No, I'm not referring to how frequently I update this blog....I'm referring to the way some (most) taxi drivers drive their cars in this city.
I'm guessing they all went to the same driving school, because they all tend to press on the gas pedal for a couple of seconds, then take their foot off it for a couple of seconds, then press on it again for a couple of seconds...and so on and so forth....
Which makes for a very, very unpleasant ride (this is particularly true after a long night filled with boozy antics).
Who has taught these people how to drive? How hard is it to just keep your foot on the pedal? Has anyone else experienced (or been bothered by) this type of driving?
Showing posts with label Driving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Driving. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Carnage
This scares the shit out of me because it could have been me...or one of my friends or family members.
I drive that road practically every Sunday morning as I head back from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, and this Sunday the fog was bad. As bad as I've ever seen it. The road was OK until I halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which is where what can only be described as a wall of fog appeared in front of me. Visibility was close to non-existent. Really bad.
Some drivers felt the need to put their hazard lights on, while others decided that no lights was a better option.
Today's accident is simply horrible. No other words to describe it. Pure carnage.
I drive that road practically every Sunday morning as I head back from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, and this Sunday the fog was bad. As bad as I've ever seen it. The road was OK until I halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which is where what can only be described as a wall of fog appeared in front of me. Visibility was close to non-existent. Really bad.
Some drivers felt the need to put their hazard lights on, while others decided that no lights was a better option.
Today's accident is simply horrible. No other words to describe it. Pure carnage.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Radars
It seems Dubai is taking this whole radar thing very seriously. It used to be that once you hit Saih al Shaib on the way from Abu Dhabi (which is actually the beginning of Dubai), you only had 2 radars until your hit Jebel Ali.
A few months ago, they started placing a mobile radar somewhere along the way. It caught me once, even though I knew it was somewhere there...stupid me...
A few weeks ago, a bunch of radars were added...and by a bunch, I mean a LOT. There are radars every few meters now, so there's really no way to exceed the 120 km/h speed limit.
A lot of people still don't know about these radars though, because on a recent trip back from Abu Dhabi, I saw 3 radars flashing in a span of 5 minutes...and no, it wasn't me!
A few months ago, they started placing a mobile radar somewhere along the way. It caught me once, even though I knew it was somewhere there...stupid me...
A few weeks ago, a bunch of radars were added...and by a bunch, I mean a LOT. There are radars every few meters now, so there's really no way to exceed the 120 km/h speed limit.
A lot of people still don't know about these radars though, because on a recent trip back from Abu Dhabi, I saw 3 radars flashing in a span of 5 minutes...and no, it wasn't me!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Gulf Cup = crazy driving
Ok, so the UAE won a match yesterday. Good for them. And I understand that people wanted to celebrate. Heck, it's cute to see people with their cars all decked out in flags and little footballs (except when the flag covers up the back window of the car...how on earth can they see anything from their rear view mirror?)
But what I don't understand is this:
Driving on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, at 160 km an hour, with your emergency lights on!
Helloooo! A bit dangerous don't you think? I mean, how on earth am I supposed to know when you're changing lanes when I can't see a signal that tells me where you're going?
So stupid...and so dangerous...Where are the cops?
But what I don't understand is this:
Driving on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, at 160 km an hour, with your emergency lights on!
Helloooo! A bit dangerous don't you think? I mean, how on earth am I supposed to know when you're changing lanes when I can't see a signal that tells me where you're going?
So stupid...and so dangerous...Where are the cops?
Thursday, December 14, 2006
This is so sad...
...and so scary...
9 deaths and more than 50 injuries... Those poor innocent souls...
Dubai Police said that the accident happened before 7am after a bus heading in the direction of Dubai lost control.
The bus then turned over, crashed through the central reservation barrier and into oncoming traffic on the Abu Dhabi bound carriageway.
The minivan, which was travelling towards Abu Dhabi then crashed into the overturned bus.
Lost control? What does that mean? Why don't they just tell the truth and say that the guy was probably speeding and did not drive safely in the rain....
It's so horrible...really sickening....
9 deaths and more than 50 injuries... Those poor innocent souls...
Dubai Police said that the accident happened before 7am after a bus heading in the direction of Dubai lost control.
The bus then turned over, crashed through the central reservation barrier and into oncoming traffic on the Abu Dhabi bound carriageway.
The minivan, which was travelling towards Abu Dhabi then crashed into the overturned bus.
Lost control? What does that mean? Why don't they just tell the truth and say that the guy was probably speeding and did not drive safely in the rain....
