Travel Adventures with Barbara: Driving in Dubai

Abu Dhabi

Stop Sign in Arabic and English

DRIVERS LICENSE

So, here’s the most bizarre thing. I had to have a Permission Letter (stamped, signed, sealed) from my husband stating that he would allow me to get my Drivers License! Can you believe that? What year is this? And it was only 2008.

Gold Drivers License - Dubai

Oh, please, please... Let me drive in this crazy city with these crazy drivers. I also needed his permission to get a job (another story)! And just remember that in Saudi Arabia, if you are a woman, you CANNOT ever drive a car! Forget about it. Period, full stop, no kidding.

Jumeirah Beach Shopping

You must be 18 years old to obtain your drivers license in the United Arab Emirates. Most people go to Driving School to learn to drive. Westerners have no problem getting a license. Just show your current license from your home country, give them a passport photo, and pay for the new license.


My Drivers License - Dubai

Dubai Creek with Abra Boats

Unless, of course, you’re a woman. But, if you are not from the USA, the UK or Canada, then it's much harder to get your license. Non-western women fail the driving test a dozen times or more before passing. Cultural issue? One less freedom for women? I think so.

Of course, if you are a Middle Eastern woman and you want to learn to drive, you must hire a female driving instructor (which there are very few). You must also have your husband's approval or father's permission to take driving lessons and/or get your driver's license.

Corniche, Abu Dhabi

So, it's a really big deal for Emirati ladies and other Middle Eastern women when they finally pass the test and get their drivers licenses.

However, many Emirati women have cars and personal drivers, in which case they won’t be given permission to learn to drive.

National Day Celebration - December 2

National Day - December 2

Other expats, men and women from Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, are quite excited and proud to learn to drive because most of them have not had this privilege or opportunity in their home country. So, you have a lot of drivers new to the concept of driving. Makes me wonder how safe the roads really are because of these inexperienced drivers. Also, how well can you see to drive when you are wearing a full veil or a burqa? Think about that...

CAMERA TICKETING

The cameras are EVERYWHERE! They are big, small, tall, short, hidden in palm trees, openly displayed at intersections, on the streets, at crosswalks and attached to stoplights. Police rarely stop motorists for traffic violations. But, if you are speeding, run a red light or make an illegal U-turn, the camera simply snaps a clear picture of your license plate. Then, when you try to renew your license plates, renew your driver's license or want to leave the country - SURPRISE!!!

Now, you have to pay hundreds or thousands of Dirhams in tickets for the past year. YIKES!!! You must pay all of your fines or you simply won't be able to leave the country. Actually, all debts and outstanding bills (utility, rent, etc.) must be paid in full or you won't be getting on that airplane to fly home.

Be on the lookout for camels on the roads or near the roads! They sometimes roam free and/or often get out of the large fenced in areas. Every single camel has an owner, so you don’t want to hit and kill a camel. They are worth thousands of Dirhams and you will pay for the camel if you injure or kill it.

Camels along the Highway

Camels Roaming Near the Highway

Buckle up and drive safely! And remember, call when you get there. It's against the law to talk on your cell phone while driving in Dubai!

I have a friend whose husband drove from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (45 miles) every morning for two years before they moved to Abu Dhabi.

He told me that the usual practice for driving on Sheik Zayed Road from Dubai to Abu Dhabi was if you were in the extreme left lane (remember there are 6 lanes in both directions on a dead straight road where the speed limit is 140 Kms/h (85 miles per hour) but most go at 160 Kms/h- which is the speed at which the cameras "kick in").

Someone was fast approaching from behind him in a Toyota Landcruiser, Maserati, or Range Rover. The driving protocol was to move over quickly and let them pass. Much flashing of lights tells you from a few 100 meters away that you must move over...

Truck Decorated for National Day Celebration

If, however, you cannot move into another lane because you are sandwiched between the barrier on your left and cars on your right, don't be surprised to either get a "nudge" on your back bumper (at 160 kms/h, remember!) or see the other driver squeeze past you on the left shoulder, a whisker's breadth away from you! Super scary, but a normal practice!

