An act of kindness when I had little hope
For the past few months, I have been thinking about commenting on the increasing aggressiveness of drivers in Dubai. Nervous honking and rude tailgating are only some of the experiences we face on a daily basis. But the other day, something happened that made me change my tune.
I ran out of petrol due to my tricky fuel gauge, on Al Khail Road near Jadaf, at midnight! Without much hope, I took out my jerry can and positioned myself by the road, facing the oncoming traffic. I had no opportunity to discern a taxi whizzing by in the darkness, let alone to attract a driver’s attention. After a minute, I halfheartedly turned around to walk, but where to?
But then, behind me, a motorist in an SUV stopped his vehicle. It was an Emirati living in Dubai, and he did not just give me a lift to a nearby petrol station, he also brought me back to my stranded car, and then waited to make sure that the engine was up and running before continuing on his way.
A big thank you for your kind help, Mr Mohammad Mubarak, and another big thank you for this demonstration of good, old UAE virtues: Compassion, kindness and helpfulness!
From Mr Klaus Eidelpes
Dubai
Leave home earlier
Why is everyone in a hurry while driving (‘Driver rescued after car falls into sea in Sharjah’, Gulf News, May 17)? How difficult is it to leave home a little earlier? Recklessness results in road rage, rash driving and cutting into lanes. It’s very frustrating, when you are stuck in traffic, to have to cope with such drivers on the road.
From Mr Erum Noman
UAE
Facebook comment
Punishing rash drivers
Such drivers should be punished! Even the people who drive safely are at risk with such motorists running into innocent people and endangering others’ lives. The poor man! He suffered a lot, and it wasn’t even his mistake. Rash drivers should get bigger punishments.
From Ms Kulsoom Sadiq
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Distracted
This man’s concentration must have been elsewhere. Thank God both drivers came out of the situation, safe and secure. We proud of Sharjah Police once again, for keeping the roads safe and for protecting us.
From Mr Anwar Ali Khan Yousafzai
Dubai
Facebook comment
Raise fines
If running red lights is one of the most dangerous traffic offences, then the fine for it is disproportionately less (‘This traffic fine will increase from July 1’, Gulf News, May 18). Tailgaters are monsters on the road who, I feel, go through a sudden adrenaline rush or develop a split personality, not caring for themselves or others on the road. The only deterrent for these drivers is to either jail them or cancel their driver’s licence.
From Mr Rino Suren
UAE
Facebook comment
Correcting bad habits
I read news reports recently, and also an editorial, regarding driving habits in the UAE. While I completely agree with the points highlighted, it is indeed a surprise that Gulf News overlooked an important factor that contributes to slow traffic on multi-lane highways. If you monitor the rush-hour traffic on any busy multi-lane road in Dubai, the reality is that the slower lanes are almost completely free, whereas the fast lanes are entirely clogged, with tailgaters causing traffic. I think this is a major cause for traffic build-up.
The basic rule that should be followed by all drivers on multi-lanes roads is: If and when approached by a faster moving vehicle from behind, irrespective of which lane the vehicle is in, move over to the slower lane when space is available. A majority of drivers have the wrong notion that slower lanes are for heavy vehicles only, and that it is right to hold up traffic if the vehicle is moving at the speed limit allowed on that specific road.
Another dangerous practice of drivers is to slow down to watch accident scenes, even if it has happened on the opposite side of the road. I request Gulf News to lead the way and to educate drivers by running an effective awareness campaign on these issues.
From Mr Bader
UAE
Full name withheld on request
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