It's so horrible...really sickening....
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Speeders...they're killing us.
Have any of you seen the road safety campaign that's been airing on TV lately? I've only seen one spot on One Tv, not sure if there's more than one. It's the one where a teenager standing on the side of a road talks about a head-on collision involving his parents....then we see two cars coming from opposite ends of the road crashing violently. The final message is: "Speeders...they're killing us. Think!"
While I commend TV stations for finally airing something about road safety, I feel that this is simply not relevant to the UAE. For one, this is a UK-based campaign I believe (although the accents sound like they're from Australia or New Zealand). The actors look foreign, the road (a 2-way winding road with lush greenery on either side) is simply not the kind of road we see here in the UAE, and they are driving on the left-hand side of the road, rather than the right, like we do here.
And although I do not watch a lot of Arabic TV stations, I doubt that this campaign would be successful if it were dubbed.
I'd rather see something that's produced locally, using our roads, our people, our language. Now THAT, I believe, would be a much more successful and impactful campaign, don't you think?
While I commend TV stations for finally airing something about road safety, I feel that this is simply not relevant to the UAE. For one, this is a UK-based campaign I believe (although the accents sound like they're from Australia or New Zealand). The actors look foreign, the road (a 2-way winding road with lush greenery on either side) is simply not the kind of road we see here in the UAE, and they are driving on the left-hand side of the road, rather than the right, like we do here.
And although I do not watch a lot of Arabic TV stations, I doubt that this campaign would be successful if it were dubbed.
I'd rather see something that's produced locally, using our roads, our people, our language. Now THAT, I believe, would be a much more successful and impactful campaign, don't you think?
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Accidents in Dubai
A video of accidents in Dubai...Moryarti is right when he calls them "morons on wheels", because these people really are morons!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Sad but true
This e-mail has been doing the rounds lately. I just got it now for the third time in as many weeks and figured I'd share it with you. It's funny...but sad at the same time...
Welcome to Dubai:
If your road map is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and get a new one.
If you are in Al Rashidiya and your map is one day old, then it is already obsolete.
Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Dubai has its own version of traffic rules, which can be summarized as "Hold on and pray!"
There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase in Dubai. Everyone drives like that.
The morning rush hour is from 5AM to noon. The evening rush hour is from 1PM to 10PM. Wednesday's rush hour starts Tuesday morning.
If you slow down at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended and then given a ticket by the Dubai Police.
If you are the first one at the intersection, when the light turns green ignore the car honking behind you and count to five to avoid crashing into one of the cars running the red light in cross-traffic.
Construction on all main roads is a way of life and a permanent form of entertainment.
All unfamiliar sights are explained by the phrase, "Oh, we must be in Sharjah!"
Car horns are actually toys for big boys.
Anyone in a Land Cruiser or Mercedes with tinted windows has the right of way. Period.
Most roads mysteriously change names as you cross intersections.
To ask directions, you must have knowledge of Urdu.
A trip across town will take a minimum of four hours, although Sheik Zayed Road has an unposted minimum speed of 150 kph.
The minimum acceptable speed on the Emirates Road is 160 kph. Anything less is considered downright sissy. Al Khail Road is Dubai's daily version of NASCAR.
Welcome to Dubai:
If your road map is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and get a new one.
If you are in Al Rashidiya and your map is one day old, then it is already obsolete.
Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Dubai has its own version of traffic rules, which can be summarized as "Hold on and pray!"
There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase in Dubai. Everyone drives like that.
The morning rush hour is from 5AM to noon. The evening rush hour is from 1PM to 10PM. Wednesday's rush hour starts Tuesday morning.
If you slow down at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended and then given a ticket by the Dubai Police.
If you are the first one at the intersection, when the light turns green ignore the car honking behind you and count to five to avoid crashing into one of the cars running the red light in cross-traffic.
Construction on all main roads is a way of life and a permanent form of entertainment.
All unfamiliar sights are explained by the phrase, "Oh, we must be in Sharjah!"
Car horns are actually toys for big boys.
Anyone in a Land Cruiser or Mercedes with tinted windows has the right of way. Period.
Most roads mysteriously change names as you cross intersections.
To ask directions, you must have knowledge of Urdu.
A trip across town will take a minimum of four hours, although Sheik Zayed Road has an unposted minimum speed of 150 kph.
The minimum acceptable speed on the Emirates Road is 160 kph. Anything less is considered downright sissy. Al Khail Road is Dubai's daily version of NASCAR.
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