mentalist

The story of people being followed into Sharjah and then tricked into handing over cash is not new. The readers' comments are quite interesting. My concern is that the red UAE Alcohol Licence only entitle you to consume alcohol at home, so wouldn't the driver still be fined even if he had a licence?
http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/...ctim-1.1171910

BinCat

The rules in the old licence book (before it became a card) said you were allowed to purchase at the nearest available shop to your home and drive it home. i.e. live in Dxb then buy it in Dxb. Don't know since it became a card where the rules are, but they're bound to be somewhere online and I don't suppose they've changed much.

winter

You cannot bring alcohol from one emirate to another, even if you have a licence, your licence only lets you buy alcohol in dubai

abi31

when the penalties are so high why would these people break the law in the first place?! Do hope the gang/s get a comeuppance though. Maybe someone who is about leave anyway could set themselves up and call the police themselves and report blackmail

mikewot

abi31 if you legally buy in Dubai the choice is limited, prices high and they add an extra 30% tax. Go to some of these other places and the choice is enormous and the prices more reasonable with no government mark up. I myself went to one this morning (my alcohol licence ran out end of last month) and drove back without incident. I do wonder about these tales because I've never met anyone who has fallen for it, just lots of stories. It would be very easy to spot someone tailing you and just park up until they pass.

mentalist

If the victim was a Dubai expatriate, surely it would have been safer to use the main trunk roads rather than risk passing through Sharjah city centre. Alternatively, drive the extra mile and do your shopping at one of the tax free outlets in RAK.

mikewot

Oh mental one I totally agree, Sharjah is not a nice place to drive through. If you're going to Barracuda it's an easy drive up the old Emirates Road and for variety I come back on the new Emirates Road. 139 Kph all the way on cruise control watching the locals get flashed as they zoom by, or suddenly apply the brakes when they spot the cameras

Autonomy

Exactly - I always use the new Emirates Road (the 611) - conveniently it takes you to the exact junction on the 311 for Barracuda and at the weekend it is empty.

I only every keep a close eye on other cars on the stretch from Barracuda to the 611

mikewot

And the other eye on the loose camels and donkeys/mules on that stretch!

Autonomy

Well yes, it was also on this road I saw an accident where I'm pretty sure someone died..

Since then they have installed the central crash barriers...

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...+die+barracuda

Sandboy

2 of my colleagues were victims of these bandits - an Indian lad who'd been in Ajman and coughed 4000AED when they bumped him back in Sharjah where he lived

the other was a 15 stone geordie who they tried at one of the roundabouts on that road back from barracuda across to Emirates Road - he jumped out and they mentioned police and oh no you have alcohol - he pretended to call the police himself, called them some nasty names and took photos of their car, they jumped in it and scarpered

britexpat76

Though we know the Primani suit tale is true

mikewot

Sniffle, sob, boo hoo hoo! Mummy the nasty man is reminding me of that time again!

Millhouse

How much do you lot drink at home? I can't see a trip to Barracuda ever being worth my time even it was being given away for free.

britexpat76

3 bottles of cider and a couple of glasses of wine. 2 bottles of bacardi breezer for the wife. Does not sound like much but 3 cases of breezer a month is QR720 QR800 for the cider and 500 for 4 boxes of wine. Adds up, and that is 1/4 price of having the same in a bar after work.