It's Sale Time in the UAE, which seems to have been extended to the Abu Dhabi Traffic Police shop.
Not a 'part sale' either. Or an 'up to' sale.
It's an across the board 50% discount on all traffic fines.
It's an unlimited time offer too.
Hang on though. As usual, I'm totally confused, I don't understand any of it.
I'll show you why with a few bits from the Gulf News stories:
The reprieve comes after the amended traffic law, which stipulates hefty fines for traffic offences, left many motorists heavily indebted to the government, a senior traffic official disclosed.
Ummmm...motorists ignored the laws ( we see them all the time don't we) and were punished with fines. 'Many' of them are obviously serial law breakers because they racked up enough fines to be 'heavily indebted to the government'.
So the way to deal with that is to...cut the fines in half.
Right.
Engineer Ahmad Hussain Al Harthy, Director of the traffic department said:
"Certain types of serious traffic offences will be exempted from the discounts too".
The discount on fines is applicable to all traffic fines issued in Abu Dhabi, regardless of where the vehicle is registered.
Ummm...some offences will be exempted from the discounts but the discount is applicable to all fines.
Right.
The discount is applicable to offences accumulated over years as well as fresh ones.
Ummm...you don't need to pay any fines you accumulate 'over the years' because no-one follows up to collect payment. You pay when you re-register your vehicle, so the obvious thing to do is to drive an unregistered vehicle.
You save even more money because that means the vehicle doesn't need a safety check. No need to insure it either.
Right.
"The total number of traffic violations recorded and the fines accumulated by some individuals are simply unbelievable".
Ummm...the Traffic Police find it unbelievable.
Right.
We have some nice comments from offenders too.
"This is a great move. In the current economic situation, the government's decision is a very humanitarian one," said Naseem Faydulla, an engineer.
"I had Dh5,000 in fines collected over few years and did not know what to do. I just kept putting off the renewal of my car but now it's done."
Ummm...you didn't know what to do. Here's a radical thought - you could have paid the fines as you got them. Or better still, you could have paid the first fine, learnt a lesson from it and not re-offended.
You could have obeyed the law and re-registered your car, maybe you could also have given some thought to having it safety checked and insuring it too.
(Thought: Where do I get these outlandish ideas from?).
Yajuan Chen, who works for a furniture shop said that their company car had Dh7,250 worth fines slapped over two years. "No one wanted to take the responsibility so the renewal was delayed," she said, after paying half the amount and clearing off the fines.
We simply didn't bother to register the company car. And we got away with it.
Right.
There was a report not so long ago about the fines situation from the Dubai Police too.
Dubai police revealed in April that they have Dh100 million in penalties to be recovered from drivers. The highest amount owed to Dubai police is from a company that had Dh305,200 worth of fines. The highest amount owed by an individual is Dh186,900, owed by an Arab expatriate woman who no longer lives in the UAE.
I suppose it's too much to suggest that the entire system needs a serious rethink. And that includes the whole way the roads and traffic are policed.
We have 'unbelievable numbers' of serial traffic law breakers simply ignoring the fines they deservedly get, then driving their vehicles unregistered, which means no vehicle safety checks and no insurance.
Not to worry though, Abu Dhabi Traffic Police are on the case now, bringing down the heavy hand of the law:
...several traffic policemen were deployed to advise drivers to abide by traffic laws and not to repeat offences. Water and juice was distributed as a gesture of goodwill...
Right.
I've quoted from Gulf News reports, here and here
Showing posts with label traffic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label traffic. Show all posts
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Bus lanes - this'll be fun
Our beloved RTA has announced that Dubai will start having dedicated bus lanes from May.
They will be exclusively for public buses, taxis and emergency vehicles.
According to Mattar Al Tayer, the RTA boss:
"The project will...minimise the demand for parking spaces at congested spots, reduce the environmental pollution rates caused by private vehicle exhausts and decrease the number of road accidents."
Hmmmm....
Some of us come from cities which have had bus lanes for years but many others come from cities where there's no traffic discipline at all. The RTA says there'll be an education campaign for a couple of weeks. If there is, if it's understandable, if it reaches all drivers regardless of their language - I'm still sceptical that it'll work.
For the morons who scream along the hard shoulder whenever there's a jam the bus lanes will just provide another way to push in front. I bet drivers of private buses will use them too.
There's apparently going to be a Dh600 fine, but for the people who rack up tens of thousands of dirhams in fines anyway that won't be a deterrent. Nor will it be for those who don't bother to pay their fines and simply don't re-register their vehicles.
I also have serious doubts about the planning of it. While there's a 3.6km stretch and another of 1.4km, there's another of only 320 metres and, even worse, one of just 220 metres.
So to avoid the short bus lane private vehicles will suddenly have to push into the next lane, then they'll move back again after a couple of seconds when the bus lane ends. Or they'll ignore the signs and carry on in the bus lane anyway.
Details are in The National.
They will be exclusively for public buses, taxis and emergency vehicles.
According to Mattar Al Tayer, the RTA boss:
"The project will...minimise the demand for parking spaces at congested spots, reduce the environmental pollution rates caused by private vehicle exhausts and decrease the number of road accidents."
Hmmmm....
Some of us come from cities which have had bus lanes for years but many others come from cities where there's no traffic discipline at all. The RTA says there'll be an education campaign for a couple of weeks. If there is, if it's understandable, if it reaches all drivers regardless of their language - I'm still sceptical that it'll work.
For the morons who scream along the hard shoulder whenever there's a jam the bus lanes will just provide another way to push in front. I bet drivers of private buses will use them too.
There's apparently going to be a Dh600 fine, but for the people who rack up tens of thousands of dirhams in fines anyway that won't be a deterrent. Nor will it be for those who don't bother to pay their fines and simply don't re-register their vehicles.
I also have serious doubts about the planning of it. While there's a 3.6km stretch and another of 1.4km, there's another of only 320 metres and, even worse, one of just 220 metres.
So to avoid the short bus lane private vehicles will suddenly have to push into the next lane, then they'll move back again after a couple of seconds when the bus lane ends. Or they'll ignore the signs and carry on in the bus lane anyway.
Details are in The National.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Dubai's road deaths down
I've noted in a few posts that, although there are still plenty of morons out there, road behaviour generally seems to be improving in Dubai.
That seems to be supported by RTA figures for 2008 which show that road deaths are down for the first time in eight years. Speed is a major factor in fatalities and I've noticed a definite slowing down since, for example, Sheikh Zayed Road's limit was reduced to 100kph.
Sadly there were 157 unnecessary deaths caused by road crashes last year, but that's better than the 180 killed in 2007.
On SZR, where the speed limit was reduced from 120kph to 100kph, the stretch between between Defence Roundabout and Interchange 5 had a dramatic drop in fatalities, down from 29 in 2007 to 10 last year.
Speed is a factor in crashes in general but it isn't just the reduction of speed limits that have helped to reduce the danger on our roads, it's much more complicated than that, as Maitha bin Udai, CEO of Traffic & Roads Agency, said.
I've noticed not only a reduction in speed but also, for example, far fewer people driving along the hard shoulder, far fewer driving aggressively and forcing their way in. That's not down to speed limits but to less frustration with log-jammed traffic. A frustrated driver is a dangerous driver. The improvement in traffic flow is thanks to the opening of so many new roads and intersections plus the slightly fewer vehicles on the roads.
There's a long way to go but at least the figures are going in the right direction at long last.
Gulf News has the story here.
That seems to be supported by RTA figures for 2008 which show that road deaths are down for the first time in eight years. Speed is a major factor in fatalities and I've noticed a definite slowing down since, for example, Sheikh Zayed Road's limit was reduced to 100kph.
Sadly there were 157 unnecessary deaths caused by road crashes last year, but that's better than the 180 killed in 2007.
On SZR, where the speed limit was reduced from 120kph to 100kph, the stretch between between Defence Roundabout and Interchange 5 had a dramatic drop in fatalities, down from 29 in 2007 to 10 last year.
