Cops in road patrol shocker

So Dubai police are making all the right noises re their proposed policy to actually police the roads of the UAE.

Sounds good but reading a little deeper a familiar tale emerges.

"He defended what he acknowledged was a low number of stops, on the basis that officers often did not want to worsen an already dangerous situation by pursuing serious offenders at high speed."

Sounds laudable enough and indeed some EU police forces have this policy in urban areas however that is where this falls of the rails

"But in the case of drivers who and refuse to stop...Instead, a circular with the vehicle’s description would be sent out and when the driver is arrested “he will end up facing much harsher punishment with bigger fines for reckless driving and possible jail time for refusing to cooperate with the police,”

Right, well if he is of poor Indian Sub Continent descent he might, or a westerner with no wasta, maybe, but we all know what will happen to the rest.

The truth is that the police avoid confrontation with anyone who might have any clout at all ,thus ensuring that any wastered local can run from them in the sure knowlage that it will all be sorted by a back room deal.

That is not going to help this appaling carnage on what are excellent roads at all I'm afraid.
Currently according to a UN report Dubai has the third most dangerous rouds in the world, not a record to be proud of in any way.

Interesting report written in 2000 listing some of the sociological reasons for the standard of driving here.

I find it bizarre that a country that pushes Emiterisation so heavily and prizes sons so much, would be quite so complacent as to sit back and watch them slaughtered on their roads, the economic toll alone is enourmous.

And while the Weasel gives not a jot to the UAE's loss he does however want to be able to get to work and back without several emergency stops.

Reputations

Interesting to see that the labour dispute at the Burj Dubai and the airport has made it to the US with the New York Times picking up the story

Dubai needs to be a bit careful here methinks.

Amateur day at the racing.

So seven days is getting all excited that people go to the races but don't see a horse, erm is the Weasel the only one that thinks 'yeah, so what?'

They would have been far better employed reporting on the total shambles that was getting into and home from the event.

Now every year it is chaos trying to get into the International village and hell trying to get home yet the organisers do absolutely nothing effective to improve the situation the following year.

Dubai wants to attract more and more people and these signature events are part of that strategy, but the chaotic scenes that saw thousands of people trying to enter the international village through one gate really are pathetic, they show how piss poor the organisation really is.

How about two gates? Or even God help us three?

The taxi situation at the end of the night is frankly out of control with massive queues and traffic jams caused by people walking out to the main roads. Not to mention the amount of drink driving that probably happens as people give up and hit their cars.

Why is it beyond the ability of anyone to come up with a taxi system that works?

I mean this race has been running for 11 years in the same place and they still can't work it out.

Amateurs I'm afraid.

Anyway back to the seven days article with everyone saying that the event is nothing like Ascot, "nobody seems to talk about the racing" bleats one individual, well did it ever occur to him maybe that's because there's no gambling?

Of course you pay more attention to the nags at a European or Australian meet, most people there have next month's mortgage riding on the nose, does wonders for your attention on the horses that does.

Personally the Weasel is not that fussed about the gee gees, but he does love a good pissup, fix the taxis and he will be back next year.

Flight path roulette

Yesterday while attending a jolly little barbie directly under the flight path in Mirdiff, the Weasel got to thinking about aviation safety and the just released EU fly well list.

A little oblique perhaps, but in a previous existence the Weasel was a licensed aircraft engineer and when the planes seem they are about to land in your garden, it's understandable.

For those that spend a little less time than the Weasel in the air, the Fly Well list (read it here) has been compiled by the EU from a series of individual lists held by member countries, in a word it's about safety, that's passenger safety and safety for people on the ground.

The EU has decided that the airlines on the list, the majority of which come from Africa, are unsafe to fly over the EU due to poor or dangerous maintenance, poor training standards or unsafe operations.

This is not a lightly taken decision, there are appeal procedures and it all is a pretty commendable attempt to protect EU citizens.

Dubai on the other hand has an open skies policy, great for trade perhaps but unfortunately some airlines that star on the fly well list are very frequent visitors to Dubai.

Ariana Afghan Airways fly in every day (enter Kabul and yesterdays date), or pic here, and it isn't just passenger flights, here is a pic of another EU banned cargo outfit on the tarmac at Dubai, the gloriously named Silverback Cargo freighters.

Feeling fine because you live in Emirates Hills, and frankly who cares if a dodgy 727, flown on a wing and a prayer by a tribesman from the North West frontier, lands in some poor sods garden in Mirdiff?

Well coming soon to a smug suburb near you, Ladies and Gentlemen, we present.....................

Jebel Ali international airport, six runways worth of flight path roulette.

Enjoy.

Syndication

Mmmm... I wonder if the Gulf News will pick up the sydication rights to this little story

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060319/1030427.asp

Road to nowhere

The the Emirates evening post (don't look for a link as this pitiful rag doesn't manage to run a site)
today runs a story dealing with the just announced plans for widening the Dubai Sharjah highway.

