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Action call as UAE roads rank among world's deadliest
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Tuesday, 16 June 2009Posted on Sunday, 25 October 2009
Our Omani Fellow is correct
Posted by Bob Steve at 09:33 UAE time
Our Omani fellow is right.Driving careful is one thing & driving "stupid" is another thing ,e.g.slow drivers in the leftmost lane & hesitations & stopping suddenly worst in roundabouts .... you have to run with the stream !!
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Posted on Saturday, 18 July 2009
Hats Off to Mr. Rajo
Posted by Shahzad at 14:27 UAE time
Person who commented on Turtle Drivers can no way blame Mr. Rajo as 80km/hr on third track is sufficient enuf and the RR has to keep the fast lane........Playing hot tricks with a 99 Echo is a better and a brave driver than to play with RR,Cayenne......
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Posted on Friday, 19 June 2009
Turtle Drivers ??
Posted by Leo Soz at 01:31 UAE time
Through his strange analogy, it appears that comments by 'GCC National' is stereo typing Mr.Rajo. He seems to be defending the typical speed freaks on the roads who would continue with their mindless driving regardless of any other careful driver on the road. In the context of the carnages we have witnessed, I would have a turtle driver any day, instead of a predator on the wheels whose only aim is to satisfy the ego through speedometer numbers.
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Posted on Thursday, 18 June 2009
Very Unfair Report
Posted by VRV at 17:31 UAE time
Everyone who has been in dubai for a while can instantly tell that this report is lacking something. Last statistics dated 2007? will be for sure very different from 2008 and 2009 had they did the research before commenting on UAE traffic.
Why? because all the new road rules and regulations came effective during 2008. i can tell you, the only 2 reasons i changed my way of driving to a more relatively calm one is due to two things. 1) RTA gave me less reason to road rage, by easing off traffic on my daily route. Dubai police tightened penalties and ticket fees which made me drive much more carefully. So their implementation IS working.
let them do a new study in 2009, and i guarentee a total different story. "WHO", asking to tighten the rules even more?? Thats just crazy talk...
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Must balame Turtle drivers as well.
Posted by GCC National at 15:54 UAE time
Speed limit = 120 kms/h
Weather condition = Clear, sunny sky.
Road condition = Busy but not overly crowded highway.
IMAGIN
Here comes Mr. Rajo is his 1999 Toyota Echo, holding the middle lane (and sometimes the 3rd) driving at "life threatening" speed of 80kms/h .... Eyes focused ahead, not looking at the rear view mirror, and not moving away. When being pushed to move, Mr. Rajo will apply his brakes before using his brains, causing the poor guy behind him jamming his brakes = ACCIDENT.
They would blame the white Range Rover that caused all this. Mr. Rajo is a careful driver.
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Rude and Ruthless
Posted by Shajee at 15:46 UAE time
One on the readers mentioned that he has been driving since the age of 10-15 and therefore is a safer driver! My request to him is not to let his children drive at that age as i have witnessed a fatal accident involving young drivers and pray for the safety of all children.
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Seems everyone is aware of 'why'
Posted by Vincent at 15:21 UAE time
Apparently from all the comments posted here, all who have taken time to comment seem to know what's wrong and how it may be fixed. Yet aren't we all (expat or local) guilty in our own way. When the circumstances are appropriate, all of us do engage in driving in a manner that may be seen as wrong by others. I would put it down to acclimatization...you do it to me, I do it to you. As the poular saying goes. 'When in Rome do as the Romans do'
I know I do. Why? because I'm allowed to. Stringent yet Equable Enforcement seems to be the requirement of the day.
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Attitude is what matters
Posted by Mahjabeen at 14:45 UAE time
I did give an example of Emiratis, not because I do not like them or have something against them, however I just shared my own experience.
And whether you like it or not, many people have similar feelings towards emirati drivers (men/women). And yes we all have driven badly in our lifetime, however we need to realize that and need to improve.
And if you read my previous comments, I have been emphasizing on the fact that people need to chill out in life, give respect that life deserves by caring for it in all ways... either driving, eating, shopping, sleeping etc.
People get carried away most of the times, however that does not mean that we should remain ignorant and not do something about it. It all begins with attitude and once you try changing it... your life changes for the better.
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Why So Fast?
