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Guys/Gals - I strongly recommend watching the movie - "Reservation Road". (on DVD or on HBO)....about a family who lost their son in a hit and run case and the guilty driver who comes face to face with the guilt.

On the topic, I think the number of hit and run cases is drastically rising here in the UAE. A number of cases make it to the papers - and many don't.

Personally I have had numerous very very near misses myself - at legal pedestrian crossings. You would think that there would be some consideration for people carrying infants such as myself or for children - but nope. applicable for all.

So honestly what gives? Has human life become so cheap that we don't give a hoot about the person crossing the road. Is it an ego clash - the driver vs. the pedestrian? Or are these drivers murderers - ready to run over anyone? By pedestrians, I am not talking about jaywalkers who are all over the place - am talking of pedestrians at all legal pedestrian crossings. As I have observed, all the warning signs do not make any difference and you are as likely to be run over at a legal pedestrian crossing than a jaywalker on a random stretch of road.

Say you do hit a person - would you be able to sleep at night knowing you have taken someone's son,daughter,mother,father.....away? Strict laws do not help. it only forces the driver to ensure he gets away.

I really would like to get into the minds of the people guilty of hit and run and those who just miss hitting. What kind of mentality is this that promotes such behaviour and why is it really getting so common here in the UAE?

I would say the blood money system shares part of the blame. When people can get away with paying 200,000 dhs depending on their status/connections, its not surprising to see such cases. The message is "if you are rich, you can run over anyone and just pay a small fine"

Another factor to blame is irresponsible pedestrians trying to cross highways. I understand its a problem when you dont have any overhead bridges, but could they not at least wait till traffic has reduced, instead of trying to beat cars comign at 100 km/h?

I know it freaked me out when I first came here and no-one stopped at a pedestrian crossing! Geez in other countries, if a person is waiting at the crossing, they have the right of way to cross and traffic must stop.

I always stop to let people cross the road at designated crossings, and it irritates me at the moronic attitude of the people behind, who sit there honking and belly aching!

And yes, sadly to some people, life is cheap! I;ve heard some hoorible comments made about running, 'certain' people over - not ncie!

I think the council or whoever should paint over all these zebra crossings because, like choc said, they make people think it is a safe place to cross when no one stops. Very dangerous.

There should either be a Give Way to Pedestrians sign and have it enforced or traffic lights or nothing.

yeah right! Nice idea, when people don't even take notice of 'stop' signs, or 'don't enter the yellow box unless you can get out the other side' warnings!

It should be written in Hindi or Urdu...
Most drivers don't know and can't even imagine that zebra is a safety place... 'coz they had exam only for traffic signs...
Another 3% is neally invisible...

At the other hand there is lack of pedestrian bridges or subways on the highways inside cities sometimes for a few kilometers... So peple don't have another option among running...

Who keeps moving this to the movies seciotn? Doesn't belong there!

Chocoholic wrote:Who keeps moving this to the movies seciotn? Doesn't belong there!

so thats why there are so many copies of this thread saying 'Moved'. Must be one of the mods/admin who read the first line in the body of the thread.

I only used the the example of the movie since it was an eye-opener to the issue of hit and run - presents both sides of the story. only the driver in the movie seemed to have "some' consience to feel the guilt.

Please keep this in the general chat as it is the most visited section and is meant for all to see and provide input. Thanks

Might I suggest that you modify the subject title then, to make it more obvious!

BlackburnRovers wrote:I would say the blood money system shares part of the blame. When people can get away with paying 200,000 dhs depending on their status/connections, its not surprising to see such cases. The message is "if you are rich, you can run over anyone and just pay a small fine"

Another factor to blame is irresponsible pedestrians trying to cross highways. I understand its a problem when you dont have any overhead bridges, but could they not at least wait till traffic has reduced, instead of trying to beat cars comign at 100 km/h?

huh .. well I'm too tired to fight this rich locals stories again but again I can't stop my big mouth from its ba bla bla

so again lets think out side the box .logically. now UAE population consist of 80% foreigners so no matter how you calculate the numbers it will still be you to blame for most of the accidents daaa

beside most of you come from a lower Primitive road system, that's if you have modern roads. and most of you got their driving license from here so I'm not surprised that you guys are the cause of 78% of the accidents in the UAE .. opsss I came up with a real statistic. how about that LOL

I agree that many locals ,the youth ( not the rich ) drives carelessly thinking it's cool and I would blame the traffic police for not issuing a more restricted laws toward them , and parents also share the blame for not educating their ones of driving manners and other ppl rights to use the road.

