Published: February 07, 2008, 08:59
By Mohammed N. Al Khan, Staff Reporter
Heed these signs
The blue sign placed on the sliding glass doors advises visitors to:
- "Please wear respectful clothing"
- "No kissing or overt displays of affection"
- "No smoking in the mall"
- "No consumption of alcohol in the mall"
- "No dangerous activities, ie sport games, rollerblading or skateboarding"
source
http://www.xpress4me.com/articles/08/02/06/20005677.html
Posts
42 comments:
Nice one - especially the first point.
I'm so sick of seeing (mostly) women falling out of their clothing while walking in UAE malls. It's undignified and distasteful.
Now if someone could only convince airlines to hand out little cards explaining what's ok and what's not in the UAE before people actually get here, it may prevent a lot of misunderstanding.
But then, a lot depends on people possessing some common sense and a healthy dollop of respect for others too!
nzm the Q is are those security guards capable of enforcing anything?
On a sep. point, I can do a point-by-point comment on the absurdity of each of those rules, but I'll leave it to someone else!
of course you can, after all those policies were made especially for people like urself.
I'm glad that you brought this article to our attention. However, this seems to be a copy and paste of all of this article from Xpress. I cannot see that you noted the source anywhere in your post. You always need to give the source the credit for things that you did not write.
Moreover, you should never copy the entire article like this. Just give us a few of the important sentences and then link to the original article.
^^ I never claimed that it was my own and it is obvious that I wasn't the one who wrote it. It is written that the article was written by Mohammed N. Al Khan, Staff Reporter in the beginning of my post. But I agree that it would have been better to include a link, which am going to do now.
I didn't say that you were claiming that you wrote it. I'm glad that you are changing it to include the link. But even including the link to the article doesn't change that fact that reprinting the entire article, with the copyright holder's permission, is a copyright violation. You really need to change the post so that it only quotes a few of what you think are the important points.
ok, I get ur point (even though it is the first time I hear that posting a whole article is a copyrights violation). Can we focus on the subject, pretty please?
ok this is just funny - what about the tourists ;) AND - they will just move to other malls. I think this rule is just unjustified. You have to look WHO goes there, MOE is loaded with teens mainly - and they come AT A SPECIFIC time - never there at 9 am lol...
maybe im wrong but i just think if this rule should be there,should be applied TO every mall.
^^ Actually those rules are applied even without any courtesy policy by Mall of the Emirates.
The police can arrest anyone who don't wear respectable clothes, kiss or over display of affection or consume alcohol in public. Just because there aren't there for you to see doesn't mean that they are legal.
And the reason for them are obvious. Many complain about those people's inappropriate behavior so those rules are only a reaction.
I quite like these rules. I would only request to add 'Don't bellow into your mobile phone within 5 metres distance of any other person'.
I agree with the first comment, too.
I am sick and tired of spandex clad Russian hookers smelling of toilet freshener parading in front of me having my lunch at Biella. It brings my pizza right up again.
And whilst we are at it we should ban local ladieeez from wearing Attar (?), which smells like they had shat on their robes three weeks earlier.
and of course we should ban our local heros from swaggering around having perma-smothered their every square inch of skin and every orifice and kandoora in eau de colgne.
I suspect they secretly carry a dispenser underneath the kandoora which continuously squirts out fragrance like these dispensers in public toilets.
They certainly smell like those.
proud emirati, am i right or am i right?
^^ Well, other than the fact the I barely understood anything?
I am all for these rules, I actually abide by them by default. It doesn’t take much effort to do that.
I*maginate, you're not serious are you? ;)
Real Nick, I guess that's why they call it 'the leaning tower of pizza'.
Am all for moral/decency codes rules, whatever it takes to keep it all healthy/clean - however, i*'s got a valid point, what is the guard/management to do, should someone flaunt unwillingly or otherwise? PE: before you talk down, why not listen to what they've to say? For instance as, as DXB Entrepreneur's points out a "pat" on the cheek (I think) is alright, especially between partners (though not a French Kiss turned sour) but then again, it's all subjective, given different cultures and & people that make up UAE today.
Hey Nick:
Will you stop your torturous cracks?
My head hurts from all that laughter, okay?
Thanks :)
Bad link, earlier.
This'll work.
As DUBAI JAZZ have said, it is the default not to do any of those stuff. So they'd better take their dirt somewhere else.
BTW, a kiss on the cheek has never been a problem so I don't know who is the idiot that suggested otherwise.
Dubai Entrepreneur: We do not want that do we?
nick...you are MEAN! I, too, like kyle, am laughing my head off!
proud emirati, don't get your knickers in a twist. As a would-be MOE visitor, you have already violated rule no. 1 by not wearing any underwear under your clothes.
