Written by: Laura Fulton
Dear Mr Al Niyadi,
As a concerned resident of the capital, I appreciate the efforts you and your colleagues at the Abu Dhabi Police department have made to reduce speeding in this town. I understand that you’ve recently increased fines and jail time to dissuade motorists from driving too fast, and that you’ve even introduced sneaky new speed cameras mounted to unmarked police cars to catch speeders in the act. (I especially love the irony of installing one on a Porsche Cayenne.)
Personally, I employ what should be a failsafe system to monitor my speed. Living off the main island, I find I drive a lot; and with so many cameras around, I’d surely rack up an obscene amount of fines if I wasn’t very careful. I like to observe the posted speed, and then set my cruise control at a speed just a smidge below the number displayed.
I’m writing to you today, however, to ask for your expert advice. While it would seem I should be able to avoid speeding by using my cruise control, I’d like to ask you in which lane would you recommend I use my strategy?
If I drive at or slightly below the speed limit in the far left lane, I can be 100 percent certain someone will come screaming up behind me, driving at a speed ludicrously over the posted amount. These drivers will flash their lights and honk their horns, regardless of my absence of options, until I get out of the way. So obviously, I can’t drive in the far left lane.
If I move over one lane, to the lane second to the left, however, I’m almost sure to encounter a driver travelling at least 20 kph below the speed limit, demonstrating a level of caution that borders on the ridiculous. I don’t mind a bit of prudence, but I’ve still got places to be. So obviously, I can’t drive in the second to the left lane, either.
Of course, I can’t drive in the far right hand lane because it’s reserved for those motorists exiting from and merging on to the highway; and if I drive in the lane second to the right, I’ll be forced to illegally overtake those slowpokes to my left. So what should I do? I think, Major Ahmed, in light of the dangers of the road, there’s only one way I can safely observe the speed limit without risking a rear-ending or passing unlawfully. Take the bus.
Sincerely,
Laura Fulton
