DUBAI: Aggressive campaign against hostile drivers

Those who visit Dubai quickly discover that driving is chaotic, fast and dangerous. The traffic police in that part of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates have decided to wage an aggressive campaign against speeding, perceived as the main reason behind the big number of car accidents and casualties.

Recently, they placed 1,000 radars, described as "elegant and smart," along the highways as part of a national effort to discipline lead-footed motorists.

The new high-tech radars do not flash as the normal ones do, and so are less easily spotted by reckless drivers, who slow down only when they feel monitored, Dubai's traffic officials told the website of the Arab satellite channel Al Arabiya.

The radars can also detect motorists who don't keep a proper distance behind cars ahead of them, or those who cut improperly in front of other cars, officials said.

With more radars installed, the number of citations for unsafe driving has risen significantly. The police have been circulating more patrols and undercover cars to chase violators of the traffic code.

In some cases, drivers may receive more than two fines and have their cars impounded at once.

Capt. Maher bin Haider, who leads the campaign, told the UAE newspaper the National:

Most people are really shocked when we stop them because they do not expect us to be there. They say they know about the radars but were surprised see us.

-- Raed Rafei in Beirut

Photo: Dubai skyline. Credit: Reuters

Comments

[avantcaire]

the new radars will no doubt also raise plenty of much needed new revenue for the government of dubai. two birds, one stone.