I read your forum posting and the gist of it is quite clearly of a specific nature, so how Air Sa/upply, and others can twist it all into a racist generalisation is beyond me.. Blogging yesterday on this site was an eye opener for me, and I will leave for SA tomorrow saddened that there is such hatred and name-slinging on this site. It is not necessary, but I digress here... back to the issue:
Merely being a passenger in a car in this city is a terrifying experience, even having had to deal with our taxi drivers in SA, who have created quite a bad name for themselves, including their own rules of the road, seeing drivers in this place is an experience like none other. Even as a passenger here in Doha I get stared at (being blonde and blue eyed maybe, not my fault), so I can clearly understand where you are coming from. Courtesy... ahh sorry that word does exist on the roads here, so I will not go there - not many will not understand this.
I was also witness (as a passneger, involved) in a minor incident on the road last week - seems that its all a joke. 'Oh well lets just go off to the police station, pay QR100 as admission of guilt, and then maybe we can just do it again, cos these other drivers get up my nose.' I, as a tourist, had my life in jeopardy - can you imagine my kids back home hearing that either (1) mom will not be home for another few weeks as she was in a car accident or (2) mom will never be coming home again..... Wonderful stuff.
I am going home tomorrow with lots of wonderful stories about this place. I have experienced a rich, interesting, diverse culture, food, energy... including being generously hosted by a friend, who has shown me hospitality unmatched. Thank you all for the experience. I find that shop assistants in your shops and malls the most courteous imaginable too! But sadly there will be a few stories like the few mentioned above... Bottom line, we are all not perfect, and realised that there is good and bad in every nation.
Just a footnote though to the drivers out there (everywhere! before I get slammed) - PLEASE KEEP TO THE RULES OF THE ROAD, THINK OF YOUR FELLOW MAN, THE CHILDREN WITH YOU, THE INNOCENT PEDESTRIANS WHO CANNOT MIND READ YOUR NEXT MOVE. COURTEOUSNESS IS KEY...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter, don't mind." - Dr Seuss
I read your forum posting and the gist of it is quite clearly of a specific nature, so how Air Sa/upply, and others can twist it all into a racist generalisation is beyond me.. Blogging yesterday on this site was an eye opener for me, and I will leave for SA tomorrow saddened that there is such hatred and name-slinging on this site. It is not necessary, but I digress here... back to the issue:
Merely being a passenger in a car in this city is a terrifying experience, even having had to deal with our taxi drivers in SA, who have created quite a bad name for themselves, including their own rules of the road, seeing drivers in this place is an experience like none other. Even as a passenger here in Doha I get stared at (being blonde and blue eyed maybe, not my fault), so I can clearly understand where you are coming from. Courtesy... ahh sorry that word does exist on the roads here, so I will not go there - not many will not understand this.
I was also witness (as a passneger, involved) in a minor incident on the road last week - seems that its all a joke. 'Oh well lets just go off to the police station, pay QR100 as admission of guilt, and then maybe we can just do it again, cos these other drivers get up my nose.' I, as a tourist, had my life in jeopardy - can you imagine my kids back home hearing that either (1) mom will not be home for another few weeks as she was in a car accident or (2) mom will never be coming home again..... Wonderful stuff.
I am going home tomorrow with lots of wonderful stories about this place. I have experienced a rich, interesting, diverse culture, food, energy... including being generously hosted by a friend, who has shown me hospitality unmatched. Thank you all for the experience. I find that shop assistants in your shops and malls the most courteous imaginable too! But sadly there will be a few stories like the few mentioned above... Bottom line, we are all not perfect, and realised that there is good and bad in every nation.
Just a footnote though to the drivers out there (everywhere! before I get slammed) - PLEASE KEEP TO THE RULES OF THE ROAD, THINK OF YOUR FELLOW MAN, THE CHILDREN WITH YOU, THE INNOCENT PEDESTRIANS WHO CANNOT MIND READ YOUR NEXT MOVE. COURTEOUSNESS IS KEY...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter, don't mind." - Dr Seuss