Speed is a factor in crashes in general but it isn't just the reduction of speed limits that have helped to reduce the danger on our roads, it's much more complicated than that, as Maitha bin Udai, CEO of Traffic & Roads Agency, said.
I've noticed not only a reduction in speed but also, for example, far fewer people driving along the hard shoulder, far fewer driving aggressively and forcing their way in. That's not down to speed limits but to less frustration with log-jammed traffic. A frustrated driver is a dangerous driver. The improvement in traffic flow is thanks to the opening of so many new roads and intersections plus the slightly fewer vehicles on the roads.
There's a long way to go but at least the figures are going in the right direction at long last.
Gulf News has the story here.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Dubai news - good, bad and we coulda guessed it.
We coulda guessed it.
After the chaos caused by the ID registration system being launched before it was ready we're now told that the system is to be 'revamped'.
Late last year the Emirates ID Authority suddenly brought the deadline for registration forward, put an immovable deadline on it, nothing was ready, the website didn't work, there were few forms to be found anywhere, there weren't enough offices, only ten offices took appointments but even with them most applicants couldn't make one, the capacity to register the numbers in the time given was nowhere near sufficient.
Situation normal then, something major launched long before it was ready. It's not unusual, we often get it , Salik being another perfect example.
Panic, confusion, long queues, people wasting whole days unsuccesfully trying to register, complaints poured in to the media.
Inevitably we then had the usual clarifications which confused the issue even more, U-turns, backtracking, then changes to the previous adamant statements, such as the 'fined if you don't' scare.
Then they tried to fix the problems with the system which should have been fixed before it was launched. More capacity for the website and corrections to some of the mistakes on it, general availability of the registration forms, moving of the deadline.
Still chaos.
We could have predicted that some months later we'd be here with an announcement that the ID system is to be 'revamped'.
There's a new appointments system. There's an online tracking system for applications, to be launched within a month. There's a new application form, more user friendly with more guidelines. There's an increase in the number of offices offering appointments.
Get it right before you launch it? Not a hope. Thought, planning and administration conspicuous by their absence.
The details are in Gulf News' report here.
Then there's bad news which is another smack in the mouth for Dubai's vision of becoming a major international commercial centre.
You may know about the spat between Tecom and an American investor, Capital Partners, over a 38 acre plot of land in Internet City. The company sued Tecom for $1 billion, as reported here by the Financial Times. The dispute went to arbitration.
But now Reuters have released a story which says:
A U.S. private equity firm once hailed as a major foreign investor in Dubai says it has been shut down without warning following a dispute with the government of the Gulf Arab trade hub.
Managing Director Jonathan Wride is reported as saying: "Tecom stated that we no longer exist and thus are not entitled to wind up or liquidate, which is in direct conflict with Tecom's own regulations and UAE law.
"It is of critical ... importance that international companies can continue to operate in Dubai, safe in the knowledge that the UAE law will be upheld."
Ain't that the truth.
If this story gets wide coverage, as could well happen, it isn't going to do much for brand Dubai's reputation.
The full Reuters report is here.
But now to the good news, although I'm sceptical about it.
Police's Traffic Department will place traffic patrols on all the roads, with an average of one patrol every one to two kilometers as part of a new mechanism to reduce accidents.
Every one to two kilometres?
We need it, I wish it was true, but I really don't believe we have enough police officers to do it.
Maybe tomorrow we'll get a 'clarification' with a realistic figure, but it does at least indicate an increase in traffic police action.
That story is in Gulf News here.
After the chaos caused by the ID registration system being launched before it was ready we're now told that the system is to be 'revamped'.
Late last year the Emirates ID Authority suddenly brought the deadline for registration forward, put an immovable deadline on it, nothing was ready, the website didn't work, there were few forms to be found anywhere, there weren't enough offices, only ten offices took appointments but even with them most applicants couldn't make one, the capacity to register the numbers in the time given was nowhere near sufficient.
Situation normal then, something major launched long before it was ready. It's not unusual, we often get it , Salik being another perfect example.
Panic, confusion, long queues, people wasting whole days unsuccesfully trying to register, complaints poured in to the media.
Inevitably we then had the usual clarifications which confused the issue even more, U-turns, backtracking, then changes to the previous adamant statements, such as the 'fined if you don't' scare.
Then they tried to fix the problems with the system which should have been fixed before it was launched. More capacity for the website and corrections to some of the mistakes on it, general availability of the registration forms, moving of the deadline.
Still chaos.
We could have predicted that some months later we'd be here with an announcement that the ID system is to be 'revamped'.
There's a new appointments system. There's an online tracking system for applications, to be launched within a month. There's a new application form, more user friendly with more guidelines. There's an increase in the number of offices offering appointments.
Get it right before you launch it? Not a hope. Thought, planning and administration conspicuous by their absence.
The details are in Gulf News' report here.
Then there's bad news which is another smack in the mouth for Dubai's vision of becoming a major international commercial centre.
You may know about the spat between Tecom and an American investor, Capital Partners, over a 38 acre plot of land in Internet City. The company sued Tecom for $1 billion, as reported here by the Financial Times. The dispute went to arbitration.
But now Reuters have released a story which says:
A U.S. private equity firm once hailed as a major foreign investor in Dubai says it has been shut down without warning following a dispute with the government of the Gulf Arab trade hub.
Managing Director Jonathan Wride is reported as saying: "Tecom stated that we no longer exist and thus are not entitled to wind up or liquidate, which is in direct conflict with Tecom's own regulations and UAE law.
"It is of critical ... importance that international companies can continue to operate in Dubai, safe in the knowledge that the UAE law will be upheld."
Ain't that the truth.
If this story gets wide coverage, as could well happen, it isn't going to do much for brand Dubai's reputation.
The full Reuters report is here.
But now to the good news, although I'm sceptical about it.
Police's Traffic Department will place traffic patrols on all the roads, with an average of one patrol every one to two kilometers as part of a new mechanism to reduce accidents.
Every one to two kilometres?
We need it, I wish it was true, but I really don't believe we have enough police officers to do it.
Maybe tomorrow we'll get a 'clarification' with a realistic figure, but it does at least indicate an increase in traffic police action.
That story is in Gulf News here.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Worse than usual road chaos
It was bad wasn't it. Yesterday was worse than ever on the roads.
It all started at about 4.30am when a mobile crane working on the Metro station outside Emirates Towers on Sheikh Zayed Road collapsed onto a roadsign gantry.
Police closed the road so that another crane could be brought in to support the collapsed one, which was later cut into pieces and removed. Checks on the safety of the gantry also had to be carried out. It took about eight hours until the road was reopened.
Photo Hadrian Hernandez. Gulf News
I was trying to get along Al Wasl Road but that was jammed too.
As ever, the problem wasn't just the volume of traffic but the attitude of too many drivers.
On Al Wasl tthere was a front-on crash at a traffic light junction, so obviously one of them had jumped the red light. That didn't help the heavy traffic load.
Then we had the usual arrogant, inconsiderate morons using the service road to get ahead and then pushing their way into the traffic. That slows everything down even more of course.
All of that had me fuming, and it didn't get any better.
In the evening the ten minute drive from Knowledge Village to Dubai Marina took a fraction under one hour.
We have the inevitable planning incompetence, the recently finished roads were all wrong so they've been dug up. So we have single lanes, cones and diversions everywhere, temporary roundabouts. But that's normal so wasn't the cause of the extra chaos yesterday.
I don't know what it was because I didn't see any crashes or new road changes.
But once again the morons added to the delays, using the hard shoulders and closed lanes to get in front, then forcing their way in.
In KV I also had to take avoiding action for a brainless jogger who looked up to see if the road was clear, saw me coming and continued to trot across right in front of me.
And in Dubai Marina, where there's little or no street lighting, construction arclights shining into the eyes of motorists, shadows everywhere, as usual there were labourers in dark clothing wandering in the roads, backs to and completely ignoring the traffic.
