Abu Dhabi traffic gridlock video

The Abu Dhabi Police YouTube channel has posted an interesting video of the 'traffic breakdown' that occured on June 1st...



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Gold-diggers and speculators cut journey times on Dubai roads

The situation in the world is pretty crazy these days. The situation here in the UAE is no less special. We've opened up our doors, e-gates, airports and hotels; embracing capitalism with open arms and welcoming everyone and anyone with a passport by "adding value" via the pink stickers you can get at your nearest Immigration and Naturalisation branch, typically valid for 3-years.

Now you can really reap the benefits (and drawbacks) to such a model. Ok there is a liquidity problem in the UAE and the world, but on the flip side I can safely say that traffic in the UAE and especially Dubai has become better. I think I can even call it "manageable". This is a great thing and a time for us to rejoice. We can spend less time on the road and more time with those we love.

Last thoughts: Where have all the gold-diggers and speculators gone to? Where is their next Dubai? Maybe they have gone to volunteer in Gaza?

no more salik for taxis

According to Gulf News...

"Dubai: Taxi passengers in Dubai will no longer have to pay the Salik road toll, it has been announced.

The Roads and Transport Authority said the move was part of a series of initiatives aimed at improving taxi services."

more here

look ma, no hands!

contrary to popular opinion, im not sure if ramadan brings out the best in people. at least, you cannot say that by the looks of traffic on dubai roads. in the last 24 hours, i have seen 4 pile ups, with my friend being involved in the fifth. and seeing shiny brand new cars lying in heaps by the side of the roads is really disturbing. 

on thrusday, i accepted an iftar invitation to umm ul quwain, and the 67 km journey took me two and a half hours. to be honest, that didnt bother me much. there was plenty of time to iftar (two and a half hours to be precise) and we got there just in time. that said, what really bothered me were people who decided they were above the law, and used the hard shoulder as the seventh lane.

that, when on the very same journey, there were three seperate accidents on the left hard shoulder, and one major pile-up (involving 4-5 smashed up vehicles) on the right shoulder.  

in a short span of 25 seconds, you will see 10 cars whizz by in these videos. the videos themselves were prompted after another 15 cars had passed by and it had stopped being amusing. 

when cars are going bumper to bumper, i often break to the shoulder to allow my car room to stop without rear-ending the vehicle in front. the assumption is, no one would be flying by on the breakdown lane.

am i missing something here? are you allowed to use the hard shoulder as a road when it's close to iftar time? with the opening of salik II, things are only going to get worse. does that give people the license to mock traffic laws, and thousands of people who ARE decent enough to not create chaos on the roads? i want to know what the people in this community think.

would you drive on the hard shoulder... to shave 15 minutes off of your commute? do you hold up traffic while you drive in the fast lane talking on your mobile phone? is this behaviour acceptable? if not, how do you deal with these people?

2 new salik gates by September

"Dubai: New Salik toll gates will be installed at Al Maktoum Bridge and between the first and second interchange on Shaikh Zayed Road, Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on Tuesday.

“The two new toll gates will be activated from September 9 as part of the second phase of Salik system,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA."

more here

Car pooling bureaucracy

Dubai and Abu Dhabi say that car pooling will be permitted, but with some mind-boggling red tape.


The Dubai RTA's Director of Planning & Business Development Department is quoted as saying:

"Now people can drive their friends and colleagues to and from their homes and workplaces without fear of getting fines if they get approval from the RTA."

It should never have been a problem, never have been banned, but it looks as though we're getting somewhere in the battle with traffic congestion. Until you read the "but" part of the reports.

To car pool:

The motorist must register the car with the RTA.

Motorists will be given certificates allowing them to share their cars.

The names of the persons sharing the car should be furnished at the time of registration to avoid a fine.

A maximum of four people will be allowed to share a car.

And look at this for the worst Big Brother part:

After they have entered their personal details and information on their vehicles, the authority will conduct background checks on colleagues wishing to carpool before issuing a letter of approval.

They're checking your background before you can sit in someone's car?!!

I can hardly believe these can be true reports.

All over the world people share cars. RTA equivalents and governments encourage and support it. Many cities have special lanes for them, to speed their journey. Singapore has various meeting places where a driver going into the city centre can pick up passengers.

If people want to give others a lift, and to share petrol costs if they choose, that is A Good Thing. And it should also be a personal choice, encouraged by the authorities to reduce traffic congestion, reduce the need for parking space, reduce pollution.

This is a real can of worms. Just a few of the questions:

The car must be registered with the RTA.

So if the car's in for service or repair, the owner can't use his hire car to drive his registered passengers around?

The names of those sharing the car must be pre-registered.

So when one of them leaves the company, his name has to be de-registered and any new passenger registered?

What if your company has an overseas visitor and asks you to drive him to the office - and around town come to that. Do you have to pre-register him as an approved passenger?

