Too Many Jimmys
Not once did I drive during the three years I lived in Seoul. Between the massive subway system and the number of busses running throughout the city (and to other parts of South Korea), there was no need.
But in Abu Dhabi, the only means of public transit is by bus. Long commutes don’t fly for us spoiled Western foreigners used to the conveniences and freedoms that having a car brings. I drive here. I drive here often.
Just like in the the US, automobiles are designed with the wheel on the left side of the vehicle, and traffic moves on the right side of the road. Red, yellow, green lights tell us when to stop, slow down, and go, and red octagons signal “stop.”
Highways can be massive. Many run six rows deep and the speed limit varies from 100 KPH to 140 KPH (87 MPH – 62 MPH) depending on how close you are to downtown, then slows to 40 KPH – 80 KPH once in the city. Slower drivers should stick to the right lanes, while the very left lane is meant for passing.
There are extra protections in place and they can be frustrating. Speed bumps dot residential areas. Left turns are nonexistent, replaced by U-turns and roundabouts. It’s a pain in the ass overshooting your destination by a half mile so you can flip around at the next light. Missed exits and wrong turns can add ten, twenty minutes to your drive.
And here’s yet another wild example of how the future is now. Motorists are monitored through an extensive camera system set at traffic signals, speed limit signs, and in the sky. Should you get caught running a yellow light or speeding even 1 kilometer over the limit, you’re getting fined and the alert comes instantly via text message. And I thought our mail issued violations in Denver were cutting edge. Fines would arrive with high resolution images of either me or Mesh behind the wheel of our Subaru, eschewing the need to debate who was responsible. This system also negates that.
Anathema to this sense of safety is how reckless some people drive. I adhere to the upper end of the speed limit, ideally cruising in the penultimate row so I can trail a car driving just under the maximum 140, passing on the left when necessary.
And what inevitably happens every time I drive: A flash in my rearview mirror will catch my attention. I glance up. What wasn’t there 20 seconds ago when I merged is now on my ass. I can almost guarantee it’s a giant Land Cruiser or Range Rover, flicking its lights on and off, demanding I move. Doesn’t matter if there’s a car to my immediate right. I need to get out of their way NOW. Flash, flash, flash until I can safely get back in the other lane. Off it goes, pushing 160, 180, 200 KPH until it reaches the next car, then flash, flash, flash, move, and repeat.
Are they immune to speeding tickets or do they just not care? Most likely the latter. I imagine the fines are of little consequence to their wealth. What’s more comical is when the police cars do it. Those ones certainly fall into the former.
I road trip to Dubai every Wednesday for a writing workshop class 113 kilometers away. It’s an easy hour-long commute cruising a single highway. Lots of opportunities for dodging aggressive drivers, getting out of police cars’ way, and practice for sticking below the speed limit.
I can see why people speed. On that straight stretch of desert road, music cranked and guzzling coffee, I feel like a race car driver.
But (knock on wood) I haven’t received a traffic violation yet. And I intend to win this game against Mesh, (who may also be fine-less). I’ll end this in a familiar manner: stay tuned…
