Street Racing Scare
Thursday night I was on my way back in from Al Knor after picking up my hubby. He was driving by then thank goodness. As we came to the lights just before the University Petrol Station a bunch of 4x4's and trucks came racing onto the street from the merge lane in front of us. Instead of going ahead we slowed down as we saw them coming and throught they would continue on. Instead they attempted to block everyone in trying to close the road in front of us, parking there vehicles parallel across each lane. With engines revving and tyres squaking the used intimidation to try and get all the traffic to stop so they could race. I personally was scared to death, but my hubby was having none of it, Qatar nationals or not. He managed to get us around them using the shoulder and sidewalk. What are these young Qataries thinking, where the heck are the police? We are in there country and should as such treat them with respect. But respect is not the feeling I get when I see this kind of demonstration, Qatari or otherwise.
Drags. See that all the time in Sleepy little New Zealand on a Saturday night.
It would help if this country had a real police force though.
I just came back to check this thread after weeks and wow lots more replies from everyone. Thanks Mandi and MaxPayne for your kind words.
What I didnt say in the intro to this thread and I should have is that the last country I worked in was Georgia on the BTC pipeline. Kidnappings were common and BP drivers who took us on the lines were trained not to stop and to wreck the 4x4 if necessary to evade the situation and capture, we even had panic buttons in the trucks for this situation and sattelite tracking.
Most of my fear sparks from that and the fact that I guess what first went through my mind was that we were about to be kidnapped. I know it sounds really silly but when you come from working in that kind of environment its hard to shake.
kool..i missed it.
Well, yes, in retrospect it was "harmless" fun. But if you are in the middle of it all and don't know how it's going to turn out or what the heck they are even doing it can be frightening.
Mandi
Am i the only one who is amused by this ? They blocked the road and got up to some "mischief" . So what ? They didn't ram anyone off the road etc.. It was a bit of boyish fun.
I really WAS just curious. I'm from South London, so I've no idea what happens on the roads around Birmingham :D
Also, I haven't driven around much in the UK for a few years.
if you go to Saudi you will see hell lot of accidents in front of your eyes EVERY DAY. Before going to Saudi, I had a feeling that Qataris are the craziest drivers. But No way! They are no comparison with Saudi Maniacs who do all kinds of freaked out stunts on the highways and other roads. I still thank God that I am alive after close encounters with at least 20 accidents in 30 days of my stay there. So far what you have seen is just a race whereas in Saudi it can be called DEATH RACE.
acbizgirl, my heart goes out to you! Yes, I would have found it terrifying as well. When ruffians take over the streets, you just don't know what is going to happen and that's not good. We can say kids will be idiots, but you didn't know the purpose or the outcome of their actions as it was happening. It must have been a scary feeling. Thank goodness you weren't hurt. I hope no one else was as well.
Mandi
next time,call the police on your phone so they will learn a lesson when theyve been caught in the act. :D
acbizgirl...true it must have been terrifying...being so close to those crazy guys....
These guys do drifting & 2-wheel stunts, even chase each other with their cars. Sometimes the games get ugly with a crash....usually a bad crash!!!
I guess they were trying to block the road so as to avoid accidents.
I would have preferred to stay put. And leave only when the way was clear of these creatures.
Its like getting stuck in a football cup winning celebration. One cant help it.
These guys should be encouraged to show their skills at some weekly tournament at lusail racing track or something.
Thanks again everyone for your inputs. Lets all set a good example by driving responsibly. And Jauntie, better get that camera. TTFN
that a phone with a camera in it is useful. I don't have one! lol
My apologies If I offended anyone with my rant. Sometimes I do tend to generalize and attack people who seem to disagree with my own point of view. This means you Qatari :)
I'm curious as to where you saw this type of behaviour in the UK. Not suggesting you haven't, but I'd love to know whereabouts it happened. I've never encountered it myself - maybe I don't drive on the same motorways or not late at night or whatever.
Just be interested to know. Cheers.