Posted by JADed at 12:03 UAE time
That is what I asked a Saudi-Emirati colleage recently - Why all this hurry? He replied "it took the US 300 years to reach where they are now.. It took us only 30"
It's in-grained, man. You and I talking over here won't help. The attitude should change. It can only start when you are young. But when you have all this money, it will be arrogance that will drive you. Whether it's a Car you drive or the building you rent..
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To Kiko
Posted by Sticky at 11:17 UAE time
I will tell you what a local acquaintance said when I asked why she didn't use her indicators when driving... her answer was "Why should I? I know where I'm going." LOLLLLL that sums it up nicely, doesn't it!
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Children
Posted by Mario at 11:13 UAE time
While I agree with most if not all comments made here, the most horrible driving offense needs some emphasize: leaving children unstrapped in the car.
The number of times (per day!) I see children bouncing up and down in the back (or front!) of the car while their parent/driver happily wades through traffic is uncountable and is inexcusable.
Most amazing example on BB crossing: man driving, calling, left lane, 80 km/h, child on his lap, no seatbelt. Obvlious to the outside world.
For all these people who do this and read this: don't you realise that you're playing with your children's life? One emergency break and your child might be dead.
Please strap them in.
To be clear, I'm far from a perfect driver myself.
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UAE Driving
Posted by Rowland at 10:19 UAE time
I believe that most people miss the point when discussing /analysing this subject. The following facts are inescapable. The UAE has probably some of the best arterial roads in the world in terms of both quality and lane capacities. These roads are mainly frequented by drivers who possess very little defensive driving skills to be able to drive on such roads. Witness the incredible total lack of lane discipline and tailgating and there you have most of the resons for the resulting problems.
You cannot constantly 'undertake' and tailgate people out of their lanes on single track roads.
Drivers from most countries are only,'trained,' to get from A to B in the fastest possible way. You have only to drive in most regional and asian countries to witness this. Mix this driving with the excellent roads and the problems occur. The official reason for accidents and deaths is always written off as being due to speeding. The authorities here seem to have aphobia about speeding. I suggest that if that was true then the general scope of accidents would be a lot worse than it is. To sum up, lack of defensive driving training and the consequent lack of 'road sense' whilst driving on high qaulity roads is the problem.
The only exceptions to this analysis are drivers of all white Land Cruisers and Range Rover Sports vehicles . These people obviously have a differnt driving licence category which almost without exception gives then the right to drive like complete idiots and terrorise all road users.
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Driving Attitudes
Posted by Jimbo at 09:07 UAE time
Whilst sitting in the lounge at Heathrow Airport recently overlooking the runway I was watching about 12 planes lined up on the taxiway waiting to turn onto the runway to take off. The aircraft at the front was Air India. It was dark but I knew it was Air India because it didn't have any lights on. Next thing an Emirates 777-300ER pulls out from the end of the queue, races up the grass shoulder and pulls in front of Air India and took off. Of course this didn't really happen so why should it happen on Dubai roads? What we need is more police patrols and policeman with teeth who are prepared to stand up against the landed gentry to keep them in check. The fines alone will pay for the extra police. Good luck!
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"Bad Driving by Y"
Posted by Mohamed at 08:47 UAE time
Agreed!
You've hit upon the nail when you mentioned bad manners and impatience. This isn't confined to any particular race or class of people.
I think its a result of almost everyone adopting an arrogant attitude. This isn't just because of road rage, its evident when waiting in queues at bus stops, supermarkets, customs, shewerma shops.
Lack of basic manners and courtesy. But when that impatience is coupled with a 2 ton vehicle, its dangerous.
I was pleasantly surprised today when approaching a major intersection today in Singapore. The lights had just broken and the police had yet to get there.
But.... there was incredible discipline among ALL drivers. No one honking or pressing forward. Each section of the traffic gave adequate time for the opposing traffic to flow, slowing down and stopping for pedestrians to cross. Then automatically stopping when they could see that the traffic opposite was backed up to let that section ease up.
All in the same order as if the traffic light was actually working.
Again, no horns, no stopping in the yellow box or trying to inch across.
Can you imagine Trade Center R/A without signals?
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Posted on Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Enforcement is the key
Posted by Alan at 22:18 UAE time
some said it is related to training and education, true, but it takes some 10 years to see the effect. Tightening the law enforcement is the key to solve the problem quickly.
Send more quality police out on the roads with cam corder record those dangerous driving we seen daily, and put those drivers in jail, the highways would be safe in 2 weeks time.
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