koquine

Thank you all so much for the replies! Ok, so that's one worry off my list! I'll somehow manage! I think we'll look to live in the city centre. I did like the look of Al Reem, but I had not realised nothing was opened yet! Though we're looking at September ish, so maybe it'll be better by then...

Patsy Stoned

I would either take your test before you come or buy a car here and employ a houseboy/driver. Would you really risk getting into a taxi with, soon to be, 2 children without them in carseats or whatever it is that children are put into to keep them safe in cars?
Taxis do not have these seat things and I certainly wouldn't be in a car without a seatbelt!!
A houseboy/driver would only be about 2000 odd a month and he would do the cleaning/gardening etc...seems worth it to me.

Millhouse

very sensible advice. I find it amusing that people are 'too scared to drive' in AD (which by the way is a peace of piss), yet happily climb into a cut-n-shunt taxi without seat belts driven by a guy who is fasting and works 18 hour days in 40oC heat.

Put the kid in a large metal box with a proper car seat. Get a well-rested driver if you don't have the balls to drive it yourself.

Millhouse

have you been to Reem or just looking online?

Khalydiah is lovely, Tourist Club fun, Cornish is fantastic. You can't use any of those descriptions for Reem...

I used to live on the Cornich where it bordered Tourist Club (also known as the ally pally). Great area. You'd get by with walking around there for a while although I still think you need a car.

Oyibopeppeh

Don't bank on it....they've been saying that the Salaam Street tunnel will be "open anytime now". I first heard that two years ago...

Plus it's almost Ramadamadingdong time where it's traditional to do diddly!

lullabelle

I only once got into a cab without seat belts. And got straight back out again. They're usually pushed down at the back by locals though, so you have to root around for them. I've never put my kid's in a car without them being strapped in - couldn't do it. Plus they had little back pack booster seats which worked brilliantly (made by trunki.)

I only ever got into the newer taxis though...

I found the taxis in AD safer than the Dubai ones. Possibly because of the short distances and the speed cameras along the corniche keeping things relatively civilised. There's also more traffic which keeps the speed down. However off the main drag the taxis can drive like ****wits.

I hated the driving in Abu Dhabi and found Dubai to be better and safer. The main roads on and off island can be nasty, especially during rush hour, and the truck road is like mad max. I saw accidents all the time in Abu Dhabi, I saw far fewer in Dubai. I think the official statistics back this up: there's a accident every 4 mins in Abu Dhabi. But then I did a stupid commute into nutter driver central.

My friend learned to drive in AD and she drove like an absolute idiot. She ferried me to and from work for a while and scared the living daylights out of me. So if you're going to learn, do it now. At least you'll know what an indicator is. And stopping distance.

kaz lou abu dhabi

Unfortunately with a housing budget of 6,000 AED all you would get on Al Reem is a studio apartment, most 2 beds there are around 120k per annum. I dont think there are any 2 beds for 70k in Abu Dhabi, unless in a split villa which usually are illegal. I would try and push for at least 120k housing allowance, or if you learn to drive and can push to 2 cars, you could get a 2 bed villa in Al Reef for around 90k (but you would really need to drive out there).

busybee2

there are buses that go from al reef now though. the downtown apartments will be cheaper

Millhouse

Did you also ask the driver when he came on shift? I always ask this.

I once forced an emirates driver to pull over and let me drive on the AD highway as the ****er kept falling asleep.