Sandy shortcut keeps some happy

Rescue truck drivers are having field days near Sahara Mall in Sharjah.

Trucks are lining up every morning waiting for the opportunity to tow vehicles that get stuck in the deep, sandy shortcuts used by motorists to avoid the Sharjah-Dubai traffic.

Every day hundreds of cars can be seen slithering their way through traffic that slopes down from the Sahara Mall to Dubai along sandy roads.

Brave drivers trying to avoid the traffic venture into deep sand to get to Dubai quickly.

More than 8 recovery trucks position themselves by the deepest sand tracks waiting for the inevitable.

Na'im Al Harriri, a Syrian recovery driver, said: "We are here from 6 to 10am every day without fail. And each of us pulls out 5 to 10 cars a day. We charge from Dh5 to Dh20 for the work."

At the end of the morning shift, the drivers gather at one point and take turns pulling out cars.

"When there is not much work, we spend time together as a family and help each other work," said Tanweer Ahmad, an Indian driver.

According to Al Harriri, Dubai police have warned them not to work in the area. "Why are we being punished? If the police do not want these problems, let them close the dangerous roads."

Abdul Muna'am, a Libyan businessman, said he did not mind paying Dh20 to get his car pulled out.

"I use these roads every day. The only other route to use is the Dubai-Sharjah road and you know how that is. Today is the first day my car got stuck and I am happy to pay these men."

Muna'am said: "Take a look at these sandy roads. Couldn't the government build temporary roads for us to use?"

Abdullah Ali Al Gaithi, a senior officer at Dubai police, said the condition of the sandy roads near Sahara Mall should be solved jointly by Sharjah and Dubai traffic police.

"We should find a way [both departments] to stop drivers from using the sandy pathways. If anyone gets stuck, they are more than welcome to use private vehicles to pull them out," Al Gaithi said.

"We used to help motorists who got stuck in the sand, bringing cranes to pull them out, but the situation there is now like a jungle.

"If people leave the main road and get to the sandy pathways, then we are not responsible."

"We are here from 6 to 10am every day without fail. And each one of us pulls out 5 to 10 cars a day. We charge from Dh5 to Dh20 for the work."