"so talk to me about Driving"
 

Apart from the weather and the tax (or lack of it) Abu Dhabi 'seems' to be known for its bonkers driving. Is it as much of a nightmare as I keep reading... do you just get used to it... do you all just take cabs everywhere.... and are there any 'rules of the road' books anyone can recommend pertaining to getting from A t o B...safely ? I love driving and we are always out and about at home. However based on what I am reading I will be looking for a small armored vehicle upon my arrival at your fair shores!!

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I know how you feel. I would not dare to drive in Russia - driving in France is bad enough. I just take the bus and the tram and let the mad drivers and police fight it out.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Terry Tibbs...talk to me

It's not too bad. Quite civilized compared to Saudi Arabia. Nowt to worry about

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Woody, you worry far too much. Chill out, relax and enjoy the ride. Moving to AD is just one big holiday and you will have a great life :)

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Is that an 'adam ant' quote... per chance?

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

http://www.e4.com/fonejacker/soundboard-tibbs.html

Phonejacker

but I remember Adam and the Ants

'Marco, Merrick, Terry Lee, Gary Tibbs and yours truly, from the naughty north to the something south, we got the mouth'

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I quite like the driving here. Simple, easy, straight and wide roads, almost no on-coming traffic, no need to indicate, no need to use your lights if you don't fancy it, or even really pay much attention to the road if you are texting.

Woody, it's fine. First week ot two you'll think WTF, thereafter you will be joining in.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Let me arrive! You want a French and Russian-speaking Englishman to teach rich children!!!!

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I've experienced far worse driving than the UAE, this place is tame in comparison with Libya for instance.

But the one biggest complaint here are the majority of road users who just sit there in your blind spot, not either over or undertaking.

If I had any driving advice to give, it would be that checking your mirrors is not enough - you need to look over your shoulder before pulling out.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Very true - even more so if driving an 4x4 with large blind spots.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I didn't know what a blind spot was until I moved here.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

The bit between your belly button and your knees... :D;)

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

no on-coming traffic, thursday i was driving down past the school, 2 lane split carriageway as they all are, and this guy was driving down the wrong side, cars parked in the first lane so there wasnt much room in the first lane, and he was expecting me to move around him, nope nope and nope, duh you reverse, he eventually got the message.....!!!!!

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I used to think driving in UAE was mad until I experienced the ring roads in Kuwait! My advice is that it's better to drive than experience ME driving as a passenger.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

As a passenger I scream, cover my eyes and pray to the spagetti monster in Riyadh. UAE has always seemed quite civilized to me.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I sit in the back when I am a passenger:)

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I can testify to this. The place is MENTAL

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

The most scared I have ever been whilst driving was in the centre of Seville in rush hour. It was worse than here.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Mumbai traffic is the definition of chaos. With added cows.

Beirut can get pretty interesting. Red lights are just pretty roadside adornments and not instructions.

Possibly most scared - Beirut to Damascus highway over the mountains, in the snow with people using the 2 lane as 4 lanes...

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Double-check to that and you haven't even mentioned the maniac truck drivers and their psychotic games of chicken and arbitrary "military" checkpoints. Still, I reckon I'd do it again...

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

So am I looking at a big 4x4 ... quite fancy the Mitsubishi Delica (its an import in the UK and likely over with you guys as well)... normally about the 3 grand mark with bloody big bull bars at the front , high seating position...2.8 shogun engine (how much is fuel??) . As long as the air con works well enough... it should be a good old bus and well up to the job..


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?start...9&ty=86&surl=1

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Are you ****ing kidding me?

I would go out of my way to drive into that.

Just get here and buy an old Pajero / Explorer type thing - cheap to run, cheap to insure, cheap to fill up and cheap to service.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Thats the worst car in the world, I'd sooner have a Tiida. AD's roads are all in Good condition (generally) you dont need to have a 4x4.

Get an Old X5 4.8 for about 10k english and you wont lose a great deal on it.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Which one, the Pajero or the Explorer?

A Pajero is OK - at least they double up as a reasonable offroader at the weekend.

An X5 would be a disaster... the bills!

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Excellent advice there mate!!!

You don't need XYZ

Just get XYZ.

Classic.

Other note - I looked at X5's, apparently their tyres are only made for that car, none others, so cost a fortune.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I was saying the delicia or whatever its called are shite. I can get tyres for X5's for 250 Dibs in musaffah. Well I could when I was there.

The performance is just so much better than any yank tank or Jap scrap.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I know I know.

The X5's that were in my price bracket were not great. 18month old Explorer was much better value in my books.

If I was willing to spend more of my own money then I'd have got a Range Rover or maybe the X5. But I'm too tight.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

250 AED for tyres? Was that in 1999? Think more like 1000+ now.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I just clicked the link. You bastard - that hurt my eyes. I've not seen something that ugly since I was last in the Trap.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Are you lot doing that snotty expat thing of judging people based on what they are driving?

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

It was 2009, I had a guy in a unit there who sold Part worns, they were not new but far from knackered. Most of the locals changed all 4 tyres every service.........

New I would be surprised if they were only 1k......

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

I do it at home too......Bear in mind my job is selling the damn things I am pretty good at generalising people just by what they drive.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

What if someone has two cars?

Split personality?

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

or just two-faced?

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

They are indecisive.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

What about 3 or 4 or 5?

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

More money than sense. probably shagging 3 women too

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

my patrol tyres were 450 and my mustang 750 each

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Nah, Dad's loyal.

Re: "so talk to me about Driving"
 

Good man Scamp,