In the news this week in U.A.E.

It's been an interesting week in the news in U.A.E.

Car pooling
A few months ago RTA (Dubai's Road & Transport Authority, they basically do everything that has to do with roads and transportation, from making legislation, enforcing this, but also exploiting all modes of public transportation, taxis, buses and the soon-to-be-started Metro) started coming down hard on illegal taxi's, the downside of which was that people reported that they got fined for 'picking up friends'. So complaints started coming in.

RTA, not being deaf to the complaints, started to work on a solution, and this week came with a 'solution'. The solution being that car pooling would be allowed, but only under certain circumstances. People who would want to car pool need to register online beforehand, both the driver and passengers, after which RTA would do 'background checks' (!) before been given a certificate. By the way, one can only apply when this is used for work. That makes one think that this might not be as smooth an operation as it could be, I mean, what if I want to go out with some friends, how do we do that? What if my car breaks down and we use a different want, illegal? Or if I have friends over for vacation?
A blog called Life in Dubai wrote an article on it here, and I can't agree more! Please read it, it's quite hilarious!

'Can you show me your car pooling certificate?'

And it got more hilarious. There was so to do about these new rules, that the RTA decided that it was not quoted properly the first time, so they re-explained themselves. Which resulted in this.

I'm guessing we haven't seen the last of this....

Kissing on the beach
Two women have been sentenced to one month in jail and deportation for 'kissing, cuddling and', hang on to your seats now: 'sleeping on each other like a married couple'. Sleeping on each other like a married couple? How does that work? ;-)

Bicycle
I've done my fair share of cycling while under the influence in Holland, but not yet here... as much. But maybe I shouldn't, seeing that an Indian on his bike got fined Dh15,000 (that's almost 3,000 euro's!) for being under the influence!

(photo taken in Nepal by me, oh, did I forget to tell? I've been to Nepal!)

Vitamin D
This made me chuckle: U.A.E. Residents are suffering from lack of Vitamin D. The main source of vitamin D is exposure to the... yep, SUN! lol :)

View from the top of Burj Dubai

Check out this picture that was sent to me from the top of Burj Dubai, the tallest structure in the world. The small buildings in the corner of the picture are around 50 stories high! As of April 07, 2008, they had reached 629m, and still they're building!

Couldn't find who made the photograph, but credit of course goes to that person!