It wasn't a good trip.
By the way, coming back to the arrogance of drivers, here's an example.
Clear 'No Entry' signs. There are actually three of them.
And a row of vehicles driving past them the wrong way down a one way road.
One thing I didn't see in all the chaos, the dangerous driving, the jaywalking, was a policeman. Not one.
One more thing which demonstrates the attitude of drivers.
Gulf News quote this motorist. According to Rabiaah Fahad, a motorist, no one should be blamed in such a situation, as it was an accident. "Crane accidents are as unexpected as car accidents," said Fahad. "If this accident is unacceptable then we should not drive at all."
That's the attitude folks. Accidents happen, nothing causes them, just accept it all as inevitable.
Accidents don't happen, they are caused.
The crane collapsed is being investigated but was probably, according to police, due to overloading.
Vehicle 'accidents' are caused by motorists driving into things.
With the driving I see every day car 'accidents' are not, as Mr Fahad believes, unexpected, they're inevitable. High as our crash rate is, I'm amazed it's not much higher.
Gulf News has the crane collapse and traffic chaos story here.
It all started at about 4.30am when a mobile crane working on the Metro station outside Emirates Towers on Sheikh Zayed Road collapsed onto a roadsign gantry.
Police closed the road so that another crane could be brought in to support the collapsed one, which was later cut into pieces and removed. Checks on the safety of the gantry also had to be carried out. It took about eight hours until the road was reopened.
Photo Hadrian Hernandez. Gulf News
I was trying to get along Al Wasl Road but that was jammed too.
As ever, the problem wasn't just the volume of traffic but the attitude of too many drivers.
On Al Wasl tthere was a front-on crash at a traffic light junction, so obviously one of them had jumped the red light. That didn't help the heavy traffic load.
Then we had the usual arrogant, inconsiderate morons using the service road to get ahead and then pushing their way into the traffic. That slows everything down even more of course.
All of that had me fuming, and it didn't get any better.
In the evening the ten minute drive from Knowledge Village to Dubai Marina took a fraction under one hour.
We have the inevitable planning incompetence, the recently finished roads were all wrong so they've been dug up. So we have single lanes, cones and diversions everywhere, temporary roundabouts. But that's normal so wasn't the cause of the extra chaos yesterday.
I don't know what it was because I didn't see any crashes or new road changes.
But once again the morons added to the delays, using the hard shoulders and closed lanes to get in front, then forcing their way in.
In KV I also had to take avoiding action for a brainless jogger who looked up to see if the road was clear, saw me coming and continued to trot across right in front of me.
And in Dubai Marina, where there's little or no street lighting, construction arclights shining into the eyes of motorists, shadows everywhere, as usual there were labourers in dark clothing wandering in the roads, backs to and completely ignoring the traffic.
It wasn't a good trip.
By the way, coming back to the arrogance of drivers, here's an example.
Clear 'No Entry' signs. There are actually three of them.
And a row of vehicles driving past them the wrong way down a one way road.
One thing I didn't see in all the chaos, the dangerous driving, the jaywalking, was a policeman. Not one.
One more thing which demonstrates the attitude of drivers.
Gulf News quote this motorist. According to Rabiaah Fahad, a motorist, no one should be blamed in such a situation, as it was an accident. "Crane accidents are as unexpected as car accidents," said Fahad. "If this accident is unacceptable then we should not drive at all."
That's the attitude folks. Accidents happen, nothing causes them, just accept it all as inevitable.
Accidents don't happen, they are caused.
The crane collapsed is being investigated but was probably, according to police, due to overloading.
Vehicle 'accidents' are caused by motorists driving into things.
With the driving I see every day car 'accidents' are not, as Mr Fahad believes, unexpected, they're inevitable. High as our crash rate is, I'm amazed it's not much higher.
Gulf News has the crane collapse and traffic chaos story here.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Frightening traffic figures
New tougher penalties for traffic offences came into force on March 1st. We obviously need them.
Dubai Police report that traffic offences are increasing, with 272,979 in February.
In 29 days there were 272,979 drivers caught breaking the law.
That's 9,413 offences a day.
392 an hour.
It's a traffic offence every nine seconds.
Many of these were dangerous and life threatening - 4,724 vehicles were confiscated in February for committing dangerous traffic offences.
And these figures record only the drivers actually caught committing an offence.
The full story is here.
Dubai Police report that traffic offences are increasing, with 272,979 in February.
In 29 days there were 272,979 drivers caught breaking the law.
That's 9,413 offences a day.
392 an hour.
It's a traffic offence every nine seconds.
Many of these were dangerous and life threatening - 4,724 vehicles were confiscated in February for committing dangerous traffic offences.
And these figures record only the drivers actually caught committing an offence.
The full story is here.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Can I come out now?
If it wasn't for the fact that half the roads are flooded I assume the rest of the one and a half million of us can now go about our business in Dubai.
What was the chaos and disruption all about anyway?
All the reports I've seen today say that BushW's Dubai visit wasn't related to Israel-Palestine, Iran or peace in this volatile region, it was a sightseeing trip!
'A tour of Dubai's landmarks. Sheikh Saeed's house museum. Folk music & dance shows. Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural understanding. A visit to Burj Al Arab' are the reports.
Other headlines indicate the other side of the story: 'Motorists left in lurch by numerous diversions. Roadblocks and mass confusion cause hours of traffic misery. Presidential traffic throws traffic out of gear. Residents awake to find cars mysteriously moved'.
And something I was ranting on about yesterday, the cost of closing a commercial city.
Dubai International Financial Centre, where 500 companies operate, was closed. Dubai International Financial Exchange didn't operate. Jebel Ali Free Zone was closed, so the 5,000 companies there couldn't operate for the day.
Gulf News has attempted to put a figure on the losses. The say: "Dubai's economy may have suffered a loss of more than Dh432 million (over US$117 million) as a result of the shutdown caused by US President George W. Bush's visit, according to estimates based on the emirate's gross domestic product.
Dubai's GDP in 2006 reached Dh157 billion (nearly $43 billion). If trade comes to a standstill, then the emirate, the Gulf's largest trading hub and the major supply line, might have just lost Dh1 billion (US$272 million) in export, import and re-export business for the day."
Information vacuum
The really unforgivable part of the problem was the complete lack of information. About anything.
Road closures? No advance warning.
Diversions? No signs.
Public holiday? A few hours notice.
Even when information was given the reality contradicted it.
A report says: "Contrary to traffic plans, the complete closure of Shaikh Zayed Road, the lifeline of Dubai, from the Mall of the Emirates to Al Garhoud Bridge, left most of the city paralysed on Monday.
The road diversion plans announced by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority and the Police for the arrival of US President George W Bush yesterday were changed without any intimation leaving thousands of motorists wandering on the roads.
All exits and entries to and from Shaikh Zayed Road were blocked contrary to the earlier plan... this major unannounced change led to traffic chaos as people had to wait for several hours to get to the other side of Shaikh Zayed Road. "
Drivers were forced to U-turn and drive back on the wrong side of the road. The police were helpful but many didn't know what was going on any more than the rest of us. People abandoned their cars and walked. One driver reported taking seven hours to travel 27km from Sharjah to SZR. Another said he was turned back from everywhere he went.
And something else I talked about yesterday - the airport.
One would-be passenger said: "All the linking roads connecting Al Wasl and Jumeirah Road to other parts of the city were closed. I missed my flight to the UK."
And the report goes on: Thousands of passengers remained stranded due to lack of public transport and taxis. Passengers who landed at the airport could not reach their homes or hotels for several hours.
What an advertisement for Dubai for all the visiting business people and tourists!
We've had reports from Karama residents that they were virtually under house arrest, told to go back indoors if they ventured out onto the streets. And some awoke to find their cars missing. They'd been towed away 'for security reasons' without any warning.
All of it in a climate of absolutely no information whatsoever.
That is unforgivable.