A maximum of four people will be allowed to share a car.

So if you have a vehicle suitable for carrying more, like a big 4x4 or a people mover, you can't fill it?


People can drive their friends and colleagues to and from their homes and workplaces.

What about other journeys? A group of friends going to dinner decide that one will drive them all. A friend or colleague is going to the airport and you offer to take him there. Illegal?


And in general, there are the less structured instances of people sharing cars.

What if a neighbour's car won't start and you offer to drive him to his office? Illegal?

A colleague's car is off the road so you offer him a lift until he has it back. Illegal?

You and a colleague are going to business meetings in the same area, so you offer to drop him off. Illegal?

And then there's the enforcement of it all. What's the plan, to stop all cars with more than one person in it? Check who they are, where they're going, if they have a car pooling certificate, if the passengers are registered?

And who will do it, the police? Don't they have enough real work to do?

Time for a petition I think.


The stories I've read are in Gulf News and The National.

Post-Races 2008

The Dubai World Cup this year was quite different to past experiences. Didn't have as much fun this year as the last couple. Got there late because of traffic. When we asked some people on duty at the blocked road entrances to the racecourse vicinity why we were not allowed to go right in, we were met with shoulder shrugs and a couple of incomprehensible mumbles. Great. We had friends accompanying us from abroad, and, trying to promote Dubai, when presented with the question "So...(would you leave your $$$ job overseas)...when are you moving to Dubai?" I wished I had some bodyguards to protect my little ears from the verbal backlash I had to endure!

Being forced to walk 20 mins to the main entrance when you've spent thousands to come to Dubai especially for the races and don't happen to have a Burj Al Arab chauffeur driven Rolls to take you there is out of order. My designer-label clad friends from overseas were not too happy. Thousands of people at the only 2 gates to the racecourse even at 7pm.

And, this year, taxis were not officially available upon exit. We had 'luxury coaches' to take us out of the desert and into the city, and those standing in the aisles had nothing to lean on, unlike what the upcoming Dubai Metro will offer...those swinging things on the ceiling that you can hold onto while involuntarily being swayed around.

I think the highlight of the night was not that America's top-rated horse won, but the fact that the football results were announced towards the end of the night. I heard "Scunthorpe". Quite a different review to my last Post-Races post.

It was a really fun night and I would recommend it for next year. Upon official approval, camping outside the night before might be a good alternative: after all, it's the desert.

Commuting Issues

With the escalation of traffic at this time of the year, I am wondering what a properly conducted survey about average commuting time for Dubai residents would reveal.

Here's a survey I've found online for commuting times in the US (job category/minutes):

An article from a different resource reveals:

Marylanders spent an average 30.8 minutes getting to work, the survey found.
Only New Yorkers took more time in 2005, with a mean commute of 31.2 minutes.

If a survey based on job category is ever conducted in Dubai, it'd show a horrendous disparity. The poor construction laborer spends hours everyday traveling from his camp in Muhaisna to a construction site in the Marina (for instance). While a general manager may only need 10 minutes to get to his workplace.

My own commuting time hovers around 35 mintues. That is 25-30 minutes in the morning, and 40-45 minutes in the way back.

What about you guys?

Why are there so many trucks on the road?

A 42% price differential for diesel could be one explanation.

"The price difference is so big that it is cheaper for us to send our vehicles to Abu Dhabi for diesel," said a manager of a Dubai transport company. Diesel prices have been going up in Dubai for several months.

Please. It's time to rationalize policy by eliminating the artificial differential. Otherwise already congested roads are made worse.

The Adnoc stations in Dubai and Sharjah also continue to have long queues because Adnoc's price is lower. Those queues spill out onto the street adding to congestion.

More air-conditioned bus stops, new luxury bus terminals

Commenters in recent posts noted some of the problems with road tolls and with a rail system. Both require an entensive bus system to provide alternatives to the automobile in the case of tolls, and, in the case of rail, to get you to and from home/work and the rail station.

Today's Gulf News happens to hit on this theme as well:

The ambitious air-conditioned bus shelter project has started taking shape in Dubai, but commuters say they are too small to accommodate the increasing numbers of commuters.

Each bus station is 2.5 metres wide and six metres long and has a capacity for 14 people. Eight people can sit while six can stand inside the shelter.
...
Dubai is the first city in the world to offer the luxury of air-conditioned bus shelters for passengers. The aim is to lure people into using public transport, and ease the pressure on its crowded roads.

There's more:

A total of 971 air-conditioned bus shelters will be built in the city. The new bus shelters will have an array of amenities for commuters.
...
The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) plans to have nine air-conditioned luxury bus terminals to replace the existing bus stations in Dubai, Gulf News has learnt.

