I have frequently been taken to task for criticising the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and its absence of forward thinking and proper planning. But today, it is with great pleasure and no little sense of relief that I must compliment the RTA on the speed in which a problem highlighted by Gulf News was solved.
Earlier in the week our news pages reported on a serious accident at a U-turn on Al Wasl Road that resulted in the death of a pregnant mother, father and five-year old son. A contributory factor leading to the accident was determined as being a hindered view of oncoming traffic for the driver making the turn. The bushes and trees planted in the median, while looking very attractive for passers-by, were an obstacle for traffic travelling in both directions, as one driver could not see the other clearly. This, combined with a statistic that emerged later that vehicles making U-turns needed at least 30 seconds to make the manoeuvre, and that on-coming traffic was travelling at 70 km/h (if observing the speed limit) combined to make the whole procedure a high-risk venture.
In response to this dreadful accident and others, less serious, known to have occurred, Gulf News decided to campaign for immediate action on this Al Wasl U-turn and any others that could be deemed to be of equal danger. Within 24 hours, the RTA had responded to the call of Gulf News, reinforced by Gulf News' readers, and had removed a considerable number of trees and hedging at the U-turn, and blocked it off, presumably pending the installation of traffic lights there.
The RTA has to be congratulated on their immediate response that was identified, sadly through such tragic means.
While the RTA attempts to meet the demands of the increasing amount of traffic and travelling public, commuters expect to be able to go about their normal business without undue hindrance. But it is not possible, as any construction engineer will tell you. With thousands of vehicles passing any given spot every hour of the day, and often night as well, the two concepts - ease of traffic flow and clear construction area - are incompatible. Both are likely to impede upon the other because the new roads will be built where congestion is at its most, while drivers, used to travelling particular routes, will be averse to making detours, which are often not signposted clearly as to the destinations.
Two questions
I know that over the years the RTA, and its predecessor the Dubai Municipality, has spent vast sums of money on consultants from mainly the west advising on road and transport planning for the city. With the seeming chaos that has been experienced in recent months, there arise two questions:
a) is the advice given (and paid for) truly the best that can be obtained, or were the wrong conclusions made?
Or b) did the municipality and the RTA decided not to go with the professional advice and wing it on their own, believing they could do better?
Despite frequent RTA reassurances that in time it will all get better, the public has a right to expect better now, not in 3, 5 or 10 years away. The problems are now; the people are living and working in the present, and placations of things to come fall on impatient ears. That said, though, as a long-time resident of Dubai, I have noticed a marked deterioration in driving standards in Dubai over the past 10 years, with especial emphasis on the past five years.
That there are too many vehicles in such a small area as Dubai is a given but, worse, there will be progressively even more in the years to come as learner drivers pass their test and buy a car. Although many driving aspirants claim the test is too hard, it seems to me that insufficient aspects of driving are covered. For a start, all tests are undertaken during the day, so having passed the test, the person is allowed onto the road at any time, day or night, and in all weather conditions.
I believe inadequate - or even nonexistent - teaching is given to learner-drivers on stopping distances, keeping a safe and reasonable distance from the vehicle in front (some new drivers exaggerate the distance and leave enough space for two cars to get in front of them) and, equally important, the judgment of speeds, especially of oncoming vehicles. For an experienced and cautious driver these issues should be second nature to them, yet the driving standards on the roads of Dubai give the impression that the majority of drivers have just passed their test.
Regardless of the money spent on roads, it is ultimately up to each and every driver to ensure safety. We shouldn't leave it to the other person to drive safely.
