Tuesday, April 29, 2008

UAE drivers put lives at risk


Item from ArabianBusiness / photo from Flickr user Kobayashi

Over-tinted windows are the fourth biggest cause of road accidents in the UAE, with drivers continuing to flout legal limits, police said on Saturday.
Motorists appeared to be undeterred by penalties of AED 10,000 ($2,700) fines and the threat of confiscation of their vehicles, and routinely ignored regulations that windows must not be more than 30% darker than a clear plane of glass, a traffic support manager told UAE daily The National.

According to Haji Al Bloushi from the Abu Dhabi Traffic and Patrol Department, perceived status is a major reason for motorists over-tinting windows, with some women drivers saying they prefer to drive vehicles which can not be seen into by men.

The perceived status issue is, I believe, a vitally important one. Presumably the guys in the photo believe themselves to be utterly cool, not tragically foolhardy. Tint your windows dark enough and people will think you live in a palace. Buy a single digit license plate, notwithstanding the fact that the proceeds go to worthy causes, and your status as mega-rich will be perceived even beyond the borders of the Sandlands.

But... I recall learning that the most assiduous status seekers are usually compensating for a deep-seated inferiority complex.

As for the women preferring to stay invisible... maybe they should be more concerned about just staying alive.

1 comment:

Keef said...

Insane. Of course. The 30% tinting limit has been in place for at least five years. And the cops seem to do absolutely nothing about it. We all know that blind people shouldn't drive cars, so why are dumbfuck locals allowed to drive vehicles that effectively make them blind? I despair.

'Perceived status?' Don't make me laugh. When I see a 100% tinted car, I perceive a cretin who will die soon and sadly take a few innocent people with him/her.