Paying to leave home
Ever since the Al Safa tollgate has been installed, I have to pay over Dh100 every month to step out of my house. People residing on Shaikh Zayed Road have no choice but to pay the toll in order to get home. I travelled by taxi to go home, recently. The driver was worried about finding other customers in the area, considering people would want to avoid the toll. The only access to the main road is through the Al Safa tollgate. I am worried that taxi drivers might refuse to come to my area in the future. I request the authorities to find an alternate route for the residents of this area.
From Ms Monia Goncalves
Dubai
More traffic after Salik
Salik has been nothing but an unmitigated disaster. Traffic on Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Beach Road is always at a standstill. Every service road is heavily congested. The only thing the new tollgates have achieved is more traffic on the roads. Salik should not have been implemented until all other viable alternatives were fully functional.
From Ms Simon McCrum
Dubai
Testing skills
I think it would be ideal if the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had applicants take an aptitude test. Though this might slow down the process of getting a driving licence, it would ensure that the right person gets a licence. Additionally, our roads will be safer due to safety conscious and intelligent drivers.
From Mr Mohammad Ali
Dubai
Safety first
I always wondered why construction companies did not pay any attention to their vehicles. The driver should always check behind the vehicle, before he starts reversing. It should be compulsory for the construction vehicles to have a reverse sensor, without which they should not be registered.
From Ms Janardhana S.
Dubai
Alternate routes
When the Al Garhoud Bridge tollgate was activated, it was successful in diverting the traffic. Our company driver would always take Al Garhoud Bridge, but after the tollgate came into effect, he started using Al Maktoum Bridge. Only those in a rush to reach their destinations on time would use the Al Garhoud Bridge. Now that the Al Maktoum Bridge tollgate has also been activated, traffic flow on both bridges is the same and usually congested.
From A Reader
Sharjah
Name withheld by request
Long queues
The authorities concerned need to look into traffic issues caused by the signal in the Al Mulla Plaza area. This has been creating havoc. The signal is green for barely 30 seconds, which is an extremely short duration for the flow of incoming traffic from Sharjah. This in turn leads to long tailbacks that stretch all the way to Al Khan Bridge at any given time. This was not the case earlier. I do not understand why nothing is being done to resolve the issue. I wish the authorities would pay heed to our repeated requests.
From Mr Mohammad Haroon
Dubai
Tricky suggestion
I believe it is extremely important to educate drivers on traffic rules and safety regulations. Discipline and respect for fellow motorists is the best solution for the perennial traffic problems in Dubai. Since radars are the only things that deter motorists from speeding, authorities could install a number of dummy radars on each road. Besides being inexpensive, these would not have to be integrated with the traffic monitoring system either. Motorists unable to differentiate between real and fake cameras would then be forced to abide by the set speed limit at all times.
From Mr John Cruz
UAE
A suggestion
The traffic congestion and noise caused by it seems to be increasing every day on Khalifa Street in Abu Dhabi. The main reason is the narrow exit. If the entrance were to be redesigned, it would help the traffic flow better and reduce the noise pollution.
From Mr Majeed K. M.
Abu Dhabi
No difference
The idea of not charging drivers for crossing a Salik tollgate during weekends, public holidays and off-peak hours would be reasonable and fair. Salik's purpose is to actually distribute the traffic flow between all possible routes. When all roads are free of traffic congestion, there is no difference between a road with a tollgate, and any other regular stretch. It would then be unfair for the people paying the toll and arriving at their destination in the same amount of time.
From Mr C. A. Ranido
Sharjah
Humble request
I use the taxi service provided by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai. I request RTA to install a taxi stand in the Karama area. Taxi drivers refuse to accept passengers in this area, and drive around with vacant taxis. This is a total wastage of fuel, and adds to global warming. Once I was in Deira and had to wait almost four hours before I found a taxi, and that, too, with the help of a security guard who works at a mall nearby. I have reduced my number of trips, since I do not drive myself, and finding a taxi is a great task.
From Dr Reema Manohar
Dubai
Several problems
Much construction is going on in the Buheira Corniche area in Sharjah with no signs to warn people beforehand. Many trucks, carrying construction material, can be seen in the area. I have noticed people driving really fast in the service lanes to avoid traffic. These lanes do not have any speed breakers either. Other than that, people double park on the main roads, which can prove to be dangerous for drivers who fail to spot them. It is high time the authorities took some measures to combat these issues.
From Mr Mahmoud Qazi
Sharjah