If you can face reading the full horror stories, Gulf News has many. I won't put all the links here, but if you go here you can read the first one and then click on the others at 'Related Articles'.
What was the chaos and disruption all about anyway?
All the reports I've seen today say that BushW's Dubai visit wasn't related to Israel-Palestine, Iran or peace in this volatile region, it was a sightseeing trip!
'A tour of Dubai's landmarks. Sheikh Saeed's house museum. Folk music & dance shows. Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural understanding. A visit to Burj Al Arab' are the reports.
Other headlines indicate the other side of the story: 'Motorists left in lurch by numerous diversions. Roadblocks and mass confusion cause hours of traffic misery. Presidential traffic throws traffic out of gear. Residents awake to find cars mysteriously moved'.
And something I was ranting on about yesterday, the cost of closing a commercial city.
Dubai International Financial Centre, where 500 companies operate, was closed. Dubai International Financial Exchange didn't operate. Jebel Ali Free Zone was closed, so the 5,000 companies there couldn't operate for the day.
Gulf News has attempted to put a figure on the losses. The say: "Dubai's economy may have suffered a loss of more than Dh432 million (over US$117 million) as a result of the shutdown caused by US President George W. Bush's visit, according to estimates based on the emirate's gross domestic product.
Dubai's GDP in 2006 reached Dh157 billion (nearly $43 billion). If trade comes to a standstill, then the emirate, the Gulf's largest trading hub and the major supply line, might have just lost Dh1 billion (US$272 million) in export, import and re-export business for the day."
Information vacuum
The really unforgivable part of the problem was the complete lack of information. About anything.
Road closures? No advance warning.
Diversions? No signs.
Public holiday? A few hours notice.
Even when information was given the reality contradicted it.
A report says: "Contrary to traffic plans, the complete closure of Shaikh Zayed Road, the lifeline of Dubai, from the Mall of the Emirates to Al Garhoud Bridge, left most of the city paralysed on Monday.
The road diversion plans announced by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority and the Police for the arrival of US President George W Bush yesterday were changed without any intimation leaving thousands of motorists wandering on the roads.
All exits and entries to and from Shaikh Zayed Road were blocked contrary to the earlier plan... this major unannounced change led to traffic chaos as people had to wait for several hours to get to the other side of Shaikh Zayed Road. "
Drivers were forced to U-turn and drive back on the wrong side of the road. The police were helpful but many didn't know what was going on any more than the rest of us. People abandoned their cars and walked. One driver reported taking seven hours to travel 27km from Sharjah to SZR. Another said he was turned back from everywhere he went.
And something else I talked about yesterday - the airport.
One would-be passenger said: "All the linking roads connecting Al Wasl and Jumeirah Road to other parts of the city were closed. I missed my flight to the UK."
And the report goes on: Thousands of passengers remained stranded due to lack of public transport and taxis. Passengers who landed at the airport could not reach their homes or hotels for several hours.
What an advertisement for Dubai for all the visiting business people and tourists!
We've had reports from Karama residents that they were virtually under house arrest, told to go back indoors if they ventured out onto the streets. And some awoke to find their cars missing. They'd been towed away 'for security reasons' without any warning.
All of it in a climate of absolutely no information whatsoever.
That is unforgivable.
If you can face reading the full horror stories, Gulf News has many. I won't put all the links here, but if you go here you can read the first one and then click on the others at 'Related Articles'.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Closing cities isn't acceptable.
I get really furious when politicians close down entire cities for other politicians.
It's even more unacceptable when the city in question is a major commercial centre. The losses to companies must run into many millions of dollars.
We had it in Sydney for the APEC Conference back in September and we have it in Dubai today for the Bush visit.
It shows utter contempt for the people and for business which is the life-blood of the city.
Of course security is an issue, but the disruption can easily be avoided and security easier to enforce if the meetings are held in places other than city centres.
In Australia it could, for example, have been on one of the resort islands. In Dubai it could have been at a desert resort, or at Zabeel Palace, or even at Burj Al Arab. The at-risk VIPs could travel by helicopter.
In Dubai the lack of information was even more unacceptable.
Yesterday roads were being closed off with no prior warning, no diversions, no signage. We all just went the way we normally do and spent hours in traffic jams without even knowing why.
Then just a few hours before the event a public holiday was announced. Because of the late decision I bet huge numbers of people weren't even aware of it and ran into massive problems this morning.
Again there was no prior warning of road closures. I drove on an empty Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina until just past Knowledge Village and found the road closed. No prior warning and not even a sign anywhere to tell us that the road ahead was closed.
Later I read in Gulf News a list of the roads and bridges that are closed today, but even they didn't know whether Shindagah Tunnel was going to be closed.
It's not only businesses of course, what about all the people trying to get to or from the airport. Roads to and around it are closed.
Do you remember the figures so proudly released recently? The airport has an average of 725 take-offs or landings every day and handles an average of over 90,000 passengers a day.
The visit was arranged a long time ago, the security needs were worked out long ago, road closures must have been worked out long ago. And nobody bothered to tell us.
It's even more unacceptable when the city in question is a major commercial centre. The losses to companies must run into many millions of dollars.
We had it in Sydney for the APEC Conference back in September and we have it in Dubai today for the Bush visit.
It shows utter contempt for the people and for business which is the life-blood of the city.
Of course security is an issue, but the disruption can easily be avoided and security easier to enforce if the meetings are held in places other than city centres.
In Australia it could, for example, have been on one of the resort islands. In Dubai it could have been at a desert resort, or at Zabeel Palace, or even at Burj Al Arab. The at-risk VIPs could travel by helicopter.
In Dubai the lack of information was even more unacceptable.
Yesterday roads were being closed off with no prior warning, no diversions, no signage. We all just went the way we normally do and spent hours in traffic jams without even knowing why.
Then just a few hours before the event a public holiday was announced. Because of the late decision I bet huge numbers of people weren't even aware of it and ran into massive problems this morning.
Again there was no prior warning of road closures. I drove on an empty Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina until just past Knowledge Village and found the road closed. No prior warning and not even a sign anywhere to tell us that the road ahead was closed.
Later I read in Gulf News a list of the roads and bridges that are closed today, but even they didn't know whether Shindagah Tunnel was going to be closed.
It's not only businesses of course, what about all the people trying to get to or from the airport. Roads to and around it are closed.
Do you remember the figures so proudly released recently? The airport has an average of 725 take-offs or landings every day and handles an average of over 90,000 passengers a day.
The visit was arranged a long time ago, the security needs were worked out long ago, road closures must have been worked out long ago. And nobody bothered to tell us.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Who writes this stuff?
This morning I had to pick my car up from the repairer - the usual Dubai problem of a couple of people running into it.
In the reception area there was a poster from our beloved RTA. I've just checked and the same message is on their website.
The message is so typical of companies and organisations these days and like buzzing (click on the label for my buzzing posts) it infuriates me. Meaningless cliches masquerading as some sort of policy or strategy with headings like 'Mission' and 'Values' - cliches in themselves.
Is there a Cliche Factory somewhere? Or do they all go to Google, type in 'meaningless cliche' and copy & paste them?
Here's what the RTA says:
Our Vision
Safe and Smooth Transport for all.
Our Mission
Our mission is to prepare legislation and develop integrated solutions of road systems and land/marine transportation networks that are safe and in line with Dubai’s economic development plans and the highest international standards.
Our Values
In our endeavor to achieve our strategic vision and mission at all levels, we refer of our mutual values that remain our first and prime reference at all times.
Corporate reputation
Our credibility and corporate reputation are honest reflections to the safe and reliable infrastructure we provide.
Distinction and Success
Our distinction is a true representation of performance based on efficiency, effectiveness and focus on continuous success.
Leadership and team work
The professionalism and wisdom of our leaders are manifested through their deep respect for individuals and reinforcement of teamwork.
Strategic partnerships
Our achievements and the success of our strategic partnerships are true reflection of our response to customer expectations and the contribution to the development of our society.