I AM saying that if the off-duty policeman(he finish his duty and going to his home Or he is on leave for a day) he say sometime like that the guys are racing on the road and breakes the rules then what he will going to do.
but the way qatari open up his comment would think the same way as acbiz. Precisely qatari made the following statement because he knows he is prone to double meanings! So acbiz is also entitled to her view! Anyway, I think everyone agrees on one thing, no justification for such idiotic actions by street racers as witnessed by Acbizgirl!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
Alright now that I have that out of my system. PM, in future I will try and stay unterrified enouph to take license plate numbers, and go the other direction when I see them coming. I will also report them to the police. Frankly, it was all so scary between there actions and my husband getting wound up real fast, it was a blur. My hubby is 6'5". weighing in at 240. I was very concerned that in his state over it, he was about to get out of our truck and start banging heads together, which frankly they all deserved, but would have served no purpose. Sorry for ranting on here, just really upset me as I am sure you can all tell. Well lesson learned.. Happy Driving
On duty police - will give the FINE
Off duty police - will sit back and drink WINE ...:)
Naeeja inner street (around New Horizon centre) is a well known spot for speed racing during afternoon & late night. There was certain old LC driven by a Qatari teenager who terrorize the whole street I live in with his engine revving. I captured his stunt on my phone camera & reported him last Eid. He was jailed, fined & had his car taken to the junk yard.
ya but where is the police when we call for them when we got an accident.
If the police catches the person on duty then they give the person fine. what about the off Duty police man.
POLICE are having their Egg sandwich and TEA ...:)
Is there is any rule that the ministery posted on their site. Our from where u know it
That's what I said, nothing about that the police didn't care. What picks me is how some nugget can say and I quote "i take exception when people start saying "oh! how can such things happen". He takes exception what a joke! Fankly, I take great exception to being terrorized on the roads! Think about it! And no I am not a new driver, I drive every day to Ras Laffan and back, and yes I have seen lots of everyday stupidity on the roads, but this takes it all to a whole new level if you know what I mean. Lets take a look at hte fact taht the road they tried to block, where they tried to block it left nobody absolutely anywhere to go to go past these idiots. Then I have some nugget saying that he takes exception because I voice my concerns on this site.
what she is saying is if it happens in other countries, usually in the dead of the night and in some "abandoned" street. So there should be no justification (whatsoever) for such rude street or drag racing these people are doing! It's just plain rude and disgusting!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
They’ll be jailed & their cars will be left on the junk yard for a month.
PM , if you take there number and reportto the Police. What do u think they will do
I am agree with u acbizgirl but i think these guys are experts.And they also know to handle the situation if the COPS catches them.
You obviously think this kind of thing is ok Qatari, its not. You put your own lives in danger and those of innocent bystanders who just happen to be travelling on the same road. Lets remember these are public roadways, there not there just for little boys with something to prove. How would you like it if your mother was terrorized by some show off in a black truck who refused to let her pass and tried to intimidate her with reving engine and squeeling tyres. I think that would upset you. I have live in cities all over the world, and have never experienced this so it cant be as common as you think. In any case, its irresponsible, dangerous and idiotic to say the least.
If your not ready for a confrontation between these people its safer to let them pass and then be on your way, U never know what could piss them off and then they'll follow u or try to run u off the road..
If the cops were around those guys would've never tried this in the first place. Its not like the police standby and watch this kind of thing.
Unless its a closed area by the cops etc.. Like when the Football matches end an Qatar is victorious or something.
street racing happens everywhere. not just in Qatar. while it is against the law and am by no means trying to excuse it, i take exception when people start saying "oh! how can such a thing be allowed! don't the qatari police care! it isn't safe!".
Thanks for the advise, will follow it for sure. It was late and we had both worked all day. My hubby got really angry and I just kept saying please dont get us caught up in this. Well I guess its normal here, although as I said first time I have seen it. although i have seen evidence of it on the roads up by landmark. Its just strange they would pick such a central road to do this kind of thing. Thanks again for the tip.
When ever you notice something like this, please move to a side or completely move away. I completely leave the way and go the other direction if I have to coz its to dangerous and risky to keep going. While doing those stunts/race on road there is huge possiblity that any driver lose control of his 4x4 and hit you. I have a saloon car and if out of control 4x4 will hit my car, I dont know where will I end up.
Peace.
n drive safe . the incident u experienced is normal here . u wil get used to it .
Well I have been in Qatar for 15 months and this is the first time its ever happened to me. I was really upset by the whole thing and a bit frightened.
Same ol Same ol.. DO a search and you'll find loads of threads with every1's crazy experiences on the roads...