Sunday, December 21, 2008

Driving Dubai style.

Just another complaint about something I've posted about several times.

The one way system at the Jebel Ali end of Dubai Marina has been made even more obvious to the morons who ignore it.


See, two big international No Entry signs on the left side, two big international directional arrow signs showing drivers they need to go to the right.

Even a new learner driver can work out that you follow the arrows and go to the right. There are more arrow signs further along too.

So having negotiated this bit you know that to get back out you simply continue, following the road round in a circle.

I don't suppose that anyone who uses Dubai's roads would be surprised at the number of drivers who don't so that.

This morning I had three of them.

The first one ignored the arrows and cones and was coming in past the No Entry signs, head on at me. When I pointted out that it was No Entry and he was going the wrong way along a one way street he replied "I'm only going there" and pointed to a building a hundred metres along the road.

So No Entry doesn't apply if you're only travelling a hundred metres or so past the signs?

Coming back in I met another one coming the wrong way down the street on the right, sqeezing his way past a taxi and past me at the cones. His response to my complaint was "It doesn't say one way."

It doesn't say you're a bloody idiot either, but that's equally obvious.

Then just a few seconds later at the far end a Range Rover was going the wrong way. By this time I had my camera out:



This one couldn't take my advice that she reverse to the sandy area a few metres behind her and turn round because she said "It's too dangerous."

My suggestion that if she couldn't reverse her car then perhaps she shouldn't be driving it didn't seem to go down too well.

So she merrily carried on taking what she thought was the less dangerous option of driving the wrong way along a one way street into incoming traffic.

Hello? Anyone from the police or RTA reading this? If so, could you do something about this, it's a daily problem and there's going to be an accident.

11 comments:

Grumpy Goat said...

No, Seebee, not an 'accident'. To paraphrase from Hot Fuzz (amongst others) the word 'accident' implies that no-one is to blame.

A more appropriate word may be selected from the following incomplete list:

incident
crash
prang
injury
trip to hospital

etc.

Anonymous said...

Erm , it sounds like you were actually appealing to the RTA and/or police to address the issue in your above post.I've always admired optimists....

Seabee said...

Mr Goat I prostrate myself in shame. I rant against the use of the word 'accident' and I've used it myself. Inexcusable. I promise I will never do it again.

Anonymous said...

For one, you already blogged about this exact intersection. Get some new material.

Secondly, don't expect the RTA to be "listening" to your blog! A few posts ago you mentioned some phone numbers where one can complain - go ahead and complain, show up at the RTA office and make a scene, stop making a fuss and actually do something about it, pussy.

rosh said...

the more i visit on holidays, the more i shake head in disbelief. some sightings do take you back to stone ages.

Seabee said...

Boxster, here's the way it works. The blog owner writes about whatever s/he wants to write about. As often as s/he wants to. Other people are free to visit or not. That's the way blogs work.

I don't expect the RTA or the police to be reading my blog, that was a tongue in cheek comment which obviously went over your head.

Stop making a fuss? Why?

Do something aboout it - what makes you assume I haven't?

LDU said...

Do most of these drivers happen to be expats by any chance?

Seabee said...

LDU, expats make up over 80% of the population so yes, the majority of drivers are expats. The three I posted about here were two Brits, one male and one female, and one Indian.

Anonymous said...

boxster you halfwit, you had to make a conscious effort to read this blog and post a comment, dont make it sound like the blog or comments are forced down your throat?! what a douche you are

Anonymous said...

I live near here and see this every day. Especially since the new exit of Sheikh Zayed road opened up, there is so much more traffic (going the right way) on this road, a serious accident is only a short time away.

Seabee said...

Anon @ 2.13, yes the new exits off Interchange 5.5 are beginning to open now. I guess when they're all finished and open it'll settle down - people going across to JBR will have their own exit road for example. People living in places such as Manchester Tower, Waterfront, Pearl, Park, The Waves will use this exit but I think those living further down the Marina will come in from Interchange 5 or Al Sufouh Road.

At least it will do the right thing and spread the traffic load onto a number of roads.