Quality and customer service
Acquisition and utilization of modern technology underpin our continuous journey towards quality and customer loyalty.
It's from the Cliche Factory isn't it.
The whole of the 'Values' section is a generic, copy & paste section that any organisation could use regardless of the business they're in. Many probably do.
But it's not just the pointless, meaningless cliches that annoy me. It's also the fact that the reality on the ground is so very different from the claims.
As a story in today's Gulf News shows, and on the roads as I found to my frustration this morning , there's actually a real world out there.
Ashfaq Ahmed has filed a report which is headed "A long and weary bus ride".
Let me remind you that the RTA is trying to get us out of our cars and onto public transport.
To be more than fair I'll leave out the problems caused by traffic congestion. Stuff like a scheduled 55 minute journey taking 2 hours 15 minutes, or 3 hours and 50 minutes for a journey that Ashfaq says normally takes not more than one hour in a car during morning peak hours.
No, let's forget all that.
But what about these little aspects of travelling by bus as reported by Ashfaq.
"Travelling in public buses in Dubai is an excellent option only if you want to save money and if you are a tourist with plenty of time to waste. It is certainly not a good option for those who have to reach their offices on time everyday because buses never reach on scheduled time...Forget about taking bus every three minutes as is claimed by the Public Transport Agency of the Roads and Transport Authority.
I tried different bus routes at different times of the day...It was a nightmare when it comes to catching bus.
The bus stop was crowded and I had to wait for at least 30 minutes for the bus. But what is this? People have started pushing each other to get into the bus. The driver took a good seven minutes to accommodate around 15 people and then shut the door leaving at least 10 more passengers mostly females behind because there were no seats available.
Ashfaq then changed buses at Al Ghubaiba bus terminal.
"It was not a pleasant scene at Al Ghubaiba as well because it took me a good 20 minutes to find out which bus I should take to reach Gulf News office.
He had a rest at his office, then plunged back into our state-of-the-art, world's-best-practice bus system.
"I waited for a bus near Gulf News for about 30 minutes, it never came.
He walked to Safa Park and found a bus to Satwa bus station.
"I decided to take a bus route map. I started asking different people about the information kiosk. There was none. One driver told me to go to an office with tinted glass. I walked in and found an employee talking over the phone. He was not bothered at all. I looked around and saw some route maps in the corner of the room. I picked up one but you have to be a Columbus to decipher the route map. It was available only in English while most of the people I found using the bus were workers who usually cannot read English.
Did I mention that Al Ghubaiba and Satwa bus stations were filthy enough to make you hold your breath?
How does that relate to the 'Values' claimed by the RTA?
Management of the bus system sounds as efficient as management of our roads, with its lack of information, misleading signs, insufficient warning distances, mishmash of US and UK road systems.
This morning I left Media City at 9.15 to drive to Al Ittihad Road near the airport. That would be maybe 40 km I guess. I picked up my car and drove back to Media City. Total time 4 hours. Half a day.
Every road I drove on or could see was either at a complete standstill or traffic was crawling slowly.
There were apparently road closures around Sheikh Zayed Road, to do with BushW's visit people were saying. Were we informed in advance? Not a word. Had we been we could have used alternative routes.
To add to the problems, people had been sent SMS spam by the RTA telling them that the new Al Garhoud Bridge was open - it wasn't, so that caused extra confusion and mayhem.
Communication isn't rocket science is it. If roads are going to be closed, tell us. Don't tell us the bridge is open if it isn't. Put clear signs up so that we know where we need to steer the car.
And management isn't difficult either, as long as the managers are competent.
If you'd like to read Ashfaq's article it's here. And the bridge misinformation fiasco is here.
LATE ADDITION
What a perfect example of bad planning, bad management, lack of communication.
This afternoon it was announced that tomorrow will be a public holiday for ministries, government establishments, schools and private sector companies in Dubai. In other words, just about all of us.
The afternoon before is just a tad late to make such an announcement wouldn't you say?
Why has the public holiday been declared?
The statement says it's "due to the closure of some main roads, bridges and tunnels" which is in relation to President W's visit.
Why was the announcement made so late?
My bet is that the traffic chaos throughout Dubai today, when they'd only just started to close off roads, caught them by surprise, even though Blind Freddy could have predicted it. Realising what major closures would do, a public holiday was the answer.
Now look, when the US President travels there's an advance guard of security experts who set up security in places he will be visiting. They do it a long time before he travels.
So the measures being taken now were worked out a long time ago.
And nobody thought it through to predict the traffic chaos that would result? Nobody was aware of the effect of closing main roads and bridges in a city that's a traffic nightmare normally? Nobody realised before this afternoon that a public holiday should be declared?
Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.
In the reception area there was a poster from our beloved RTA. I've just checked and the same message is on their website.
The message is so typical of companies and organisations these days and like buzzing (click on the label for my buzzing posts) it infuriates me. Meaningless cliches masquerading as some sort of policy or strategy with headings like 'Mission' and 'Values' - cliches in themselves.
Is there a Cliche Factory somewhere? Or do they all go to Google, type in 'meaningless cliche' and copy & paste them?
Here's what the RTA says:
Our Vision
Safe and Smooth Transport for all.
Our Mission
Our mission is to prepare legislation and develop integrated solutions of road systems and land/marine transportation networks that are safe and in line with Dubai’s economic development plans and the highest international standards.
Our Values
In our endeavor to achieve our strategic vision and mission at all levels, we refer of our mutual values that remain our first and prime reference at all times.
Corporate reputation
Our credibility and corporate reputation are honest reflections to the safe and reliable infrastructure we provide.
Distinction and Success
Our distinction is a true representation of performance based on efficiency, effectiveness and focus on continuous success.
Leadership and team work
The professionalism and wisdom of our leaders are manifested through their deep respect for individuals and reinforcement of teamwork.
Strategic partnerships
Our achievements and the success of our strategic partnerships are true reflection of our response to customer expectations and the contribution to the development of our society.
Quality and customer service
Acquisition and utilization of modern technology underpin our continuous journey towards quality and customer loyalty.
It's from the Cliche Factory isn't it.
The whole of the 'Values' section is a generic, copy & paste section that any organisation could use regardless of the business they're in. Many probably do.
But it's not just the pointless, meaningless cliches that annoy me. It's also the fact that the reality on the ground is so very different from the claims.
As a story in today's Gulf News shows, and on the roads as I found to my frustration this morning , there's actually a real world out there.
Ashfaq Ahmed has filed a report which is headed "A long and weary bus ride".
Let me remind you that the RTA is trying to get us out of our cars and onto public transport.
To be more than fair I'll leave out the problems caused by traffic congestion. Stuff like a scheduled 55 minute journey taking 2 hours 15 minutes, or 3 hours and 50 minutes for a journey that Ashfaq says normally takes not more than one hour in a car during morning peak hours.
No, let's forget all that.
But what about these little aspects of travelling by bus as reported by Ashfaq.
"Travelling in public buses in Dubai is an excellent option only if you want to save money and if you are a tourist with plenty of time to waste. It is certainly not a good option for those who have to reach their offices on time everyday because buses never reach on scheduled time...Forget about taking bus every three minutes as is claimed by the Public Transport Agency of the Roads and Transport Authority.
I tried different bus routes at different times of the day...It was a nightmare when it comes to catching bus.
The bus stop was crowded and I had to wait for at least 30 minutes for the bus. But what is this? People have started pushing each other to get into the bus. The driver took a good seven minutes to accommodate around 15 people and then shut the door leaving at least 10 more passengers mostly females behind because there were no seats available.
Ashfaq then changed buses at Al Ghubaiba bus terminal.
"It was not a pleasant scene at Al Ghubaiba as well because it took me a good 20 minutes to find out which bus I should take to reach Gulf News office.
He had a rest at his office, then plunged back into our state-of-the-art, world's-best-practice bus system.
"I waited for a bus near Gulf News for about 30 minutes, it never came.
