'You can believe me, I'm from the RTA'

"Authority dispels fears of clogged Dubai roads."

Oh, that's OK then, we can all relax and drive about the place without any problems.

No more 'can't go there, the traffic's too bad' mutterings from us.

Want to go to dinner in Deira when you live in Dubai Marina? It's not going to be a problem any more, obviously.

Who tells us this? None other than Engineer Maitha Obaid Bin Udai, who as we all know is in a position to know these things. She is indeed the Chief Executive Officer, Traffic & Roads Agency at our beloved RTA.

The eagerly-anticipated Salik road toll stuff up system is going to reduce traffic on the short section of SZR that it covers by 25%, encouraging us to "use alternative roads and public transport."

Public transport?


Maitha Obaid Bin Udai with Salik sticker.
Photo: Gulf News

Maitha says the toll will not create traffic congestion (contradicting the Chief of Traffic Police and the entire motoring public of Dubai). Even though it starts to operate on July 1st it somehow links in with the future - 'the expected opening of the floating bridge, the new (2008) Al Garhoud Bridge, the widening (when?) of Emirates Road'.

And "...the floating bridge will reduce traffic on Maktoum Bridge by 37%."

Ummmm...the toll on Garhoud Bridge will send more traffic to Maktoum bridge. That's the whole idea of it, to get traffic off Garhoud.

My head hurts.

Gulf News report: Salik is coming.

Etisalat is reaching out to me...

Just received this from Etisacrap:

In our constant endeavor to enhance our service to best serve our valued customers, we once again would like to invite you to participate in our Al Shamil Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Kindly tell us how satisfied you are with our services and how we may improve our services to make your Internet experience more pleasant. Your feedback will help us improve our service and serve you better.

Is it ironic, or do they mean it?

If they mean it, I hardly know where to begin...

I give up!

That's it! I'm going to shut the computer down now. Not only is it the slowest I can ever remember, bloody Etisalat is spamming my e-mail box:


Al Shamil Quiz Competition

Dear Valued Al Shamil Customer,

As part of our constant endeavors to enhance customers Internet experience and enforce awareness of broadband Internet, we are pleased to announce Al Shamil Broadband Quiz Competition for kids during Knowledge Surprises, in partnership with the Land Department, between 3rd and 9th of August 2006.

By the way, don't you love the "...enforce awareness..." Oops, a Freudian slip.

No comment...

For reasons too boring to go into I was doing a quick bit of research on Magna Carta. Salisbury Cathedral has a copy and on their website I came across this paragraph. I was struck by the last two sentences, having just been reading about 'rendition', Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib et al:

"Magna Carta is Latin for “The Great Charter” the famous agreement made between King John and his barons at Runneymede in 1215. It is beautifully written in Latin on vellum (animal skin) and contains some 3,500 words, many of which have been abbreviated. It established, amongst other principles in law, that no free man may be imprisoned or prosecuted without fair trail before his equals. The basic principles of the Magna Carta have been incorporated into the Constitution of the United States of America."