for RECKLESS Drivers?

Lets buy a ladcruiser.....

irrespective of any nationality

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http://my-photos-album.blogspot.com/

YOU DONT KNOW ME, DONT EVEN TRY !!!

i don't get it why some posters here make light of this thread. sorry but i find it insensitive to the countless victims of road accidents here in Qatar:-(

kadaut...

Hmm, interesting that it is thought that someone needs an education to drive a car. Perhaps it should be pre-requisite to have a university degree to get a driving license, I am sure that would fix all the road problems in Qatar.

Too funny...

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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"

Bleu, thanks for the comeback - it's interesting to see a Qatari point of view.

When I go back to the UK I need to tone down my driving - if I drive the same way there as I do here I would be either arrested, beat up, or both!

So many Qataris that I talk to like to tell me of their travels, particularly to London (most Arabs I talk to think England is London the same way Doha is Qatar). I wonder how they drive while they're over there..? I think I'll ask them next time! I can imagine them racing to within 2 inches of someone's rear bumper on the motorway and flashing them to move - or moreso I can imagine the other driver's reaction! Especially if it was a BMW-driving sales rep...

Sure,

I've heard strong rumours that if a Qatari is completely 100% to blame for a traffic accident which involves another car driven by an expat, the expat is the one who gets blamed and has to apologise to the Qatari.

You're completely wrong, we're usually blamed for anything we do, and we sometimes accept the blame when the policeman says that the poor expat who is 100% to blame can't afford to fix anything and you have full insurance.

So the question is, what happens to the young Qatari driver who was 'allegedly' racing with his friend in Landcruisers and killed the Al Thani minister last week? Will the authorities finally punish a local for driving like an idiot or will they just allow it all to blow over?

I'll repeat this, we are always punished for our wrongdoings, it's not just because he's an Al-Thani minister. I'm sure he would be punished for killing any human being.

Any locals reading this, please don't feel that this is an attack by me - I echo Bleu's sentiments in his response to the questions listed at the top of this post.

It's not an attack, but a misunderstanding, many expats seem to think we're above the law.

There are a few reasons in my opinion as to why driving is so bad in Qatar:

1. Locals can afford huge cars as soon as they pass their test and due to their age drive them like toys

That's not a reason, everybody who's that young drives a car like a toy, even if it's a tiny car...

2. Many locals do not sit a driving test and simply use wasta (spelling?) to obtain a license.

I sat on the driving test, as well as MOST people I know. I passed immediately, but I'm sure that the policemen are more "understanding" when the driver is a Qatari, or a westerner (I'm sure they give Asians a hard time on the test, and try to fail them)

3. expatriates who cannot just swap their own license for a Qatari license do as much as it takes to pass the Qatari test, not necessarily learning anything in the process.

They don't want to learn anything... they want to swap their license and weren't allowed to do that, so they do whatever it takes to drive.

4. If you do not drive in the same way as most others on the road you will never reach your destination.

Yes.

5. A lot of people employed as drivers have little or no education and so there is a real lack of intelligence in their actions (not meant as an insult, I just believe you require some kind of IQ to drive well)

Yes, and my driver is good, has at least high school education (1 failed year in a university).. He also has a colored belt in Taekwondo (no idea what color).

6. Western expatriates realise very early how cheap it is to buy and refuel huge cars (including me).

Yes.

7. Traffic laws are not enforced anywhere near as much as they should be in order for people to obey them.

And that's a good thing.

When most of us Qataris started driving at the age of 12-14, there was no traffic law.

Police only intervened if there was an accident.

We had less cars on the road and less accidents.

A few years before I started driving, people used to beat-up Indians for any of the following offenses:

Not letting us pass in front of them.

Passing ahead of us.

Driving faster than us.

Looking at us in the eyes.

Smiling.

... and much more.

(To all the Indians on QL: Sorry for that)

We're much more tolerant now. :)

Going slightly off the subject, but it is linked - I'm curious...

I've heard strong rumours that if a Qatari is completely 100% to blame for a traffic accident which involves another car driven by an expat, the expat is the one who gets blamed and has to apologise to the Qatari.

