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PatGund
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 17
Location: Doha, Qatar
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 Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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| (chuckle) Thanks. Yep, actually within walking distance. Which is good, because I didn't get a lease car until friday morning - I've spent the weekend learning to drive around here. (Epecially since work is out by New Rayyan.) |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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Oh roundabouts are easy... just remember that everyone has the right of way... just close you eyes and floor it... 
It's not that hard really... but I arrived in the Gulf with experience from Washington DC...
VS |
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Bindair Dundat
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 5:11 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Oh roundabouts are easy... just remember that everyone has the right of way... just close you eyes and floor it...
It's not that hard really... but I arrived in the Gulf with experience from Washington DC...
VS |
Negotiating the roundabouts in Doha is MUCH harder, IMO, than negotiating the roundabouts anywhere else. Everyone seems to have their own ideas about what the rules are. People often cut very aggressively from the inside lane of the roundabout to the right lane of the exiting street, and few use turn signals.
The worst offenders, of course, are THE WHITE EXPATS in their big, four-wheel-drive vehicles. They act as though they've never been inside a city before! One of them was riding my bumper and flashing his lights at me the other day, but he declined my invitation to pull over and discuss things. I would have loved to talk to him because I'd like to get some indication of whether these obnoxious traffic oafs tend to be from any particular country.
The recent crackdown on traffic violators has logged over 8,000 offenses. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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Hey BD... see I was right about the everyone has the right of way.  I was always so thankful that Kuwait has no roundabouts.
VS |
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xtian001
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:31 am Post subject: |
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and you guys haven't driven in Saudi before. It's a nighmare there even without the round abouts. I can fairly say that Drivers here (not neccesarily Qataris) are more "educated" than those in Saudi. You would see at least 5 -8 accidents happen in front of your eyes in a weeks' time in Saudi. The minimum speed for Saudi drivers is like 120. probably 80 for main roads in the center. they don't respect stop lights and woud park anywhere, even in the middle of the street...
then maybe you could appreciate how peole drive here  He he he he... |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:41 am Post subject: |
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| xtian001 wrote: |
The minimum speed for Saudi drivers is like 120. probably 80 for main roads in the center. they don't respect stop lights and woud park anywhere, even in the middle of the street...
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WOW 
When I was living in Muscat, it was pretty bad too (not like how you described Saudi) but BAD all the same, it's the same old excuse speed....why risk your life to spare a few minutes?  usually its the younger guys in their late teens early twenties who used to drive....Doha is slightly better in comparison... |
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xtian001
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:10 am Post subject: |
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| QatarChic wrote: |
WOW
When I was living in Muscat, it was pretty bad too (not like how you described Saudi) but BAD all the same, it's the same old excuse speed....why risk your life to spare a few minutes? usually its the younger guys in their late teens early twenties who used to drive....Doha is slightly better in comparison... |
And I'm not even exaggerating at that... The worst thing is when they bump your car, it's going to be your fault for whatever, as the police don't speak nor understand english. Experienced that once and glad that my company and insurance took care of it.
Also, there was once a checkpoint that I had to go through so I removed my seatbelt, as they were checking the car in front of me, so I could get my License from my wallet at my back pocket. One of the Traffic Police came up to me and pointed at the seatbelt that I just removed. I was asked, not really "asked" as he can't speak english, but signalled to park so he can give me a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt. I wasn't even able to reason out that I had to remove my seatbelt so I can show him my license.
Last edited by xtian001 on Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:21 am Post subject: |
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That's awful!  Must really help to speak the lingo.....but Qatar is Very different to Saudi ...so far all of my encounters with the police has been good and they have been v helpful  |
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dmb
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:29 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| so far all of my encounters with the police has been good |
Have you been naughty Qatarchic? |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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| dmb wrote: |
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| so far all of my encounters with the police has been good |
Have you been naughty Qatarchic? |
Had a feeling someone was going 2 make a sarcy comment when I posted this 
And the answer is NO...encounters have included asking ffor directions in the street, drivers licence etc....  |
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dmb
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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| You can rely on me I believe you. |
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Bindair Dundat
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 4:32 am Post subject: |
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| xtian001 wrote: |
| I wasn't even able to reason out that I had to remove my seatbelt so I can show him my license. |
He didn't buy it, huh? |
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xtian001
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:18 am Post subject: |
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| Bindair Dundat wrote: |
| xtian001 wrote: |
| I wasn't even able to reason out that I had to remove my seatbelt so I can show him my license. |
He didn't buy it, huh? |
He didn't even understand what I was selling him... He he he he... |
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PatGund
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 17
Location: Doha, Qatar
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:48 am Post subject: |
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(chuckle) Getting used to driving. A lot of it for me is my temp apartmemt in West Bay, over to campus near New Rayyan, and back. Lather, rinse, repeat.
So, does everyone else have a three day weekend planned?? What is there to do this weekend?? (I suspect that social opportunies for a single male are in the slim to none category. ) |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 445
Location: Qatar
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm going away for the weekend Are you able to leave the country? Why not explore another capital in the mid east? |
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