OK so in Dubai, in the
UAE, if you give a fellow motorist the FINGER even if it is
becasue your life might have been in danger you could be fined, jailed or deported!
Some say this is petty!
BUT the finger is a moral insult in the
UAE, as is showing the bottom of your feet.
BUT does the finger
warrant the police being called?
And if you give the finger to a person who is driving dangerously should they be fined as well?
And what if a national gives the finger?
How can we have morality on one hand and progressive development on the other?
Hmmmm....
How do we deal with this? In a country that is on the cutting edge of so many things?
READ THE STORY!
All,
Please would you circulate this, it will make others more aware of the what can happen and what you should do.
Coming home one night, a vehicle came up behind me in the fast lane on Emirates road, flashing his lights. I indicated and tried to move into the slower middle lane but the car overtook me on the inside lane - narrowly missing me. I had to swerve badly to avoid an accident. I was furious and pulled a one finger sign at him.
The car immediately slowed up and would not let me pass. We both pulled over on the hard shoulder and got out of our cars. He told me he was a police man and asked why I had pulled a sign at him. The man was dressed in plain clothes and was driving a civilian (unmarked) car with another male passenger. I didn't believe that he was a police man and asked to see ID. This made him very angry and he declared that he wanted to take me to court. I apologized again and again but it was very clear that he wanted 'justice' as I had obviously offended him deeply. He had risked both our lives and those in cars around us, and I was totally amazed at his fixation on the emotional trauma my middle finger had caused him.
We waited on the side of the road for nearly an hour for a police patrol car to come by and eventually I agreed to follow him to Jebel Ali police station. The man spoke to me in English but when we arrived at the station he only spoke Arabic to the other officers. There was no translator and I was threatened with being thrown in jail if I did not sign a statement written in Arabic, obviously admitting guilt. I was advised by the policeman that should I speak to the British consulate or a solicitor that this would make the situation worse for me. My passport was taken and only then was I allowed to leave.
The next day, on consulting a lawyer, it was explained to me that this was a very common occurrence in Dubai and that I had nothing to worry about and that a fine of around AED 2000 was the usual penalty. However four months down the line, one appeal later and I have been sentenced to a 4 week jail sentence and immediate deportation.
My wife is heavily pregnant and our first child is due in 6 weeks time. I would more than likely miss the birth and my wife could be left stranded unable to travel back to the UK whilst I am deported. Not only is the punishment handed out by the Dubai courts, in our opinion, incongruous with the crime it is actually threatening the safety and well being of our family to be.
Whilst Dubai has so much to offer and we have enjoyed living here and learning about different cultures, we are confused as to why on one hand Dubai portrays itself as a welcoming, investor friendly country, yet at the same time non-locals can be treated in this way. Sure I made a mistake, and whilst I appreciate Arab law and culture is different and ignorance is no excuse, surely some leniency should be shown in that it was done in reaction to a near death experience, and it was my first offence I have ever committed.
I can't help but feel that should I have been dishonest at the outset and denied everything this issue would have gone away and it seems sad that we live in an environment which promotes this. I was entirely compliant with the Dubai prosecuting process and as a result have paid the price.
Things everyone should remember;
1. Get a lawyers number in your mobile – you never know when you will need to make this very important call.
2. Make sure the lawyer is present and a translator is made available to you before you talk or sign anything. This is your right even if you are told that it is not by an authority figure.
3. Do not sign anything until the British Embassy or a similar body have translated the statement.
4. If you know an influential local, get them involved as soon as possible, any help is better than no help at all.
I am a Director at a reputable sustainable building design company, working on the next generation of Dubai's skyline. My firm's presence here in the Middle East contributes positively to Dubai's environment and affects directly how people live and work here. It is a shame this relationship has been broken over such an insignificant incident.
