Driving in the UAE

Mar 5, 2008

Yesterday after work, at about 5:10 local time, a friend of mine drove to her home in Ras Al Khaimah. 

She turned right onto a small road that leads to her housing complex. She turned left to enter the complex.
A man, an emirate, who didn't want to wait for her to turn decided to speed around her... on the left.  He plowed into her car.

She was less than 100 yards from the corner. But he was going so fast that he crumpled the car.
As I am writing this blog, she is in the ICU. She has several broken ribs and a punctured lung. She has been unable to return to conciousness. They are transferring her now to a hospital in a bigger city for an emergency surgery.
She may not make it.
And this emiratey bastard had the unmitigated gall to get out of his car and start screaming at her for turning in front of him... until he actually saw what he did anyway.
I am not allowed to visit her...so I am patiently waiting for the latest updates.
Driving in the UAE is a dangerous thing. The drivers here have no concept of safe driving. They barely have to test before getting their license and then they drive as if they think they own the roads... and considering that they can walk in to the cheif of police and have any ticket  ANY TICKET waived with enough wasta and money (like guanchi) they kind of do.
I hate the driving here.  People are rude and nasty, there is more road rage than ANYWHERE else that I have been, and they drive as if they think they are in a movie.  I have even seen people drifting on main roads... as if that was something that can be done by anyone.  So many accidents, so many injuries, so many deaths.
On March 1st the UAE decided to "enforce" their traffic laws. If it is applied to any emiratey I will be more than a little surprised.  It just seems to be a way to tax foreigners a little more.
I am fine. The kids are fine. The family is fine.
Just feeling down about my friend.  I hope you are doing well wherever you are.