Dubai Creek

Also, don't forget that local Emirati people almost always have very tinted, blacked out windows, so you can't see if they're talking on their mobiles or texting as they drive. Finally, the usual practice when changing lanes is to simply move towards the desired direction - without directional signaling!

Having Fun on National Day - December 2

Tooting your horn seems to be mandatory, signaling, however, is optional. Oh well, how soon you get used to it... Oh yes, and please note that cars are often left running in the summer while the owners shop in the malls because switching off the big V8/V6 engines for a while means the cars are just too hot when they come out of the cool, air conditioned shopping malls. It boggles the mind!

LEFT TURNS

Almost no left turns can be made in Dubai except at stoplights where there are left turn signals and U-turn lanes. So, don't miss your exit or you'll be going several miles out of your way before you can turn around and even longer on the freeways.

NO SIGNAL LANE CHANGE

In the middle east, people simply move in front of you into your lane with no directional signal, tail light signal, no hand signal, nothing. In the USA, at least we signal and pause before going in front of someone. But, there aren’t a lot of courteous drivers in Dubai. So, the winner is the guy who isn’t afraid to take a risk with his car and his life. He wins because if you don't want to hit him, you brake for him.

ROUND-ABOUTS

Round-abouts in Dubai are 2-5 lanes wide and occur every few hundred feet on busy streets. Talk about crazy drivers. Try staying in YOUR lane with 4 other cars zipping around you. Actually, this is where you DO SIGNAL left or right. Go figure...

Half of the time I had difficulty getting into and out of the proper lane. I often spent some time going around and around the round-about trying to move over to exit the crazy merry-go-round of cars!

Dubai Traffic near the Souks and Dubai Creek

SPEED BUMPS

The size of small ski slopes. Your car goes up, over, and then down the other side. Wheeeee! They're everywhere - at pedestrian crossings, in the middle of perfectly flat, long stretches of roads, and of course, in parking lots. So, you are constantly forced to slow down. No wonder people want to drive fast when they can. Speed bumps are actually 'shaved' or removed from the roads when the Sheiks travel on certain roads. Can you imagine that kind of power?

STOPLIGHTS

They blink green on/off, on/off, on/off, then solid yellow and finally red. Don't ever drive through the blinking green light or you will get a ticket. You had better STOP at the crosswalk intersections or risk being the recipient of the Hidden Camera Ticketing System, the likes of which I have never seen.

Dubai Creek Traffic

Dubai with Jumeirah Mosque in Background

PLASTIC SEAT COVERS

    Yes, I said Plastic Seat Covers in the desert. The kind that you had in the 1950s. The kind that you totally stick to and burn your legs when it's 115' outside!

    These are the plastic seat covers that the manufacturer puts on the seats.

    They are almost never removed in the Middle East because the seats stay clean that way. But what about the dirt that gets on the plastic covers?

CURTAINS ON THE WINDOWS

Most buses have curtains on the windows which is a great idea considering the heat and bright sunshine. Just pull the curtains, close your eyes and leave the driving to the bus driver. There are lots of two-level buses here that look as though they will just topple over as they turn corners. Talk about needing a seat belt!

TINTED WINDOWS

Most cars have tinted windows, as do all apartments, villas and office buildings. But, if you are from the UAE, you are allowed to have very, very dark tinted windows so no one can see inside your car. All other drivers are only allowed to have light to medium tinted windows. Wouldn’t really dark tinted windows limit your visibility? Also, what about wearing a veil or a burqa while driving? Oh, there I go again sounding rational.

Good news: Gas is a bit cheaper, but not by a lot. Bad news: So much traffic, no emission control, so tons of pollution and getting worse all of the time. Heat, humidity, pollution - it's not pretty.

MY TWO HOUR COMMUTE TO WORK

My 30-mile work commute to Knowledge Village in Dubai took two hours both morning and evening. Too many people, too many cars and not enough roads. Try that every day! Exhausting!

Burj Khalifa, Dubai

    But, the commute was always interesting. I passed by the Burj Al Arab every day on my drive. What a sight to see! So elegant... Looks like the sail of a dhow boat.

It's one of the most recognized architectural structures in the world.

    I also saw the Burj Dubai every day on my journey - the tallest building in the world.

    Unbelievable scenery!