With the blood money thing, I think they stopped it for pedestrians to stop the issue of so many low level works killign themselves on the roads, to get the money, to send back to their families. It was happening ALOT!

Sadly Kid, many of the police are not local, they are mostly Yemeni and they won't do jack against a national half the time. It's changing, but still happens.

And sad to say many of the police set a terrible example. For example yesterday I was behind a patrol car, and the driver had a mobile in one hand, fag in the other, not paying attention. They often tail gate and speed and push in. So when the level of standards of the law enforcement is so low, how do you expect anyone else to pay attention.

uaekid wrote:

BlackburnRovers wrote:I would say the blood money system shares part of the blame. When people can get away with paying 200,000 dhs depending on their status/connections, its not surprising to see such cases. The message is "if you are rich, you can run over anyone and just pay a small fine"

Another factor to blame is irresponsible pedestrians trying to cross highways. I understand its a problem when you dont have any overhead bridges, but could they not at least wait till traffic has reduced, instead of trying to beat cars comign at 100 km/h?

huh .. well I'm too tired to fight this rich locals stories again but again I can't stop my big mouth from its ba bla bla

so again lets think out side the box .logically. now UAE population consist of 80% foreigners so no matter how you calculate the numbers it will still be you to blame for most of the accidents daaa

beside most of you come from a lower Primitive road system, that's if you have modern roads. and most of you got their driving license from here so I'm not surprised that you guys are the cause of 78% of the accidents in the UAE .. opsss I came up with a real statistic. how about that LOL

I agree that many locals ,the youth ( not the rich ) drives carelessly thinking it's cool and I would blame the traffic police for not issuing a more restricted laws toward them , and parents also share the blame for not educating their ones of driving manners and other ppl rights to use the road.

Wait a minute, did I ever mention "rich locals" in my post? I just said "rich", talk about guilty conscience

Expats are 80 -85% % of the UAE's population, and they cause 78% of accidents (According to you), so hows that an indictment of poor driving skills from expats?

Well sadly, when people come from all over the world and you have driving skills of all levels, chaos is what you get!

Have you ever seen how they drive in India, Sri Lanka, Egypt or even Lebanon? - I have never been sooo scared in my life!

uaekid wrote:I agree that many locals ,the youth ( not the rich ) drives carelessly thinking it's cool .

uaekid, on the above - is it really cool? driving carelessly = putting your life in danger + other's lives in danger (especially the unprotected pedestrian). Whats "cool" about something irresponsible like that? Are they thinking people will be impressed with them that they have almost or have run someone down? something to talk about at a party?

I dont agree about it being characteristic of youth only. Older people ( who should be mature and set a good example to the youth) are as guilty.

Chocoholic wrote:Well sadly, when people come from all over the world and you have driving skills of all levels, chaos is what you get!

Have you ever seen how they drive in India, Sri Lanka, Egypt or even Lebanon? - I have never been sooo scared in my life!

Chocoholic,

its got nothing to do with driving skills - agreed that there is chaos with people with different attitudes for driving but that would apply to lane discipline, indicating before turning, speed and so on.
When it comes to pedestrians - isnt it basically just plain common sense wherever you may be from? An exposed human with a frail body compared to your heavy vehicle and you're charging full speed in his/her direction.

In my several years of being a pedestrian I have learnt the following:

-That any driver in an oncoming vehicle who looks like western arab or western is a must avoid. Rest of asian is more like a 50:50 chance, probably they are more afraid of being deported. Yup-westerners included is surprising but true. Even I expected them to be more civilized.

-I get extremely wary of SUVs, 4WDs and the sports cars - these are the worst.

-Anyone in a heavily tinted car is a must-avoid. Somehow they feel sitting in the dark gives them more confidence.

Common sense! erm yeah! Do you see many people here actually using their brain?

Agreed. Only fines will change the situation but I haven't seen that somebody had a fine for stopping on pedestrian cross (in traffic jam)... although it's so obvious violation....

The dark tint is so that the gorgeous women don't blind all the drivers with their magnificence. The rules say 30% tint max, but of course it isn't enforced.

kanelli wrote:The dark tint is so that the gorgeous women don't blind all the drivers with their magnificence. The rules say 30% tint max, but of course it isn't enforced.

women??? its mostly men and especially shady elements who resort to blacking out their windows. Anyone who has over tinted their windows definitely does not have good intentions!