Kindly look up the meaning of 'absurdity' in the dicktionary.
p.s. my pal just called me from MOE and mentioned there was a woman who just walked past in hotpants. hmm. And then I mentioned this post to her...and these so-called 'rules'.
^^ I guess we Emiratis are above the law. btw, do u take a peak under our clothes? :D
no proud emirati, it's a known fact. Since you mention it, what's the view like down under?
no dubai jazz...I wasn't kidding at all.
Absurd is to ban consumption of alcohol in a mall when MMI operates within the mall, though consumption is illegal anywhere in public.
Absurd is to ban displays of affection. Does this apply to members within an immediate family?
Absurd is banning sport games and dangerous activities within the mall. I can think of plenty of entertainment offered @ the mall which can be deemed as "dangerous" - moreover, plenty of "sport games" are offered as part of the mall facilities.
All good & well defining rules, but where is the enforcement?
You just gotta look at the dudes in the caption photo laffing @ the rules list.
And proud emirati, you shoulda named the post "...no harrassing females, you should respect the customs and morals of the UAE"
Rule 1: I think this is for the people who seem to flash everything in public. You can wear hot pants, micro mini skirts, spaghettis or whatever but there is a decent way to carry it...for eg not sitting wide legged with a mini skirt on...not caring if the shoulder straps of your top are falling off showing off your bra or more....
Rule 2: Kissing on the cheeks, forehead etc is fine...I've done it before...in public. In this case, kissing on the lips, smooching in public is what they are talking about. Display of affection like hugging, holding hands is fine but literally making out in public is no fun...and family members dont make out if I'm right...
Rule 3: I don't think anybody should have ap problem with this
Rule 4: Alcohol in a bar would be allowed...by mall they mean in the area that is not part of the bar...obviously...
Rule 5: I have seen kids crash into adults while wearing those roller skating shoes that is dangerous. And anyway you need to wear helmets and knew/elbow pads even with these shoes...which they don't..They're obviously not banning you from playing in magic planet where you might end up hitting a friend with a pool stick in the wrong place...those are designated aread for games where the people in charge are meant to keep things safe...
To the attacks on emiraties...attar if worn well is nice...though I agree sometimes its over done...though I dont see you wanting to ban the dreadful perfume some other not emirati people wear...
Agreed that there have been a few cases where some kandura wearing people have not worn underwears, but what about the majority of the well dressed men...
I like these rules...but I agree with i*maginate...no one to enforce the rules...seriously...and anyway it took them ten years to realise this was happening in our malls...
LOL - stained, as far as I see, nobody's complaining about the no underwear custom on men...:)
Re: enforcement, is it likely Mr. walkie-talkie-i-don't-speak-english-and-am-hiding-behind-a-pillar-coz-i-can't-do-my-job-security-guard is capable of stopping 6 ladies wearing boob tubes and telling them to get out of the mall because of their attire? They'd just walk on because assertiveness is not a skill mall security guards are known for.
A good example of enforcement of rules in a retail environment is that of Harrods - they have rules printed on all entrances with security guarding the doors when you enter. If I recall correctly, one of the rules prohibits sleeveless tops - something like that - and if someone walks in with one, they are bound to be stopped at the entrance.
Now how much of a challenge is it, really, for these MOE rules to be enforced.
It's one thing defining rules and another, neglecting to enforce them when the resources are there.
i*maginate: in response to the question in your first comment re the security guards - sadly they won't be able to enforce these, because they're too scared of picking on the wrong person or being screamed at by a thousand banshees for trying to police these rules. The poor guys have no rights at all - they're just muppets on bad wages.
However, these guidelines shouldn't have to be policed by anyone, and in fact they shouldn't even have to be written up if everyone knew what the laws of the UAE are - with the exception of #5, because if that was a law, then driving on Sh. Zayed Rd would be illegal too!
Unfortunately to meet the goals of millions of tourists flocking into the UAE, the communication channels have been neglected and the average type of visitor now entering the UAE has, in want of better words, deteriorated in mentality and class.
The UAE has also done itself no favours by promoting itself as a "westernised" part of the Middle East where the rules are relaxed.
Perhaps we need Fashion Police or Tourist Police who are authorised to tap these people on the shoulders and issue them with tickets that explain their indiscretions? Just a thought!
But seriously, the hotels could be doing a lot more to ensure that their guests are properly educated and dressed suitably before allowing them to step out into the streets.
nzm, I'm so sick of seeing (mostly) women falling out of their clothing while walking in UAE malls. It's undignified and distasteful. I agree, but not just in the UAE. I have the same reaction seeing it in Oz, for example.
i*maginate is spot on as usual.
