Driving in the UAE
Oct 4th 2009, 5:28 am
#31
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 136
Re: Driving in the UAE
So did you actually get a bunch of fines, or was the guy bullshitting?
Strange he got annoyed, if he was in an M3 then you wouldn't have been able to overtake him if he didn't want you to.
You'd have to be blind, stoned and asleep to let someone get ahead of you if you're in an M3.
Strange he got annoyed, if he was in an M3 then you wouldn't have been able to overtake him if he didn't want you to.
You'd have to be blind, stoned and asleep to let someone get ahead of you if you're in an M3.
Oct 4th 2009, 8:59 am
#32
MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Dubai
Posts: 6,373
Re: Driving in the UAE
The link shows the penalties for breaking traffic laws (see 22 & 23 for overtaking issues) - it's clearly not allowed. However, as others have said it depends who you are, the time of day, colour of your car etc etc etc 
Anything seems to go until you get caught ! I have lost track of the number of accidents I have seen in Abu Dhabi due to bad lane discipline.
http://www.auto-uae.com/Rules/index.shtml
Anything seems to go until you get caught ! I have lost track of the number of accidents I have seen in Abu Dhabi due to bad lane discipline. http://www.auto-uae.com/Rules/index.shtml
1. Law enforcement officers seem to have their own interepretation of the law resulting in some officers being stricter than PC busybody back in the UK and others being so lax in enforcement (and example) that no one really knows what the law is (or rather, what will get them into trouble, what is safe and what is not etc).
2. My girlfriend doesn't have a licence and has been taking lessons here. She had 5 lessons everyday last week and 4 different instructors - and each one taught her something contradictory to the other (the main issue seemed to be speed limits, with one saying it's fine to drive 10-20KPH over the posted limit and another say the limit is the limit).
3. Some local people (and non-locals with connections, wasta etc) think the laws don't apply to them (mostly because precedent has taught them they can cause serious accidents and walk away with little or no punishment). Some get licences without taking a single lesson for goodness sake.
If basic driving instruction isn't even standardised and the police have some who know and enforce the law and some who do not how on earth can this country ever expect to have some sort of standard of driving everyone knows and follows (and therefore reduces misunderstanding, accidents and other stupidity we see here)?
Recently the WHO published stats which stated you are six times more likely to die in a car accident in the UAE than in the Europe. The number 2 cause of death 2007 in the UAE was car accidents according to the AD Health Authority. I sit in my office daily looking at stats like that every week and it's frightening - I can only conclude human life just isn't as valuable in the UAE as elsewhere...tax free and sunshine is useless if you can only breath because you're plugging in.
N.
Oct 5th 2009, 10:42 am
#33
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5
Re: Driving in the UAE
I hear it is trecherous!
Oct 5th 2009, 5:12 pm
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: UAE
Posts: 241
Re: Driving in the UAE
...after being here a few years, here is a question - anyone ever seen a young local guy having a drivng lesson? No, nor me.....
Oct 6th 2009, 4:00 am
#35
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Abu Dhabi
Posts: 897
Re: Driving in the UAE
Very good point - I work in an area just outside the main city (Abu Dhabi) where there are tons of learners driving around, and not once have I seen a local, at least not one in a dish-dash.
