Road rage a growing danger for motorists

Dubai: Long lines at traffic signals and endless waiting in daily snarl-ups is driving many motorists crazy and the incidents of road rage are increasing, motorists said.

Imran Saeed, an Emirati government employee, said he recently fought with a motorist who cut in front of him after passing a long queue and tried to push himself in despite the chaos he was causing.

"I had waited in the long queue for at least 10 minutes and suddenly this motorist comes and tries to push his car in front of all the queue who has been waiting," he said.

Saeed said the motorist managed to get in front of him forcefully.

"I went to talk to him and ask why he did not respect the queue. He behaved rudely so I had a quarrel with him which ended when passersby intervened," he said.

Shamsa Ahmad, an Emirati private sector employee, said she did not engage in any quarrel personally, but she witnessed a fight as she was waiting in the traffic queue.

"I saw a taxi driver cutting in front of a motorist. The motorist followed the taxi driver for a distance and stopped him. The two started fighting through the windows of their cars and the motorist shut his windows while the taxi driver was still talking and drove away furiously," she said.

Fatima Mohammad, an Egyptian housewife, said she gets stuck in traffic for more than one hour every day when she goes to pickup her children from school.

She said she tries to control herself when some motorists cut in front of her to escape the long queues.

"Once I lost my temper and threw an empty water bottle at the window of a car that cut in front of me deliberately. I usually control myself, but that day I was in a hurry," she said.

Lack of respect

Mahmoud Akhtar, an Indian salesman, said some motorists on the roads drive to irritate other road users.

"Sometimes, I give way to a motorist, but what I get is his rude behaviour when he purposely drives slowly while there are no cars in front of him or keeps braking for no reason, just to irritate the motorists behind him," he said.

John B., a Briton, said many motorists need to be educated and aware that the roads belong to everyone and therefore they must respect other road users, even if they were not very relaxed or were in a hurry.

"Being in a hurry, one does not think about others on the road and I think this is one of the reasons behind many accidents," he said.

A traffic police official said road manners are the most important thing on the road in addition to abiding by traffic rules.

"It is a challenge to control yourself, especially with the growing traffic jams. However, it is essential, and a part of driving attitude to learn to tolerate, be patient and courteous," he said.

Penalties for breaking the law should be increased, for example, Dh2,000 for a speed fine and Dh70,000 for passing a red light plus a night in jail. Cameras should be more widely used.
H M
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 13:23

I am a housewife and we face such problems on weekends too, where motorists try to cut in and enter at the beginning of the lane towards entering tunnels.
Sudha
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 13:21

This is what happens when you have over 100 different nationalities that drive, each one forces their culture of driving of their home on the road and that creates chaos.
Ahmed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 12:05

The first frustration to over come for a new comer to the UAE is the ordeal undergone to obtain a driving license and the cost. The next stumbling block on procuring a license is the traffic jams and finding a parking space and parking fees. The agony becomes even greater in summer and even those who opt for public transport like buses, are not spared. Forget the rude natured taxi drivers. I remember one taxi driver who advised me to leave from my office an hour later so that there would be lesser traffic ... the cheek he had. Another taxi driver was willing to take me where he wanted to go. I thought it was the other way around. Anyways, with some good things come a few bad things too. One has to take it in one's stride. Keep smiling is all I will say to all travelers, drivers and hitchhikers (especially the ones whose shoes are worn out on the roads of Dubai. I need to get myself a new pair of shoes with extra cushion).
Jayanth
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 10:33

I have personally witnessed such road rage. The traffic police must deal properly with the offenders. Well, if a taxi driver is in fault, all one has to do is to note the taxi registration plate number, the location, time and date and just call up RTA or the taxi company and give full details and the taxi driver will be fined, if it's his fault. Every big city has traffic problems, not just Dubai. But, in Dubai most of the traffic is caused due to people stopping/parking in the middle of roads.This has to be curbed.
Rajesh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 10:26

Driving tests should include the lessons of 'road manners'.
Zulfikar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 10:15

Road rage is a growing danger for motorists. It is wrong to put all the drivers in one pot. I even find the truck drivers on the Awir road are really bad as some have dirty number plates, not visible, trying to push you off the road at 110kph. This is ridiculous. The lanes, giving way to many is extremely polite. Just show indicators and many will give way. I think it is sad that it is only some who spoil the name of many.
Firozali
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 10:01

As congestion on the roads seems to be ever-increasing, road rage will increase with it. I cringe in the capital whenever a car with a Dubai plate is nearby. The Dubai drivers are particularly rude, arrogant and total chancers. It is a pity they inflict their dreadful ways here in Abu Dhabi.
Stephen
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 09:38

I lived and drove in the US, and driving in big metropolitan cities during peak hours, I have never seen the kind of behavior I see in Dubai. Sometimes I feel it all relies on a biased view where you are higher than the other. In this country, there are classes based on nationality, the car you drive, etc. This shows during driving. Road manners or etiquette, come from within, from teachings at home, and I don't think the police or any driving school can teach you this. We live in Dubai, a buzzing metropolis, and these things for some reason are bound to happen.
R B
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 09:26

I personally hate driving while I am in Dubai, the RTA must keep mandatory road rage classes before anyone can get their licenses. This will teach all motorist to behave whilst driving. I have witnessed more road rage in Dubai then any other city in the world. This problem should be curbed before it becomes very dangerous.
Ali
Orlando,USA
Posted: February 23, 2008, 09:06

Can the authorities impose heavy fines on the spot for those reckless drivers who forcefully cannot wait on the queues or respect the queues?
Henry
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 09:04

This is a huge problem all over Dubai. People here think their day is more important than the person they are offending. It would be helpful if police would ticket people more for this behaviour. We all agree that sitting in a long line is annoying and frustrating. But it still does not mean you get to cut someone off.
Erica
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 23, 2008, 08:26