I'm the wheels of the family.
Since Tim's residence visa is being processed (slowly) right now, and he does not yet have a UAE driver's license, he is not legally allowed to drive here. I have to wait for my husband's paperwork to be complete before I can apply for my visa; I need his sponsorship, permission and money to do pretty much anything here. But until then, my Georgia license is considered just as legal as one issued by the UAE. So for now, I'm doing all the driving.
Driving in Dubai isn't difficult as long as you forget everything you've been taught about highway safety. Car accidents are the leading cause of death in the UAE, and 25% of those are pedestrians. The people darting out in front of traffic don't help that statistic. Turn signals seem to be optional. Honking can mean "outa my way," "hey you," "I'm here," "you're slow," "why are you riding a bicycle on the highway?" or "&*%$#!!!!!!!!!" If you are not driving fast enough for the liking of the motorist behind you, they will let you know by flashing their high beams, honking, and rumor has it will even bump you into the other lane.
The speed limit on most roads is 100 kilometers per hour. But they give you a grace zone of up to 120 kilometers per hour before you get penalized... and my car beeps if I top 120 (yes I make it beep daily). The speed limits are enforced by cameras placed every few kilometers apart. They'll get a picture of your car, your license plate, and you.
Which brings me to the title of this post. I've always thought that picking your nose while driving can be dangerous. What if you get rear-ended and your finger goes so far up your nose that you poke your brain? The close distance at which motorists follow each other here would certainly increase that risk. And yet I see people picking their nose in their cars here. I guess it's nice to know that it's a universal vice. Still dangerous though. And imagine the shame in knowing that the Sheik has a picture of you with your finger up your nose.
Since Tim's residence visa is being processed (slowly) right now, and he does not yet have a UAE driver's license, he is not legally allowed to drive here. I have to wait for my husband's paperwork to be complete before I can apply for my visa; I need his sponsorship, permission and money to do pretty much anything here. But until then, my Georgia license is considered just as legal as one issued by the UAE. So for now, I'm doing all the driving.
Driving in Dubai isn't difficult as long as you forget everything you've been taught about highway safety. Car accidents are the leading cause of death in the UAE, and 25% of those are pedestrians. The people darting out in front of traffic don't help that statistic. Turn signals seem to be optional. Honking can mean "outa my way," "hey you," "I'm here," "you're slow," "why are you riding a bicycle on the highway?" or "&*%$#!!!!!!!!!" If you are not driving fast enough for the liking of the motorist behind you, they will let you know by flashing their high beams, honking, and rumor has it will even bump you into the other lane.
The speed limit on most roads is 100 kilometers per hour. But they give you a grace zone of up to 120 kilometers per hour before you get penalized... and my car beeps if I top 120 (yes I make it beep daily). The speed limits are enforced by cameras placed every few kilometers apart. They'll get a picture of your car, your license plate, and you.
Which brings me to the title of this post. I've always thought that picking your nose while driving can be dangerous. What if you get rear-ended and your finger goes so far up your nose that you poke your brain? The close distance at which motorists follow each other here would certainly increase that risk. And yet I see people picking their nose in their cars here. I guess it's nice to know that it's a universal vice. Still dangerous though. And imagine the shame in knowing that the Sheik has a picture of you with your finger up your nose.
Strong post and good warning. My brother said the same in 1975, guess it hasn't changed much.
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