Friday, December 01, 2006

Driving gone mad

For the last few decades the Police department have promised us that they would be
 'tightening' up on traffic laws.
There have been numerous campaigns. One of the favourites is to reward good driving
 skills with cash. What this teaches the bad drivers, I am not quite sure of.
The campaigns go through various phases but all end in the same result.
 No change for the better.

I have heard the one about having children sitting on your lap in the front seat.....
yet I have never known anyone to be prosecuted for it.
One lady I know had a car accident with her 2 toddlers stood up in the front seat
 next to her and a 2 month old baby lying across her lap. 
The police did not say anything to her about it. 

Then the newspapers announced that the police were to clamp down severely on drivers who use cell phones without a hands-free. Did they? Perhaps a few years down the road they are still wondering how to enforce this one.

Each time we read these lame announcements our confidence wanes a little bit more.

OH BUT NOW we have a new campaign. This one should hurt. right? wrong. Newspapers are promising that there will be NO exceptions and everyone who breaks the law shall be shamed publicly. EVERYONE? how on earth will this be possible. Are they planning to release a 600 page supplement with the paper on a daily basis to cover all of the speeding/red-lighting/hard-shouldering ignorant drivers on our roads?

One officer spoke on the arabic radio saying that there will be no exceptions for females either.

After being involved in a hit & run last week, and having waited for nearly 4 hours for the police to show up, I was mortified to know that the lady concerned was given a light fine and sent packing after spinning the officer in charge her sob story. Unfortunately for the officer I had already contacted higher persons who were watching his actions from afar. Apparently not stopping or reporting the accident is about as much as they can take. Officers letting females off in this manner shall soon find themselves in rather hot water.

I shall keep you posted on this matter.  All I can say is that I am no longer under any illusions. The traffic situation is only going to get worse and the police shall remain the same.

5 comments:

samuraisam said...

Although a tad overdue they have actually started pulling over cars etc; it'll just take a while for people to get it.

As for the campaign having no effect; on the day it was implemented one of my friends managed to get a impound order reversed. go figure.

Anonymous said...

I know people that have had their impound order reversed too.

I've just recently posted about the speeding range rover that was shown on moyarti's blog.

The guy has an outstanding traffic fine totalling Dhs. 12,200 which proves the system has different rules for different people.

You're definately right to say that things aren't going to change and in fact are only going to get worse.

I'm hoping to have another holiday out there sometime next year but since viewing the cctv footage of the airport tunnel, I'm honestly thinking about going somewhere else.

Seabee said...

There's a bit more police activity since Sheikh Mohammed shouted at them but it'll take a generational change - and a hell of a lot more trained police - to even begin to sort it out. Meanwhile, people will continue to be killed at the rate of one every 30 hours.

CG said...

I forgot to add that when I ran a check on the police website it revealed that the lady who hit my car and failed to stop has some serious fines (yes, the Dh.400 kind) already racked up during the last 2 weeks.

She has been left to run free for the moment. Watch out.

* said...

Its true.I know of 3 people who have had their impounded cars released within a few hours and sat there all smarmy because of their wasta.
What is the point?
For poor shmucks to only dole out more cash out of a salary which is diminishing everyday. For non wasta people?
I have seen that airport tunnel video too and its scary.Its a shame how some chosen people give this place such a bad name.