Gulf News readers place the blame on reckless driving

Dubai: Accidents involving minibuses took away the lives of 14 people in just the first three months of 2009 - a fact that compelled over 150 Gulf News readers to write in to gulfnews.com in an attempt to be heard.

Ron Oakeley, an Ajman resident, places the blame on minibus drivers.

He said: "I have seen some horrendous accidents in the past few years due to the reckless driving and arrogance of the minibus drivers. If they feel the need to speed, they should join a rally instead."

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For safety purposes, Oakeley believes the speed of minibuses should be limited. "It should be set to 90 kilometres per hour and the drivers should receive special training," he said.

Ralph Melis, a Dubai resident, agrees.

He said: "I constantly witness minibus drivers breaking the traffic laws and intimidating other drivers. The speed should either be limited to 100 kilometres per hour or minibuses should be banned from transporting more than six people."

Bindu Sathianesan, an Indian expatriate, holds similar views.

She said: "The number of seats in a minibus is not relevant. It all depends on how it is driven. I travel to work using a minibus and had to lodge a complaint against the driver because he was not being careful. After the complaint, he has been more cautious."

When it comes to comfort, Sathianesan is quite satisfied with the minibus she travels in.

She said: "The old models were not comfortable and the exterior did not seem sturdy. However, the new ones are more spacious and are catered to meet people's needs."

Shahid Hussain, an Abu Dhabi resident, believes restricting the number of passengers in minibuses is necessary.

He said: "Accidents can occur with any form of transport. Instead of completely banning the minibus, I think the authorities should consider forming strict laws when it comes to obtaining a driver's licence and should also reduce the number of passengers a minibus can carry."

Umaima, another Dubai resident, wrote: "I used to travel by minibus to work and our driver was held responsible if we were late, so he would speed and drive in a reckless manner. They get so used to the routes that they don't think twice before speeding or changing lanes without using indicators."

Hasnain Imtiaz travels in minibuses quite often and is concerned about the safety measures.

He said: "Drivers speed and change lanes unnecessarily without taking any safety precautions.

"The authorities should take appropriate measures to train them.

"Additionally, if minibuses are to be banned, they should provide an alternative as there are a lot of people using them every day."

Azhar Iqbal Bhatti concurs that speeding is the cause of the accidents. "The authorities must fix a speed limit. I have seen several minibus drivers changing lanes irresponsibly," he said.