The multi-storey terminals will have comfortable seating, restaurants, cafeterias and shopping areas. A parking area will also be provided. The new terminals will cater to the increasing demand for bus services.

Long lines at Adnoc stations

Has anyone else noticed lines at Adnoc that stretch into the street while the competitor just down the road doesn't have a queue? I've noticed it several times lately. My conjecture is that it's because Adnoc still accepts credit cards.

Whatever the reason, it's adding to traffic congestion.

Speculation over huge Salik expansion

ArabianBusiness.com:

A UAE Arabic newspaper reported earlier this week that the RTA is "conducting a study to put toll gates on other new roads in Dubai".

The article also states that toll gates could be placed on Maktoum Bridge, Shindagha Tunnel, Business Bay Bridge and the Floating Bridge.

It is not the first time reports of an expansion of the Salik scheme have surfaced.

In August Saudi daily Arab News reported that the RTA had started work on new toll gates at eight locations in Dubai, including Shindagha Tunnel, Maktoum Bridge, Floating Bridge, Emirates Road, Al-Khail Road, Nad Al-Hamar Road and Business Bay Bridge.

Related, I've heard that Sheik Mo took a look the blueprints for rail system stations, and rejected them. He wants them to be 5 star stations. Perhaps he's serious about the rail system being attractive to all walks of life. That might be what it takes to make it a success. Another example of thinking big being thinking right?

Would UAE support a GCC residency cap?

Gulf News

"To enforce a residency cap on unskilled workers of a maximum of six years will contribute to solving the problems associated with the influx of foreign workers and protect our identity," said Al Ka'abi, adding that he is hopeful that the proposal will be approved at the meeting.

I'm not sure what problem is being solved if the number of unskilled workers is not decreased through immigration controls. How is that the less transient you are the more you encroach on the identity of nationals?

Are truck drivers and cab drivers considered unskilled? If not, aren't we creating another problem? Would you think the longer you're here the better you know the road system and how to behave on the roads? Gulf News:

"Drivers' behaviour is a big problem. They come from different nationalities and different backgrounds and behave differently on the road. Campaigns for their education and awareness about traffic laws have also not been a big success because most of them neither read the newspaper nor watch television. Also, they speak different languages," said Al Siri.
...
"Some drivers on Dubai roads drive as if they are driving in the desert. We need to stop this practice. I have said many times that the RTA cannot make roads for 'drunk' drivers. Respect for traffic laws and good behaviour is important for road safety and the decrease in the number of accidents."

Or is this the problem: The longer we're here, the worse our driving becomes.

Rights of Motorists

I had almost given up blogging, except for a small incident which happened a few days ago & which motivated me to write this post. While patiently moving at a snail's pace during the afternoon rush hour, this realization dawned on me that maybe the "Road Warriors" see law abiding drivers as donkeys. Yes you read it right, donkeys. How?

Who are the road warriors? They are the rash drivers who show no respect for fellow road users. Especially more so during this Holy month of Ramadan since most of the offenders are Muslims. Imagine people driving on the hard shoulder and yellow lane & then trying to push their way into the proper lane before an exit or a traffic signal. And by the way, this rude behavior is not just limited to male species, even our females have also mashallah become experts in this. Is this what fasting teaches us?

Fasting is supposed to teach us patience, care & respect for others. But it seems that for most of us, the real spirit of Ramadan only means attacking the food the moment Muazzin says athan. Few months ago, I wrote about the Rights of Neighbors. I will quote few excerpts from that post here:

The preacher said that neighborhood is not limited just to houses. For a trader, the traders around him are his neighbors. For a worker, his co workers are his neighbors. For a student, his class mates are his neighbors. For a traveller, the people sitting around him in a bus, train or a plane are his neighbors. For a village, the villages around it are its neighbors. For a city or province, the cities and provinces around it are its neighbors. For a country, the countries around it are its neighbors.

Also I had mentioned these two ahadith:

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (R.A.) the Prophet (PBUH) said,

"By Allah, he is not a true believer, By Allah, he is not a true believer, By Allah, he is not a true believer (three times). He was asked 'Who?" Upon which he replied, "The one whose neighbors do not feel secure from his mischief and evil"

Narrated Jabir (R.A.), the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said

"The neighbor with three rights is the neighbor who is a Muslim and a Relative (he has a claim as a neighbor, as a fellow Muslim and as a relative). The neighbor with two rights is the neighbor who is a Muslim (as such he has a claim as a neighbor as well as a fellow Muslim) and the the one with only one right is a non-Muslim neighbor (he has claim as a fellow human being)".

Drive safely & respect the rights of your neighbors (fellow motorists in this case). May Allah guide all of us to His right path :-)

Not so Salik

This Salik thing is getting highly irritating. The RTA guys keep changing their words. Now they say that Salik is on a trial basis and Al Tayer said currently there are no plans to increase the number of toll gates.

