishes (‘After Kiss of Love protest, Kerala braces for Kiss in the Street,’ Gulf News, November 12). Unfortunately, the younger generations don’t judge the moral effects that these actions will have on the younger children with these sorts of incidents. There are so many other causes they can raise the voices for: “Clean India”, “Dignity for the elderly” and projects raising funds for the underprivileged. I don’t think it’s really worth supporting such activities. These youth are just selfish and who have had enough luxuries in life that now they want to demonstrate in public. They intend to play around with the ecosystem of the society, which is not at all willing for such trends. I think the social websites should be monitored and blocked from such calls, and I think that the media should not publicise these issues more. Rather they should consult the municipalities if they are really working towards the wellness of society.
From Mr Rajesh
Dubai
Website comment
Politically damaging
The youth in Kerala succeeded in getting maximum publicity to the event ‘Kiss of Love’ solely on account of the polarised socio-political environment. The position of hardline religious elements against this event is becoming weaker and weaker, day by day. Not only have the moral policing by individuals, but even the police force as a whole, has been meddling into the privacy of individuals. All thanks to the prevailing practice of fake morality. If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and religious organisations continue this nature of vandalism, the prospects of the party will be diminished in the state, especially among the youth.
From Mr Girish R. Edathitta
Dubai
Website comment
It will fade away
I’m not sure where the world is heading. Once this is over, I am sure the youth will want to explore more adventures - all in the name of being open-minded. The media should stop giving any coverage to these events, and it will eventually die out. In a world when love is so expressive, there is so much divorce and separation.
From Mr Thomas
Dubai
Website comment
Editors’ note: Is there a news report that you feel strongly about? Something that has to be addressed in the community and requires resolution? Email us on readers@ gulfnews.com. You can also post a comment on our Facebook page or tweet us @GNReaders.