He walked to Safa Park and found a bus to Satwa bus station.
"I decided to take a bus route map. I started asking different people about the information kiosk. There was none. One driver told me to go to an office with tinted glass. I walked in and found an employee talking over the phone. He was not bothered at all. I looked around and saw some route maps in the corner of the room. I picked up one but you have to be a Columbus to decipher the route map. It was available only in English while most of the people I found using the bus were workers who usually cannot read English.
Did I mention that Al Ghubaiba and Satwa bus stations were filthy enough to make you hold your breath?
How does that relate to the 'Values' claimed by the RTA?
Management of the bus system sounds as efficient as management of our roads, with its lack of information, misleading signs, insufficient warning distances, mishmash of US and UK road systems.
This morning I left Media City at 9.15 to drive to Al Ittihad Road near the airport. That would be maybe 40 km I guess. I picked up my car and drove back to Media City. Total time 4 hours. Half a day.
Every road I drove on or could see was either at a complete standstill or traffic was crawling slowly.
There were apparently road closures around Sheikh Zayed Road, to do with BushW's visit people were saying. Were we informed in advance? Not a word. Had we been we could have used alternative routes.
To add to the problems, people had been sent SMS spam by the RTA telling them that the new Al Garhoud Bridge was open - it wasn't, so that caused extra confusion and mayhem.
Communication isn't rocket science is it. If roads are going to be closed, tell us. Don't tell us the bridge is open if it isn't. Put clear signs up so that we know where we need to steer the car.
And management isn't difficult either, as long as the managers are competent.
If you'd like to read Ashfaq's article it's here. And the bridge misinformation fiasco is here.
LATE ADDITION
What a perfect example of bad planning, bad management, lack of communication.
This afternoon it was announced that tomorrow will be a public holiday for ministries, government establishments, schools and private sector companies in Dubai. In other words, just about all of us.
The afternoon before is just a tad late to make such an announcement wouldn't you say?
Why has the public holiday been declared?
The statement says it's "due to the closure of some main roads, bridges and tunnels" which is in relation to President W's visit.
Why was the announcement made so late?
My bet is that the traffic chaos throughout Dubai today, when they'd only just started to close off roads, caught them by surprise, even though Blind Freddy could have predicted it. Realising what major closures would do, a public holiday was the answer.
Now look, when the US President travels there's an advance guard of security experts who set up security in places he will be visiting. They do it a long time before he travels.
So the measures being taken now were worked out a long time ago.
And nobody thought it through to predict the traffic chaos that would result? Nobody was aware of the effect of closing main roads and bridges in a city that's a traffic nightmare normally? Nobody realised before this afternoon that a public holiday should be declared?
Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.
Monday, December 10, 2007
RTA comes clean
It's all about getting our private cars off the roads folks. That's The Grand Plan.
As I said in my post 'Stupid, stupid me' last month, it took a while for me to see the obvious, but now the RTA has come clean.
In the new Emirates Business 24/7 (who on earth came up with that for a title?) there's the admission that Salik is to be extended to cover all major roads and Creek crossings. The objective is to "encourage people to use public transport."
Bad news for the huge number of Dubai's workforce who live in Sharjah because of the impossibly high rents in Dubai - all the gateways between the two emirates will be toll-controlled.
If they, and the rest of us, are going to have to use public transport to get around I hope we're going to actually get an efficient public transport system.
The story in Emirates Business 24/7 is here.
As I said in my post 'Stupid, stupid me' last month, it took a while for me to see the obvious, but now the RTA has come clean.
In the new Emirates Business 24/7 (who on earth came up with that for a title?) there's the admission that Salik is to be extended to cover all major roads and Creek crossings. The objective is to "encourage people to use public transport."
Bad news for the huge number of Dubai's workforce who live in Sharjah because of the impossibly high rents in Dubai - all the gateways between the two emirates will be toll-controlled.
If they, and the rest of us, are going to have to use public transport to get around I hope we're going to actually get an efficient public transport system.
The story in Emirates Business 24/7 is here.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Stupid, stupid me.
For a long time I've been complaining that the RTA is making it more difficult for motorists to get around when they should be making it easier.
Today I was reading the news that the trams we were threatened with some time ago are for real and work will start in January. Initially the trams will run for 15 kilometres along Al Sufouh Road from Madinat Jumeirah to Dubai Marina, and around both sides of the Marina. The route is shown very well in this Gulf News graphic:
Thanks largely to Salik these roads are jammed solid morning and evening already. Losing a third of the road space to a tramline - plus the inevitable closures & diversions while the work is being done - will make it all but impossible.
Then a blinding flash. The light came on. The penny dropped. It all suddenly became clear.
Why I haven't seen the blindingly obvious for so long I don't know.
It's to make driving difficult to the point of impossible.
That's the plan. Always has been. I simply didn't see it.
I stupidly thought the integrated traffic plan included private cars. It obviously doesn't.
It's so simple. Make it so frustrating, so annoying, so time-consuming to use a private car and we'll all have to use the Metro/tram/buses/ferries.
The plan is simply to drive us all off the roads completely.
An RTA official is quoted as saying: "The tram project will encourage people in these posh areas to use alternate mode of transport instead of personal cars."
Encourage? We'll have no option.
By the way, I'm sure I must have raised the point when I talked about a tramline in a posting ages ago - can you imagine the danger, the chaos with Dubai's motorists and trams on the same road?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Investigation into vehicle fires.
Last month I asked Why so many fires? when we have vehicle accidents here, and ended the posting "Something for the authorities to look into?"
Apparently they are.
Gulf News reports today that "Road safety expert seeks answers to blazes following road accidents and collisions."
Dr. Yaser Hawas, Director of the Roadway, Transportation & Traffic Safety Research Centre in Al Ain, said the occurrence of vehicle fires during accidents is so alarming that it warrants an investigation into the causes.
That's why I wrote about it, I'm sure that we have an unusually high number of vehicle fires in crashes. There has to be a reason and if the reason can be found it can be eliminated.
Dr. Hawas said: "We are examining these accidents to ascertain whether it's a car manufacturing fault, nature of the accident or any other aspect that set the vehicle on fire after the collision."
That really is good to see. Any crash is a terrible thing but I have a real horror of fire and I can't think of anything worse than the vehicles exploding into flames.
The full Gulf News story is here.
Apparently they are.
Gulf News reports today that "Road safety expert seeks answers to blazes following road accidents and collisions."
Dr. Yaser Hawas, Director of the Roadway, Transportation & Traffic Safety Research Centre in Al Ain, said the occurrence of vehicle fires during accidents is so alarming that it warrants an investigation into the causes.
That's why I wrote about it, I'm sure that we have an unusually high number of vehicle fires in crashes. There has to be a reason and if the reason can be found it can be eliminated.
Dr. Hawas said: "We are examining these accidents to ascertain whether it's a car manufacturing fault, nature of the accident or any other aspect that set the vehicle on fire after the collision."
That really is good to see. Any crash is a terrible thing but I have a real horror of fire and I can't think of anything worse than the vehicles exploding into flames.
The full Gulf News story is here.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Death of the innocents.
We had more terrible road crashes at the end of last week, with babies and children killed.
I always think it's a worse tragedy when children are involved. Helpless to protect themselves they have to rely totally on adults to care for them, to keep them safe. It's so often a misplaced trust.
Three children and an unborn baby died in two accidents on Thursday.
In Sharjah two little girls, Ayeesha Diya aged six and her sister Dina Ruqiya aged only three, were sleeping in the back of their car. According to a friend their father had stopped on the hard shoulder on the Al Dhaid-Sharjah highway because he was sleepy. That seemed the sensible thing to do, rather than drive on in a dangerously sleepy state.
At 11.30 pm another car slammed into them, killing the two little girls. Their pregnant mother was in critical condition, her baby was delivered in an emergency operation, condition not immediately known.
