Driving slow, obstructing traffic
I am happy to hear that fines will be raised for talking on your phone while driving (‘Police seek tougher penalties for drivers using mobile phones’, Gulf News, January 28). You have these drivers talking on the phone most of the time and obstructing traffic – and don’t forget endangering other’s lives! Most of them also take advantage of the fact that most cars are tinted these days, and it’s not very noticeable, but when you look through closely, they are on their mobile.
From Ms Christina Scurville
UAE
Facebook comment
A distracting habit
Even taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi use their phones while driving, there was an incident where I argued with the taxi driver because I was giving him directions, and he didn’t follow because he was too busy chatting on the phone!
From Mr Gari Zaldee
UAE
Facebook comment
Putting lives at risk
What you have said is correct, Mr Gari Zaldee and I have also seen many people while driving are not putting on their seat belts either. It’s very difficult to drive on busy roads with people putting everyone’s lives at risk. A strict law should come that either cancels the driving licence of the offender or issues a big fine. On highways and roundabouts, I have seen drivers texting and talking on the phone while driving and they slow down their vehicles. What a dangerous area to be distracted!
From Mr Jagan Cochin
UAE
Facebook comment
Causing traffic
Very true. People talk on the phone whilst driving and slow down their vehicles. Due to that, others get stuck behind them and it causes heavier traffic. It’s as bad as rubbernecking – if not worse!
From Ms Farida Fatehi
UAE
Facebook comment
Thinking twice now!
Way too many do it and slow down the whole lane on the highways. With such a high fine, they’ll think twice!
From Ms Sabrina Mansour
UAE
Facebook comment
Extremely careless parenting
I strongly disapprove of the idea of taking children to work, regardless of the environment (‘Baby’s debut in Spain bull ring raises ire on social media’, Gulf News, January 28). Babies must be left home with relatives or guardians or at day care centres under trained supervision. But, in this case, the work environment is extremely dangerous and it is very irresponsible of the bullfighter to take his daughter onto the field and expose her to the potential risks.
The man is overconfident and fails to realise that animals are unpredictable and sometimes can act out. The child may have fallen and have been mowed down by the aggressive bull. As a father, it was extremely careless of him to put his child in a such situation.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Some traditions to be broken
The man says that his family has been bullfighting for generations, but even if my great-great-great-great grandfather never took a bath and wandered around the village with an animal’s bladder on a stick, doesn’t mean I have to!
From Mr Clive Temple
Dubai
Facebook comment
Putting a child in danger
Isn’t this the equivalent to wilfully putting a child in harm’s way? I can’t believe this is all for the sake of a ‘tradition’!
From Ms Deepti Ramachandran
Dubai
Facebook comment
Trump-ed up views
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump (‘India catches Trump’s attention — he says country doing great’, Gulf News, January 28), is well known for his critical views on developing countries like China and Mexico, and he said: “India is doing great”.
This is the first time Trump has given a glimpse of his views about India since launching his presidential campaign in 2015. He said: “America has gone from its tremendous power that was respected all over the world to somewhat a laughing stock. All of a sudden people are talking about China and India and other places. America has come down a long way and it is very sad.”
To me, whatever he said seems correct. Whether he will be chosen as the President of the US is a moot point.
From Mr Sunny Joseph Mala
Kerala, India
Unacceptable actions
Today yoga has been recognised worldwide for healthy living and even as an alternative to medication (‘Yoga guru Bikram faces $6.4m in damages’, Gulf News, January 28). But, unfortunately, those who are teaching yoga misbehave with their students, especially women and this is sad and highly condemned. The yoga guru Bikram Choudhury has now allegedly committed sexual harassment and is now paying for that after the court order.
Teachers of any discipline should behave properly and get their respect without indulging in this kind of actions.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
Corruption hinders India’s potential
Even though there is an improvement in corruption, it still remains a major cause for delaying progress for a country like India that has enormous potential to become powerful in every aspect. Political leaders should not be blamed for this alarming trend, but the system and practices and some of the traditional perceptions need an overhauling to transform India.
It is an acceptable fact that wherever money is involved malpractices will happen. It is high time India must have strong anti-bribery and corruption policies and guidelines backed by independent investigating agencies to ensure corruption is eradicated in a phased manner.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Muscat, Oman
Too much leads to addiction
The new trend to post selfies in social media has endangered so many precious lives (Poll analysis: Are selfies necessary in the modern world?’, Gulf News, January 28). The new trend is an obsession and it is creating a mental state, which leads one to feel insecure without online attention. I don’t understand what sort of pleasure they are getting out of it.
Nowadays people don’t have time to talk to each other, even within family circles, but those same people will be posting selfies on social media. Taking selfies is a widespread syndrome and it is common to think of those who post selfies as narcissistic or vain.
Selfies can damage real relationships and it is like we have embraced individualism as our culture. Most teenagers consider selfies as harmless, but the fact is that it causes obsession. I do believe that if we do not have self confidence in ourselves, we are more likely to be addicted to selfies.
Nowadays we all interact with different social media platforms, but too much and it will lead to narcissism, depression and low self-esteem. It’s practically designed to create insecurities within us and we waste endless precious hours looking at the lives of others.
The ‘likes’ that we get give us a sense of importance and encourage us to use this platform continuously, and it makes us addicted. Even though social media connects people together and creates happiness, we should be very careful and should not get addicted or endanger our lives with it.
From Mr Eappen Elias
Dubai
Everything in moderation
It cannot be stressed enough that there is an urgent need to have proper and consistent monitoring of our children’s online activities. Many parents, devoid of what goes on with their children in the virtual world, have divulged their inability in providing sufficient controls and checks to monitor their children’s frivolous web surfing, primarily because most are unable to spare the necessary quality time.
The lack of outdoor and sporting activities among young children is also largely due to the amount of time spent on online indulgence. It most certainly is a large contributing cause to why children lead such sedentary lifestyles. Young children who are not prompted to actively participate in outdoor sporting activities tend to divert the majority of their attention and energies to other less productive activities.
On the contrary, barring young minds away from interaction with internet will have adverse effects and impede their intellectual development, as well. The need is to achieve and maintain a moderate level of interaction, which should be adequately and effectively supervised.
From Mr Bilal Farooq
Abu Dhabi
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