Millhouse

I did the drive today... no traffic really so was quite pleasant, listened to the Sheena Show (or whatever those twats are called) all the way.

The elastic band in my Pajero was set between 130kph and 135kph. The car beeped and rattled all the way.

Anyway, Arabian Ranches, Reem 2 to Khalydiah, Abu Dhabi via the 'new Yas road' (which is now a year old)... 1 hour and.... 40 minutes but I did stop off to get fuel which took 6 minutes.

conclusions:

1) People underestimate how long this takes - it may be 1:10 but this excludes time it takes to pick up the motorway etc.

2) You will have to get fuel quite frequently which takes time.

3) Being subjected to around 3.5 hours a day of a car beeping at you is not good for your mental well-being. I shall have the beeper disabled on mine.

4) It makes you tired.

5) I have not factored in the time it then took me to find parking in Khalydiah.

Only 2 more days left...

soukie

Sounds a very realistic time to me which is why I would never consider living in Dubai and working in Abu Dhabi. Good luck with the new job in Dewby - you'll miss Abu Dhabi!!

Millhouse

I already do...

typical

I once rented a tiny GM to drive from Dubai to the airport in Abu Dhabi (back when I was BA Gold and got one-way rentals for free).

The thing had a constant tone that started at 121kmph and didn't shut up unless you dropped below 110... tried loud radio, but just wouldn't drown it out.

That plus it was a manual that didn't work properly, and frankly the most horrible car I've ever driven (no brakes, steering like being on an ice rink) made it the worst driving experience I've ever had.

You are right though, the traffic once you're on the island (whichever direction you come in from) - and all the damn lights - slows you down massively. It's also knackering.

Enjoy the mass traffic jam at JAFZA on the way home...

Millhouse

what?!

Ethos83

Just stay in a hotel for the next two days. Once you factor in the cost of petrol it probably isn't much more than the cost of commuting to/from AD.

busybee2

yeh all this 45 mins from marina to abo dharbi....

busybee2

yep when my hubs was working at ja he would turn right to go to ad and be home same time as the people who only had to travel up the SZR a few junctions.

Madam Medusa

someone told me that made your car insurance invalid...not sure whether it's true...

MM, xx

busybee2

first of all i thought you meant driving 3.5 hours a day.... yes you are not meant to disable the "beeper", most garages will not do it for you. its there for a reason. beep beep.

norsk

i doubt very much it has to be enabled by law other than in rental cars. In my car I can turn it off or adjust the speed at which it beeps through the drive computer. Currently set to 140...

al dente

Not quite the case. Both our cars have been disabled at first ask, at two different garages.

Grace O Malley

Maybe the dealers won't do it, but other garages will...

busybee2

i DID say "most" which to means not "all".

Millhouse

Day 2:

I set off today 45 minutes earlier than yesterday (7.45 today, 8:30 yesterday).

I set the egg timer under the bonnet of the Pajero to 120kph (couldn't take that bloody beeping any longer), packed a couple of cartons of apple juice and put the Fleetwood Mac CD on.

Al Reem 2, Arabian Ranches, Dubai to Khalydiah, Abu Dhabi in... 1 hour and... 40 minutes (excluding Parking). Pit stopped for fuel (70Dh of E+, yesterday was 80Dh of Special). 6 minutes again.

I went a slightly different route (don't ask as I don't know, but ended up on SZR near Jebal Ali rather than further down it). It must be shorter, but there were traffic jams.

Traffic - the road was suicide today. Every nutter was out this morning, all lanes used for overtaking, loads of weaving in and out. People doing 100kph in the fast lane, 160kph in the middle lane and nutters weaving across 4 lanes at 200kph between them.

I'm staying down in AD tonight and going out on the piss. Cannot be bothered with that again. I'm knackered.