700 million buys a bit of a wider road and some new intersections. Oh and two years of hell as they do the work..

The result of this claims the municipality is a reduction of 58%!!!!!!!

They don't state if this is 58% less time or if the traffic density is reduced by 42%?

Either way it is total bollocks, much of the congestion does not originate on the road but at either end of it and that's before you add in the inevitable accidents and rubberneckers, so unless you do something about downtown Diera much of that congestion still is there, only now people get to it a little faster.

The other massive flaw to this is that there is a huge pent up demand in Dubai that would would move to sharjah tomorrow to escape the clutches of the Dubai landlords if the commute was even semi bearable. This of course ensures any spare capacity is rapidly filled and we just end up worse than ever, judging by how quickly this has happened elsewhere here, I give it 6 months.

Besides by the time they have built it the population will have probably gone up by at least 20%.

Perhaps a better idea might have been to build a tramway or light railway that can carry real numbers of people on this route or even add an extend to the Metro?

Appreciate when you cross boundaries there are always issues but this does work to the advantage of both Emirates, Sharjah get thousands of people renting their houses and spending money in their shops and Dubai gets to keep access to cheaper labour accommodation.

Either way a wider road isn't going to cut it I'm afraid.

It might be me but.....

Is this town getting more dangerous?

It might be a statistical blip but the papers seem to be carrying stories like this several times a week, while Emirates toady carries the lead story of a taxi driver stabbed for his cash.

I know most people who live here know it is safe compared to most other cities but it does feel that murders and serious assaults are on the rise.

Not sure if we will ever get accurate statistics, though the cops do release end of year figures they tend not to be compared with other years or stats so trends are hard to spot.

And to be fair we have to take into account the rise in population but still it feels as if things may be changing a little for the worst.

When in Rome

Seems that Whako Jackoff has been learning from his new friends in the Gulf.

Clearly there are much greater priorities than paying your workers, difference being of course he has now been forced to pay...

Noodles on the run

So there was the Weasel, plus faithful sidekick and new American drinking companion just tucking into his second pint on the regular Wednesday (early) evening session outside at Bar Zar, when right next door at the Noodle House, in walks Sheikh Mo.

He orders up some noodles plus an orange juice, sits on the next table with one companion and tucks in.

Not sure if much notice had been given since there were a few mangers running around looking a little worried, no-one asked the, by now boisterous, Weasel party to move and it all went off pretty smoothly.

This is one of the things that the Weasel likes here, it was great to see the Ruler of Dubai sat at the next table like any other resident with no intrusive security and getting down to it with a bowl of noodles.

Two little star struck local kids wandered out from the noodle house and said hello before their horrified mum dashed out and dragged them away.

Maybe the weasel is easily impressed but I thought it was a great touch for HH to be out among the minions and it only reinforces my opinion that the Noodle House really is one of the best places to grab a quick bite.

Hours of endless fun for the over 45s

Well it appears that Sony have finally announced what all geeks know, that the Play Station 3 is not going to arrive this Spring. Not earth shattering news I know but never the less it has driven the Weasel to finally take the plunge and buy an X-BOX 360, what also helped is that the price has finally got to a reasonable level, dhs1800 in Geant at I'm a potato mall.
First impressions are impressive and the weasel is almost looking forward to those trapped indoor summer days that are just around the corner.

Winter Weasel land

Back again after a week of winter Weasel Land fun, fantastic conditions and loads of snow.

Did get pretty nippy though with temps as low as -26c and one day when almost 3 feet of snow fell.

Zermatt with the Matterhorn in the background.

Loverly. 

Arrogant pink peril prowls the Springs

This is simply priceless, and of course she is lying through her teeth, either that or her dog has a serious incontinence problem, no dog craps 3 times on a single walk.

So not only will she not pick up her dog's shit but she won't even clean her own shoes, forcing her poor maid to do it.

Do you have any idea how you look Pink Pants?

Good Samaritan act led to dog fouling complaint

Wednesday, 01 March 2006

In reponse to Concerned Resident of Meadows 7, I am the lady whose dog unfortunately fouled your path. I always go out armed with bags to pick up my dog's mess. On the day you complain of, I had picked up and disposed of several "accidents".

Nearing the end of our walk, I met a child who was trying unsuccessfully to carry an armful of toys to a friend's house to play. I offered the child my last "poop" bag to prevent her from dropping the toys, perhaps in the middle of the road where she could have been run over.

It appears that this Good Samaritan act has made me and my dog the object of your neighbourly anger. Please, Concerned Resident, rest assured that in future I will take many more bags with me when out walking.

I too do not enjoy stepping in dog faeces, and have at times in the past had to ask my maid to clean it off the bottom of my shoes. She always complains of the smell!

Pink Pants, Dubai