In Al Ain an eight year old, a pregnant woman and her unborn baby died. Police report that a tyre burst on their 4x4 vehicle when it was travelling at high speed, causing the vehicle to tumble for 140 metres. There were apparently fourteen pasengers in the vehicle, some of whom sustained serious injuries.
Sitting here in a helpless rage doesn't achieve anything and I'm sure there's nothing I - or you - can do anyway.
But this carnage has to be stopped.
It's a huge challenge because of the attitudes of drivers here and the different standards - not to mention the confusing roads and road signs that we have to try to deal with.
The RTA could obviously and easily get rid of the dangers the badly designed roads and signage cause, but I'm not sure they have the common sense or brainpower to do it.
The rest of the problems are much more complex. What will it take? An ongoing educational campaign, including school-age future drivers, a complete re-think about the way licences are issued, with none being issued automatically, every driver being schooled in one system of driving, a complete revamp of the driving school industry, a larger more effective traffic police division, rigid enforcement of the rules and laws.
I'm not holding my breath.
I always think it's a worse tragedy when children are involved. Helpless to protect themselves they have to rely totally on adults to care for them, to keep them safe. It's so often a misplaced trust.
Three children and an unborn baby died in two accidents on Thursday.
In Sharjah two little girls, Ayeesha Diya aged six and her sister Dina Ruqiya aged only three, were sleeping in the back of their car. According to a friend their father had stopped on the hard shoulder on the Al Dhaid-Sharjah highway because he was sleepy. That seemed the sensible thing to do, rather than drive on in a dangerously sleepy state.
At 11.30 pm another car slammed into them, killing the two little girls. Their pregnant mother was in critical condition, her baby was delivered in an emergency operation, condition not immediately known.
In Al Ain an eight year old, a pregnant woman and her unborn baby died. Police report that a tyre burst on their 4x4 vehicle when it was travelling at high speed, causing the vehicle to tumble for 140 metres. There were apparently fourteen pasengers in the vehicle, some of whom sustained serious injuries.
Sitting here in a helpless rage doesn't achieve anything and I'm sure there's nothing I - or you - can do anyway.
But this carnage has to be stopped.
It's a huge challenge because of the attitudes of drivers here and the different standards - not to mention the confusing roads and road signs that we have to try to deal with.
The RTA could obviously and easily get rid of the dangers the badly designed roads and signage cause, but I'm not sure they have the common sense or brainpower to do it.
The rest of the problems are much more complex. What will it take? An ongoing educational campaign, including school-age future drivers, a complete re-think about the way licences are issued, with none being issued automatically, every driver being schooled in one system of driving, a complete revamp of the driving school industry, a larger more effective traffic police division, rigid enforcement of the rules and laws.
I'm not holding my breath.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
A logical plan...but when?
RTA studies have shown that the sudden breakdown of a vehicle or a minor accident that actually needs only five minutes to clear the vehicle from the spot currently needs at least 40 minutes to remove the vehicle and resume normal traffic movement.
I think those of us who've been stuck in jams might think it takes a lot more than 40 minutes to resume normal traffic movement.
However, the RTA has come up with a logical, and long overdue, plan. Private companies with towing vehicles stationed at various sites across Dubai will be allowed to clear vehicles involved in minor accidents, clearing the roads much more quickly.
But.
The plan is only in the 'consideration' stages so we'll have to put up for a while yet with the unnecessary chaos that every accident causes.
The story doesn't say but I wonder if it will mean the stupidity of having to have a police report for even the most minor of accidents will disappear. What a nonsense that is, police time being wasted having to attend scenes of minor bumps, when no-one is injured, and writing a report just to satisfy the insurance companies.
By the way, the report gives figures that show the extent of our problems with driving standards. The number of registered vehicles in Dubai is 780,000. The number of accidents last year was 243,386. One in three vehicles is involved in an accident. An accident every two minutes. Amazing figures.
Gulf News report is here.
I think those of us who've been stuck in jams might think it takes a lot more than 40 minutes to resume normal traffic movement.
However, the RTA has come up with a logical, and long overdue, plan. Private companies with towing vehicles stationed at various sites across Dubai will be allowed to clear vehicles involved in minor accidents, clearing the roads much more quickly.
But.
The plan is only in the 'consideration' stages so we'll have to put up for a while yet with the unnecessary chaos that every accident causes.
The story doesn't say but I wonder if it will mean the stupidity of having to have a police report for even the most minor of accidents will disappear. What a nonsense that is, police time being wasted having to attend scenes of minor bumps, when no-one is injured, and writing a report just to satisfy the insurance companies.
By the way, the report gives figures that show the extent of our problems with driving standards. The number of registered vehicles in Dubai is 780,000. The number of accidents last year was 243,386. One in three vehicles is involved in an accident. An accident every two minutes. Amazing figures.
Gulf News report is here.
Another vehicle fire death
Last week I was asking why there were so many vehicle fires in crashes here.
Yet another one was reported on Emirates Road near Arabian Ranches during the Eid holiday. Two cars collided, one burst into flames and the driver died.
There are high speed crashes in other countries but they have nowhere near the number of fires that we have. So it surely has to be a safety thing doesn't it? Are the vehicles we get here less fire-safe? What are the regulations regarding fuel tank positioning and protection, for example. Are they less than in other countries?
Yet another one was reported on Emirates Road near Arabian Ranches during the Eid holiday. Two cars collided, one burst into flames and the driver died.
There are high speed crashes in other countries but they have nowhere near the number of fires that we have. So it surely has to be a safety thing doesn't it? Are the vehicles we get here less fire-safe? What are the regulations regarding fuel tank positioning and protection, for example. Are they less than in other countries?
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Why so many fires?
Photo: Devadasan. Gulf News
I wonder why it is that we seem to have an inordinately high number of vehicle fires after crashes.
Monday's reports were of a speeding 4x4 on Dubai-Al Ain road smashing into a car parked on the hard shoulder. The driver of the 4x4 and the two people in the parked car were all incinerated.
There are similar crashes in other countries but it's a real rarity to read of the vehicles burning. Here the vehicles seem to burst into flames far too often. I'm sure that many more people would survive the crashes if the fire problem could be removed.
Something for the authorities to look into?
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Roundabouts or lights?
There's an interesting report in Gulf News from Oman, headed: "Muscat roundabouts being replaced with traffic light junctions." Apparently all roundabouts in Muscat will be replaced.
One of the problems with traffic management in Dubai is the fundamental mistake way back of using a hybrid of various road systems, particularly US and UK systems. So we have dual-carriageways with U-Turn allowed but also roundabouts - and to add to the confusion, traffic lights on the roundabouts.
I remember a US traffic management expert, too many years ago for me to remember exactly who, saying that roundabouts were very pretty but they were an obstruction to traffic flow.
Is it too late for the basic system here to be cleaned up?
Gulf News story is here.
One of the problems with traffic management in Dubai is the fundamental mistake way back of using a hybrid of various road systems, particularly US and UK systems. So we have dual-carriageways with U-Turn allowed but also roundabouts - and to add to the confusion, traffic lights on the roundabouts.
I remember a US traffic management expert, too many years ago for me to remember exactly who, saying that roundabouts were very pretty but they were an obstruction to traffic flow.
Is it too late for the basic system here to be cleaned up?
Gulf News story is here.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Car sharing up and running
I was pleased to read in Emirates Today that a car sharing website has been launched so that people who want to car pool can easily contact each other. I've had a quick look at it and at first glance it seems to be well set up.
The other pleasing thing was that previous 'official' announcements that car pooling was illegal seem to have been incorrect.
The RTA say that car pooling for profit is illegal - illegal taxis is the thing the authorities are worried about.
However, car pooling and sharing the petrol costs are not illegal and that really is what car pooling is all about. In fact, poolers don't even need to do that - for example, I'm aware overseas of commuters who simply use one person's car one week, another person's the next.
One of the problems in most cities is the number of cars with just one person in them. Simple arithmatic says that if there was car pooling and each car had four people, traffic would decrease by 75%.