So the question is, what happens to the young Qatari driver who was 'allegedly' racing with his friend in Landcruisers and killed the Al Thani minister last week? Will the authorities finally punish a local for driving like an idiot or will they just allow it all to blow over?

Any locals reading this, please don't feel that this is an attack by me - I echo Bleu's sentiments in his response to the questions listed at the top of this post.

There are a few reasons in my opinion as to why driving is so bad in Qatar:

1. Locals can afford huge cars as soon as they pass their test and due to their age drive them like toys

2. Many locals do not sit a driving test and simply use wasta (spelling?) to obtain a license.

3. Expats who cannot just swap their own license for a Qatari license do as much as it takes to pass the Qatari test, not necessarily learning anything in the process.

4. If you do not drive in the same way as most others on the road you will never reach your destination.

5. A lot of people employed as drivers have little or no education and so there is a real lack of intelligence in their actions (not meant as an insult, I just believe you require some kind of IQ to drive well)

6. Western expats realise very early how cheap it is to buy and refuel huge cars (including me).

7. Traffic laws are not enforced anywhere near as much as they should be in order for people to obey them.

Again, this is not an attack, just some fuel for a debate!

if only all of you could see the pitiful victims of road traffic accidents whether caused by reckless, stupid, idiots watchmacalit drivers tsk! as i work in a hospital, most spend their time recuperating and recover and most do not and spend their lives bedridden or die a senseless death. one person i once knew here spent many months in hamad and rumailah hospitals, a victim of a hit and run, the culprit was never caught. he was crying all the time i spoke to him as he was the sole breadwinner of his family tsk! good thing he was able to walk again and i hope he wasn't sent home by his company because of the disability he got from the accident. reading some comments on this thread makes me sick! arrogant drivers shouldn't have a place in this world.

but you have said true things in wrong place and to wrong people who don't care and who will never change their driving behaviour.

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Everybody wishes they could go to heaven but no one wants to die.

aahhhh people... if you take the perspective of the families and the people who have had experienced a road traffic accident in their lives...

if you have stared at a person who has gory looking limbs and unrecognizable features...

if you carry the burden of telling a family member that they will no longer see their son/brother/daughtersister again...

if you closed the "staring eyes" of a granfather or a child who has been hit and left for dead on the roads...

if you were ever on a situation where you elude a question "will i be able to walk again?" ...

if it were yer responsibility to tell to a family that their beloved will forever be in a veggie state...

if you were in a situation where you hold a cold, bloody hand, knowing that it will never grip back...

if you were there when they cried, the howls tearing at every fiber of yer being...

i think at one point you'd reconsider yer thoughts on this....

Road Accidents don't treat people differently through prejudice. . . . .when it strikes at us, it will be too late to say " i wish . i was more defensive..."

a. To avoid wreck...

b. Cause your lost...

c. Cause your drunk n it's fun...

d. practice drifting?

e. Cause the police guy was hot? ladies only

f. Cause you were fascinated by the decoration in decoration roundabout...

g. Cause your waiting for Salwa road to be finished...

h. Cause you wanna freak out your spouse...

i. never...

You can't teach experience...

PM, I said no, because I know you share the expertise with me, so I'm not the only expert.

MD, roads are for training, we do participate in many local, regional, and international rallies.

(How I love that patronising bull shit bingo saying).

I also love, 'brain shower' and 'thinking out of the box'.

Anywayyyyyyyyyyy, back to this thread.

Driving here in Qatar..................

Just done the 'search', Qatar has more Indians than locals or any other nation.

Logic dictates therefore, there are a lot of Indians on the roads. I do not deny, 'locals' in Land(killers)cruisers, are not the 'best' in the world.

There are more Indians than anybody else here, statistics show that dehhhhhhhhhhhhhh dahhhhhhhhhhh Indians are involved/cause or are involved in more accidents here than anybody else by the very nature of the fact; there are more of them than anybody else.

So I go back to my first comment, Shaj, do not dare to question anybody elses driving when an awful LOT of other people are just as guilty.