Instead of meek guards here we need proper Cockney bouncers.
"Oi love, wrap up yer bacon bits!"
Or better still, we need a kind of Mutaween patrolling the malls who sneak up to the ladieez and laugh openly at any overtly displayed sagging body parts.
That'll learn them. I volunteer.
That'll learn them. I volunteer.
Nick:
I'll sign you up on 2 conditions:
50% of your take, kickbacks to me.
Laughing does not constitute spank-an-a**
If you dig, sign on the dotted line here ...........
Seabee: I'll agree with you there. I find that I think the same wherever and whenever I see it. Trailer Trash - cheap and nasty.
However, I find it beyond belief that people can think that they can visit a muslim country and dress like that in public - it's doubly offensive. It's a total disregard for the people and the country that they're visiting.
You know how in some high-end restaurants they keep spare jackets and ties for men who come in not dressed properly? Maybe they should have abayas and kandooras available in malls for people who are under-dressed. A new idea for a business opportunity - Rent-a-Robe!
NZM:
The concept of dressing smart is on a decline. Rarely do I see a guy in a shopping mall dressed smart but in baggy pants, shredding denims or slacks, oversized T-shirts with senseless depiction, trainers, and a high-end Nokia cell in hand.
The same goes for some girls with their hug-a-skin costume and grotesque make-up.
And most of the time, these people walkabout with an air of misconception! With every step they take, they think they’re setting a trend, while it’s to the contrary at that end!
Enforcement of a dress code in a shopping mall won’t sell here unless people themselves re-evaluate their dressing sense in terms of what they want to portray of themselves!
Dumb or Smart, take your pick!
Instead of meek guards here we need proper Cockney bouncers.
"Oi love, wrap up yer bacon bits!"
hehehe...that cracked me up...
lol @ nzm
I don’t think you need a SWAT regiment to enforce those rules.
One line should be enough:
"Excuse me miss, we'd love to have you in the mall, but your pants are a little bit too tights around the cheeks, if you no what I mean..."
Well, it would give confidence to the mall visitors to advice the ones who breach those rules.
I personally practice that either ways and it always end up with them being so scared and apologizing.
Proud Emirati,
it always end up with them being so scared and apologizing.
Oh you cruel!
I'd rather adopt the reverse approach:
"Hi young lady, while you are at it, why don't you strip for my horny pals over there?"
nzm and seabee - I don't think its that bad in Australia, because everyone here dresses pretty much the same.
Kyle: Sadly, you're right. I remember talking to a friend's son a few years ago about him dressing as a Goth and why he did it. His answer was, "to be different", so I asked him how he could look different surrounded by all his mates who were also dressed as goths!
Nowadays it's the well-dressed men and women who stand out in clothes that used to be the norm.
There's a old photograph that I saw about 20 years ago, called "The Art of Travel". It shows an elegantly dressed woman in suit, hat and gloves in front of an old DC3 aircraft - the epitome of how people used to dress while travelling 20+ years ago. Now that was style!
ldu: I beg to differ. I'm currently living in Melbourne working on a project at the moment, and there are lots of varying dress styles ranging from tacky to very classy - and quite a few abayas and hijabs with some niqabs too, but no kandooras!
Proud Emirati: if you steal my idea, I want 49% of your company! LOL!
I applaud MOE. Despite Dubai slowly becoming a "melting pot of cultures" the fact remains that the UAE is an Arab, MUSLIM state. Dubai's opened its doors to all sorts of people but if they wanna live there then they should respect the culture. The locals might now be a minority but most find such behaviour offensive and at the end of the day you are in their country so you gotta abide by the rules. When in Rome you do as the Romans do...
diva: I agree somewhat-- I think MOE may be the first company/entity in the UAE to even try and tackle the problems that come with the combination of extremely differently cultures; that being said, you can't blame people for being confused here, there is no active attempt by anyone to address the issues. Tourists flying into the country are bound to be confused by the number of nightclubs etc, western media, western products etc, they the expectation that they should dress Middle Eastern.
Of course, I don't expect anyone to address the problem properly, because that would mean admitting that there is a problem first and Dubai does not usually project itself as having problems.
finally!!!!
Diva I agree with you ....
Nzm - Now if someone could only convince airlines to hand out little cards explaining what's ok and what's not in the UAE before people actually get here, it may prevent a lot of misunderstanding.
^^ This I agree with so much ... Awareness is needed but still for anyone who travels to another country should at least search and learn something about the country he/she is going tooo ..... !!!
at least this has been documented now.
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