Anything that will help relieve the congestion on our roads, the pollution, the frustration, the lost productivity, can only be a good thing.
The website is www.carshareme.com.
You can read the story, which Emirates Today devoted its front page to, here.
The other pleasing thing was that previous 'official' announcements that car pooling was illegal seem to have been incorrect.
The RTA say that car pooling for profit is illegal - illegal taxis is the thing the authorities are worried about.
However, car pooling and sharing the petrol costs are not illegal and that really is what car pooling is all about. In fact, poolers don't even need to do that - for example, I'm aware overseas of commuters who simply use one person's car one week, another person's the next.
One of the problems in most cities is the number of cars with just one person in them. Simple arithmatic says that if there was car pooling and each car had four people, traffic would decrease by 75%.
Anything that will help relieve the congestion on our roads, the pollution, the frustration, the lost productivity, can only be a good thing.
The website is www.carshareme.com.
You can read the story, which Emirates Today devoted its front page to, here.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Arrogance & mismanagement - guess who!
Yes of course, the RTA.
The much boasted about Floating Bridge was closed yesterday during peak hours without any advance warning to motorists.
Emergency work demanding immediate action? Not according to the RTA.
Astonishingly, they say the damage to Dubai's vital commercial life, the lost productivity, the added pollution, the frustration to motorists, the chaos, was caused deliberately.
Denying rumours that there was a safety problem or a malfunction, Maitha Obaid Bin Udai, CEO of the RTA's Traffic & Roads Agency, said they had carried out tests and technical experiments during peak hours.
They not only didn't tell motorists what they planned, it seems they kept the police in the dark too. An official is quoted as saying that they were requested by the RTA to send patrols to regulate traffic but: "We do not know why the bridge was closed. We just diverted the traffic"
By the way, I loved this quote from Maitha. Pure bureaucrat-speak. "After the conduction of the technical experiment we noticed some minor issues, which were immediately tackled to reflect the RTA’s commitment to surpass all types of difficulties that could hamper the traffic smoothness."
First the water buses disappear the day after they're launched to a great fanfare, now this problem with the Floating Bridge.
I've asked many times before - when are those responsible for the chaaos and mismanagement going to be held responsible?
Full stories with Gulf News here and 7Days here.
The much boasted about Floating Bridge was closed yesterday during peak hours without any advance warning to motorists.
Emergency work demanding immediate action? Not according to the RTA.
Astonishingly, they say the damage to Dubai's vital commercial life, the lost productivity, the added pollution, the frustration to motorists, the chaos, was caused deliberately.
Denying rumours that there was a safety problem or a malfunction, Maitha Obaid Bin Udai, CEO of the RTA's Traffic & Roads Agency, said they had carried out tests and technical experiments during peak hours.
They not only didn't tell motorists what they planned, it seems they kept the police in the dark too. An official is quoted as saying that they were requested by the RTA to send patrols to regulate traffic but: "We do not know why the bridge was closed. We just diverted the traffic"
By the way, I loved this quote from Maitha. Pure bureaucrat-speak. "After the conduction of the technical experiment we noticed some minor issues, which were immediately tackled to reflect the RTA’s commitment to surpass all types of difficulties that could hamper the traffic smoothness."
First the water buses disappear the day after they're launched to a great fanfare, now this problem with the Floating Bridge.
I've asked many times before - when are those responsible for the chaaos and mismanagement going to be held responsible?
Full stories with Gulf News here and 7Days here.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
"Salik increases commuting time"
Commuting times since Salik was introduced have increased by between 30 and 50 minutes. So say motorists, struggling with congestion on the alternative routes now congested by people avoiding the toll section of Sheikh Zayed Road.
Photo. Megan Hirons. Gulf News
Congestion at the intersection near Deira City Centre where the road from the Floating Bridge meets the other roads.
The stated aim of the toll was to reduce traffic on SZR by 25% and it seems to have done that.
But that was always far too simplistic, too one-dimensional.
What about the ripple effect that so many of us have talked about for months? The pressure on the alternative roads that simply can't take the extra traffic. The pressure on the other bottlenecks, which were already full to bursting?
The already jammed Shindagah tunnel and Al Maktoum bridge are having to take even more traffic. Al Ittihad, Baniyas, Al Maktoum and Airport roads are struggling to cope with all the extra toll-avoiding and Floating Bridge traffic.
There's always a bigger picture and it's far from clear that the RTA looked at this one.
It's a fact of traffic management anywhere in the world that moving traffic more quickly from one area to another simply means that it piles up more quickly at the first obstruction. Widen SZR to six lanes each way, for example, and a bigger volume is brought more quickly to Trade Centre Roundabout, with it's sequence of traffic lights. Screech! The traffic has to stop and the queue just gets longer and longer.
Move the traffic onto Al Wasl or Beach Roads - and they hit Satwa. Screech! The traffic has to stop and the queue just gets longer and longer.
Move the traffic off Garhoud Bridge onto Maktoum or Floating bridges - and they hit Deira. Screech! The traffic has to stop and the queue just gets longer and longer.
The only way around it, overseas, has been to literally go around it - build by-pass roads that avoid the towns and cities entirely. The RTA is building many more bridges across the Creek - in itself a good move but there's no emphasis on what's really needed, roads that by-pass the city and the Creek entirely between Jebel Ali/Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates.
We need more bridges for the increasing number of people who live and/or work in Dubai and need to cross between Deira and Bur Dubai. But we deperately also need more by-pass roads for the increasing number of people who don't need or want to be clogging up the city roads at all but are forced to do so because of the road 'planning'.
By the way, have a look at the driving standards shown in the photo. The lights for traffic coming from the left are obviously green because cars are across the junction going straight ahead or filtering left. Look at the number of cars that have crossed from top right and are now blocking the intersection.
Morons.
Gulf News has the story of the increased congestion here.
Photo. Megan Hirons. Gulf News
Congestion at the intersection near Deira City Centre where the road from the Floating Bridge meets the other roads.
The stated aim of the toll was to reduce traffic on SZR by 25% and it seems to have done that.
But that was always far too simplistic, too one-dimensional.
What about the ripple effect that so many of us have talked about for months? The pressure on the alternative roads that simply can't take the extra traffic. The pressure on the other bottlenecks, which were already full to bursting?
The already jammed Shindagah tunnel and Al Maktoum bridge are having to take even more traffic. Al Ittihad, Baniyas, Al Maktoum and Airport roads are struggling to cope with all the extra toll-avoiding and Floating Bridge traffic.
There's always a bigger picture and it's far from clear that the RTA looked at this one.
It's a fact of traffic management anywhere in the world that moving traffic more quickly from one area to another simply means that it piles up more quickly at the first obstruction. Widen SZR to six lanes each way, for example, and a bigger volume is brought more quickly to Trade Centre Roundabout, with it's sequence of traffic lights. Screech! The traffic has to stop and the queue just gets longer and longer.
Move the traffic onto Al Wasl or Beach Roads - and they hit Satwa. Screech! The traffic has to stop and the queue just gets longer and longer.
Move the traffic off Garhoud Bridge onto Maktoum or Floating bridges - and they hit Deira. Screech! The traffic has to stop and the queue just gets longer and longer.
The only way around it, overseas, has been to literally go around it - build by-pass roads that avoid the towns and cities entirely. The RTA is building many more bridges across the Creek - in itself a good move but there's no emphasis on what's really needed, roads that by-pass the city and the Creek entirely between Jebel Ali/Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates.
We need more bridges for the increasing number of people who live and/or work in Dubai and need to cross between Deira and Bur Dubai. But we deperately also need more by-pass roads for the increasing number of people who don't need or want to be clogging up the city roads at all but are forced to do so because of the road 'planning'.
By the way, have a look at the driving standards shown in the photo. The lights for traffic coming from the left are obviously green because cars are across the junction going straight ahead or filtering left. Look at the number of cars that have crossed from top right and are now blocking the intersection.
Morons.
Gulf News has the story of the increased congestion here.
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