I refer to your editorial It's careless driving, not fog, that causes accidents (February 7): could we learn from the example of Britain, where a driving licence is a privilege not an entitlement? If a driver causes an accident with reckless driving in the UK, he risks losing his licence altogether. I'd like to see the UAE start removing incompetent and aggressive drivers from the roads for good. Repeated fines do not work, nor do 50 per cent discounts. Remove these reckless drivers from the roads please.
Daniel Rose, Abu Dhabi
People drive as though they are playing video games, overtaking left and right and even using the hard shoulders. Don’t they know that the game always ends when they crash? In real life you only have one chance to play.
Ana Catarina Martins, Dubai
This sudden thick fog appeared on roads around Jebel Ali. I drove through it recently and noticed that in spite of the incredible risks, motorists continued to drive at speeds of up 130km per hour without fog lights (some even had their hazard lights turned on). I noticed that vans and minivans were predominantly the most reckless among other motorists.
Marv Baguyo, Dubai
Educated working women can change their families' future
Ken Sagynbekov's op-ed The ripple effect: when women enter the workforce, health and economic benefits are magnified (February 6) merits urgent attention. The government of Saudi Arabia should be extolled for the plan to hire women as prosecutors. The kingdom has already announced that women will be able to drive and attend soccer games. It is indeed true that when women commence working, the living standard of middle class families rises. The children benefit too with opportunities for improved higher education. Educated working women can change the future of their families.
Rajendra Aneja, Dubai
I am a teacher who learnt my lesson about property investment
I write in reference to your article Why every long-term expat should buy a property in the UAE (February 5); I fully agree with the comments of Esha Nag of Dubai and Gary Hazel of Abu Dhabi. It is not at all advisable for working expatriates to buy property here, unless there is some provision to stay here after losing a job or retiring, perhaps something like a green card system or some sort of property visa. My own case can be a guiding lesson. I am a retired teacher, unwillingly on the verge of leaving the UAE for good after being here for about 27 years. I purchased a one-bedroomed unit by paying 30 per cent (nearly Dh300,000) in Jumeirah in Dubai in 2008. Now after nine years, just 14 per cent of the construction is done. There is no way to recover even part of the money I invested at this stage. In my country, the value of a property would certainly have doubled, if not tripled, in nine years.
KM Furqan, Abu Dhabi