I stay in Abu Shagara in Sharjah, and have faced several issues while living here.
Lack of parking
It is very crowded and commonly a used car market area.
I have noticed the showrooms block almost all the inner roads to the residential areas, making it difficult for residents to find parking on a daily basis, but even more so on Thursdays and Fridays.
I am not saying that the used car showrooms should do not do their business here, but everybody has the right to move freely in this area, so they shouldn’t monopolise the residents’ parking spaces.
Irresponsible driving
Another issue I have personally experienced in Abu Shagara, is some people’s unsafe driving practices.
One evening, around 9pm, I was crossing the road with my daughter near my building when all of a sudden a speeding car overtook me. The area was not designated for turning and if I had not noticed him driving in the wrong direction and speeding, my daughter and I would not be alive at this moment.
This area is also quite often used by children playing near their buildings.
I request the authorities to tighten their patrols in order to control these harsh drivers or to put speed breakers at the road junctions to prevent a major disaster.
Lack of pedestrian crossings
I would also request the authorities build pedestrian bridges or underpasses on Al Wahda Road, especially between the Gold Souq, where their are no crossing facilities. Currently crossings are only available at either end of the signal.
I have often noticed parents risking their lives with their children as they cross at undesignated areas to get to where the school buses wait.
I hope the authorities will take some stern steps to deal with these issue before a major incident takes place.
The reader is based in Sharjah.
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