Callin Road Safety June 1

We asked how can we make the UAE roads safer?

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/ban-minivans-for-school-transport-traffic-police-1.1174980

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/minibuses-set-to-be-banned-from-transporting-schoolchildren-in-dubai-1.1197820

http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/dubai-traffic-chief-wants-ban-on-passenger-mini-buses-by-2015-2014-02-20-1.538816

There were some good answers on the SMS.

Mini vans should have a speed lock at 80 km, fixed mandatorily to control speed. It should be checked at the time of registration renewal every year. Farhan AUH

Nothing wrong with mini vans, issue is hot headed drivers who don't care about anyone's life including their own life.  Thx nilantha

The police should stop all speeders and all people who violate the traffic laws when people get stopped they remember it and it is a public shaming

Step up police patrol. Police should drive vd the traffic in normal cars/vehicles to catch reckless drivers. Its geting worse day by day in uae.

Its like tje US gun laws hopeless to do anything

In singapore they confiscate mobile phones and crush them. Also we need to install average speed measurement using the salik system. Very effective and can be implemented immediatelY

My sug. For Road safety dubai police Mobile activities shud expand/increase on the main roadside high ways it will really reduce the accident avg in dubai.

I stopped my car and texting you

We need a lots of awareness media driven in tv and all social media to insure coverage across all age and demographic Specially in the high school where next step is driving licence 

While I was in us I lost my licence for speeding and I had to attend a Cless for month that

Here is the podcast.

June 22---the99.org and Dubai Traffic Police

In hour 1 of the program we spoke to Dr. Naif Al Matawa about the world's 1st super hero comic based on Islamic culture and values, www.the99.org.

NAIF AL-MUTAWA
CREATOR & CO-WRITER, THE 99

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa is the creator and co-writer of the comic book series THE 99 , the world's first superhero team based on Islamic culture.

While working as a clinical psychologist with former prisoners of war in Kuwait and with survivors of political torture in New York City, Al-Mutawa witnessed firsthand the cancerous effects of social, racial, and religious intolerance. This led him to write, illustrate, and publish To Bounce or Not To Bounce, a children's book designed to introduce children (and adults) to concepts of international understanding and cultural diversity. The book went on to sell tens of thousands of copies worldwide, as well as win a UNESCO award for children's literature in the service of tolerance. The Success of To Bounce or Not To Bounce led to a sequel, What's In A Color!?

Dr. Al-Mutawa's children's books are now used in schools throughout the Arab World. His quest for tolerance and global understanding led him to create THE 99. e, joined us to talk traffic in Dubai.

In hour 2 Colonel Jamal Mohammed Al Bannai, Director of Violations with Dubai PolicDR.

March 23, 2008: Lessons learnt from the Ghantoot crash

Sunday, March 23, 2008

While James is riding a wave in Bali, Jeff Price has taken over his seat!

Myself (Masarat) and Xan joined him to speak about the drivers' attitudes and behaviour on the roads of UAE. Do we disrespect the rules? Do we drive better in our home countries? Do we need more awareness or maybe we need more police presence to 'scare' people? And hey...what are fog lights? There are many who still don't know about it! As told by our Car Expert, Adam, there is not much awareness towards fog lights in this part of the world. So go to your nearest garage or your dealer and make sure that you have fog lights. And make sure that you know how to use it!

We were also joined by Abdulla Al Kazim, a doctor at Mafraq Hospital in AD who was on the other side of the road on the fateful March 11. He assisted the Police and Paramedics in dealing with the injured. A first-hand perspective!

Call 800-4353 to report dangerous drivers.

Many interesting view points! Does the black points system work? It remains to be seen. But what we agreed upon was that the AD Police handled the situation very efficiently.

Feb 10 ---Traffic and driving

We spoke to Adam Kechil of the "In Gear Program on City7" and Bob Farrow GM of Hertz UAE.

What doe we need to do in the UAE to make traffic work?

Education, enforcement, engineering.

The key from my side of the desk is enforcement, now.

The problem for driving culture in the UAE is the fact that we have a population turn over that is not seen in other parts of the world.

Hard to change the populations ideas if they come and go.

So, we need a big stick!

Some may not agree!

August 14 Taxi Caos part 1

Nightline on DubaiEye is back with me, James Piecowye, for another season.

We started off the night with a discussion of the GREY MARKET.

The short and sweet of the exchange was simple!

IF SOMETHING SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT PROBABLY IS.

But the discussion ended with an exchange about taxi service in DUBAI.

Listen to the podcast a taxi driver talks about his job!

And then you have your say.

We will follow up on this conversation on Wednesday!

march 19 Dubai!

A great 10 minutes on the Dubai that was and the Dubai that is followed by a long chat on the roads.

ALIX@DRNONLINE.COM is how you can find out about WOMEN BEHIND THE WHEEL driver training for women who just want to know more about the life of the automobile and their life.

Check it out!

driving culture change now

We need to change the driving culture int he UAE today!

WE!

You and me!

We all need to start with ourselves first!

RESPECT, Manners, patience, thinking.

If onbe person is killed on the roads in the UAE it is one person too many.

We can not rest and wait for the Police, RTA and the government initiatives to cure all because they cannot change you and I if we close our eyes.

What are you personally doing to change your driving culture?

Start the transformation now, take responsibility!

Feb 4 Traffic

So the metro is being called the traffic beater!

Well the ruler of Dubai says that creativity is the way to solve the traffic problems.

Zaffar, thanks for the email, said maybe we need to simply get people living closer to where they work!

Robin suggests that business house its workforce in closer proximity to the job.

The reality is that traffic is just as much about vehicles as it is about housing and commerce.

Joe hit the nail on the head.

Maybe what we need to be thinking about is making the drive to and from work an experience and in that vein we can reshape traffic flows!

One thing is for sure people sure want intelligent distraction on the road!

Creativity is abound time to tap it!

Jan 24 traffic

Jan 24

800 4353 the number to report bad driving!

Are fines a viable way get people to stop bad driving behaviour?

Many say yes.

Many say no.

What is the solution?

Is there a solution at all?

Dubai RTA Nov 12

So the RTA in Dubai is going to bring in tolls as of July!

Great!
AHHHH!

Some say that unless there are alternatives it is like paying to breath.

Others say stop complaining and go home.

There is a tension in the air!

Expat/national lines are being drawn!

What is good for Dubai, what is good for us and what is good for the nation?

Transparency!

Participation!

And the drama continues!

The Wednesday Edition!

Seat belts!

Amazing fact.

.29% of the traffic tickets last year in Dubai were issued for not wearing seat belts!

A new initiative is starting Saturday to improve awareness on the seat belt issue!

Maybe there needs to be more tickets given!

Application of the law!

Awareness is great but it needs to also take place with enforcement!

Dubai traffic!

2003 ------ 520,000 traffic violations

2004----- 950,000 traffic violations

1st 8 months of 2006 908,000 traffic violations

or 157 traffic violations per hour.

Only after Sheikh Hamdan has asked for tougher enforcement of traffic violations have the police cracked down!

Hmmm... Something seem wrong with the picture?