Freedom
Freedom — to slightly misquote George Michael — it will not let you down, it will not give you up. And there is nothing more freeing than getting a driving licence and hitting the open UAE road. Whether it’s cruising round Jumeirah watching the tourists or just heading into the hills of Fujairah to buy some overpriced ‘organic’ honey from a street-vending farmer carrying an iPhone 6, having a car lets you do what you want, when you want.
You'll become more attractive to the opposite sex
If there’s one thing we know from movies like Rebel Without a Cause, The Fast and the Furious, any James Bond, and Knight Rider (OK, technically TV) is that if you’re a man driving a car, it instantly makes you more appealing to the ladies. (That’s not to say women behind the wheel are any less captivating.) So guys, get your licence, buy something brash and shiny and enjoy people gawking at you as you whizz by.
You have a readymade lateness excuse
Public transport in Dubai is boringly reliable, with none of the charm of a three-hour platform wait like on the London Tube. So, if you’ve slept in after a night out and are going to be late for work, you’ve got zero fallback. That’s where having a car comes into its own. You have a delightful range of bailouts that include stuck in traffic on Shaikh Zayed Road, being involved in a fender bender, have blown a (tyre, radiator, colander? — whatever). And you will sound utterly plausible.
You can avoid other people
One of the scourges of public transport and occasionally Uber is that you have to share physical space with other people. You’ve seen them — others. Too loud, too prone to conversation, often of dubious hygiene. No one should be regularly subjected to that. That is why having your own licence is amazing – you can just head off solo, listening to your UB40 album without judgement, in blissful solitude.
Limits number of penetrating taxi driver chats
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a Dubai taxi driver must be in want of a conversation. About you. Or their family. Dubai’s hardy road warriors are the salt of the Earth. No one is denying that but there are only so many times as a woman you can explain why you are not married and why you don’t have children. Equally, there are only so many times you can hear about someone’s brother who is coming to Dubai but there is a visa issue, and he’s got a bad leg, etc. Once in a while these can be fun exchanges. Every day, not so much.
You'll be a grown-up
And on a more serious note — getting your licence can help you on the path to that dream career. In fact, it could be the vital missing piece to your CV. It lets a prospective employer know you’re able to get to and from work without issue, and shows you’re serious about success. Even if you can’t afford a car, to have a licence ready and waiting is a good thing – and, who knows, maybe a company car will be part of the deal!