I understand, bleu. You have the "roads" for rallys.

MD, We prefer Rally's ... much more exciting.

Not a single Formula 1 world champion from Qatar. It's probably too boring for them, the death rate is too low.

A common sense or lack of brain thing...

You can't teach experience...

lol at bleu, my thoughts exactly

what boils my blood about you drivers is that you complain and complain about larger cars, and not giving way, everyday when i get on my bike i face the horror of 99% of the cars choosing to ignore me because i am on two wheels, i have high beams on, i rev engine constantly to let them know i am here, but for some reason i seem to be in every single blind-spot imaginable for all cars....so....i now i choose to force my way into lanes, accelerate and brake on my own terms.... seriously driving these days, its like a jungle, might is right, and dog eat dog....GRRRR

ranishkt, it looks like an implicit reference to Qataris, not any Arabs.

It fits the stereotype that most expats have linked us to.

Its the everyday scene...on roads

Just pointing out facts mate.

popcorngirl shahj never aimed at arabs ... it is just for the reckless drivers ..read the post again ...

I guess they were not driving with Indian or Nepali or Sri Lankan or... Driving license OR a Label on their face. They were all drivers with qatari driving license.

They don't have a clue do they?

go around the circle again...It better than having a wreck...

You can't teach experience...

turning left...What pisses me off is when the have the left blinker on a mile before the roundabout and don't bother to get in the left lane easrly even when no traffic bloccking...

You can't teach experience...

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idiot!

.

.

He damaged my car and as it was today I think I have not held on to the anger that long.

I was actually defending the 'local' driving as I think Shaj was getting at Arabs (may be wrong).

Oh ok so somebody cut you close at the roundabout... It's ok man your home now, no need to hold on to anger for so long....

I was at a red light at Ramada junction the other day. Cars filled the yellow box, something that is illegal and shows bad driving practice. I could, I admit only see one line of traffic but all of those who had ventured onto the yellow box, I believe where from India. (I am sure there were other nationalities too.)

Today, at decoration roundabout, a person from India, scraped the side of my car as he was in the wrong lane to get where he wanted to go.

The other day an Indian driver (I know I have only been here a short time but I do recognise different nationalities; especially as the young lady sat next to him was in a Sari), pulled out of a junction in front of me, I had to slam on my breaks, he then crossed over 2 lanes of traffic (slowly) causing others to slam on. Drove very slooooooooooooowlllllllllllly in the fast lane and then made his way back to the right hand lane.

I suggest you actually look at the driving of all; including your own people, before criticising others.

Driving is bad here, but NOT one race is to blame.

bleu, I'm ready for race...

Please don't feel too frustrated. I guess all your questions have been answered, without prejudice.

Do you feel superior?

Yes.

Do you show your culture?

Yes.

Do you feel happy hurting someone?

Yes.

You feel others are not humans?

Yes.

Do you know how many dies everyday of accidents?

Yes.

Are they all accidents? or by someones mistake?

Sometimes.

Are you sure you have 100% control on your car?

Yes.

You are in hurry? and you feel others are not?

Yes.

Yes.

Why you blow horns behind a car wating for green signal?

Because the signal is already green and the idiot is standing still.

Do you think he/she does not know when to accelerate their car?

Yes.

Do you think you are the only expert in Driving?

No.

Why you don't give way if someone needs to change the track?

Because it's my track, and they're not taking it. They can take the space behind me.

Are you not aware of the rules on the road?

I'm aware of the rules. I choose not to comply to some of them.

Your common sense missed these things while learning?

Are you saying I'm uneducated again??

Your instructor does not teach you these things?

I never had an instructor.

Do you remember the formula? Speed = Distance/Time

If you follow rules and drive 80 Km/h you will reach

in 18 Minutes and 45 Seconds & probability of reaching

is more

If you drive overspeed at 110 Km/h you will reach

in 13 Minutes and 38 Seconds & probability of reaching

is less

You do know that I need to drive at 140km/h to get an average speed of 80km/h? I need ti slow down for R/As and when there's a slow-driver in front of me.

really pissed off you on the road today.