I also find this unfair:

Al Tayer said that tourists who visit Dubai even for one day and plan to use the road with the Salik toll gates will have pay Dh100 for the tag.

He said if a car breaks down and is moved by a tow truck through the gates, fees will be charged for both vehicles.

I got my Salik card today. Just a note for those who are still to buy theirs. If the car is under your name, you just need a copy of the Car Registration Card (both sides). If the car is under a company name, you also need a copy of the Trade License alongwith the Car Registration Card. You fill out a form with basic details (Name, Date of Birth, Mobile numbers etc). One Salik account can be used for ten cars, so you don't need many individual account numbers if the car owner is the same.

I also got it clarified that Salik sticker cannot be stuck on car tints. So what happens to those super-tinted cars?


PS: For some reason, I can't use the hyperlink option, so I'm just going to paste the direct link. Here is the source: http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Traffic_and_Transport/10133426.html

Another pearl from the RTA

Eng. Maitha Obaid Bin Udai is at it again, insisting that Salik will not cause congestion. Quoted in Gulf News, she states that the scheme will reduce congestion by 25% "on the toll road", and goes on to suggest that the toll will persuade people to use public transport and 'other alternatives' instead.

Which is arrant nonsense, of course. There are no alternatives, and will not be for years yet. So the 25% reduction in traffic will be achieved by displacing it to other nearby, less suitable roads, and lead to substantially greater levels of congestion there.

If you're going to reduce congestion, it must be by reducing the number of cars. Get creative! Allow car pooling. Impose tolls at specific times in order to manage traffic volumes. Invest in driver training. Educate. Build a railway. Anything but SALIK...

Dubai Road Traffic and Accident a Big Chaos

Already posted this in my blog dubaibase but I want to share it in UAE community blog.

This was all about an Illustration of dubai road from where all the traffic jam got started every day.

This is only my interpretations on how they constructed all the connecting roads tunnel and bridges here in Dubai.

Since as of today they are now doing something to elliminates all this Bottle Neck Road.

My first Illustration from Shindagha Tunnel

As illustrated all lanes going to the tunnel are from 4 lanes decreasing into 2 lanes so the result of this traffic...

read more...

Any subliminal messages here?

Courtesy Gulf News.

The Metro Once Again.

Have anyone been to Bur Dubai recently?
The area around the Ramada signal has become a labyrinth. I am sure that those responsible for the construction of the underground Metro station there are doing their best to deal with the huge magnitude of pedestrian movement, at the same time sticking to their schedules.

Residents of that area are suffering. The RTA has urged people earlier to 'bear with them'. People are bearing (do they have a choice anyway?). Come what might, works on the Metro has to go on. This short term suffering will (inshallah) pay off once the Metro is ready to rock n' roll.

I have few suggestions to ease off the 'inconveniences'. Some of them might have been considered by the experts before….but let me put them on to you anyway:

- 10 feet wide unfettered pedestrian walkways in all directions should be
maintained, instead of the currently crammed 3 feet walkways.
- Provide
alternative parking lots to compensate for the ones that have been taken by the
porta cabins and the 4 silos of the patching plant (don't ask me where the
alternatives lots could be, I have no idea)…
- If the York and the Regal
Palace hotels are witnessing a drop in the occupancy rates because of these
works, the extra rooms could be used for lodging the Metro construction staff
(and maybe the labor?)

Finally, a request to create a section on this board, call it 'The Metro Watch' for instance, where people can share their stories and their inputs about the subject. The link could also be put forward to the RTA website, which apart from the FAQ section, doesn't have a public forum. This section can function as one…..

Thanks.

(P.S.: there used to be a live camera feed of the Ramada interesection on the DM website. It's no longer there)

Dubai Marina traffic gridlock

Just a heads-up if you have to travel to or through Dubai Marina...allow at least 45 minutes extra for the journey. At least for the next few days.

The area on Al Sufouh Road outside Mina Seyahi and Marina Phase 1 is chaotic and traffic is horrendous. Twice today, early and late-morning, I sat there for over 40 minutes travelling less than two kilometres.

They've changed the main traffic signal intersection as you come out past Phase 1 onto Al Sufouh Road to a temporary roundabout, the sequence of the surrounding signals has been changed and their timing also changed. They've also closed half the road and traffic towards the free zone is now on the 'wrong' side of the road.

And one of the new flyovers being built as part of the monster new Intersection 5 has opened unexpectedly. I don't know where the traffic comes from but it's coming out at the small traffic signal junction at Marina Heights tower. The junction is a small local one and can't cope - so bet your life that will soon be dug up and changed to something else.

As you would expect, it was done overnight with no warning and there are no signs to help anyone, so there's a lot of confusion adding to the problem. It may all settle down in a few days but for the moment, be warned.