Will I get over my fear of driving in Qatar?

Get a Volvo XC90... it's just driving!

First you have to know the roads (look at google maps like me) so that u only concentrate on driving not wondering and looking around and guessing from where to go, then just stick to ur lane, no quick turns, drive by the speed limit not by the other cars speed limit!! and everything will be just fine. I am driving since 15 years, I drove in UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, every time i think about it i feel scared, but once I am behind the steering wheal and follow those rules, everything goes just fine. best of luck

Driving is fun!

You'll get used to it :)

Wish i had a driver's license haha

I want to drive not get arrested :))).....

its very helpfuil for you if you keep BABY ON BOARD x2 Signs on your CAR...

Try driving with your Top down....works for me...wink, wink :D

LOST in Qatar :D Try to TAKE me If i didnt teach you Arabian Driving in 1 week then you ave ryts to Kill me ..

If u want slow and just moving like Aunts on roads then learn India Drive

or Else If you want best Driving mean Including all kind of Driving then you have to Try Mine i can teach you multi Driving Skills .. Free Of Charge but please Donot Use ur car it might get Crash on road while i m Driving :D

Absolutely

I will drive, I will drive, I will drive, and I'm seriously considering the land cruiser, white with the wave on each side...

Driving here is horrible becoz of a multitude of drivers from all around the world. They have different attitudes towards driving and many of them are not expert drivers. I'd like to mention that speeding doesn't mean someone is a good driver. Its the level of control that you have on your vehicles that makes you shine. I think if all drivers are trained to the same level, people will have happier stories to tell.

It requires a change in your imagiantion. Try to think that these vehicles are driven by some ill programmed robots not humans which can do any abnormal things while driving. So be preapred for that.

The other thing is to reduce your fear by driving alone on holidays, driving as it is ur last chance for driving in this world, drive like an ambulance as if u will not reached on time someone may lost his life.......

*BABIES ON BOARD*

that won't make a difference, only that they are encouraged to take aim.....

i can understand what you feel coz i myself experienced that..i am driving for awhile but decide to return the company car and requested for my company driver again.. whenever i'm on the road off to meet a client, i feel i always have a mini-heart attack and even sitting in a passenger seat freaks me off..i dunno how to get rid of this phobia :(

Never had an accident in my life, been here 1 month, and 2 idiots hit us.

That's where my fear stems from. I know I can drive, but can others around me?

Can I just take a quick survey .. Hands up all those who have had an accident in the last year

pray I too will one day posses the nerves and bravery required to drive, and become an expert at it.

Benson's story is specially motivating. Ten years and no accidents? Masha Allah, Thabarakhallah, that's just super!

Oh ok benson, got to get my bearings. Everything is so confusing.

I live in Abu Hammour, is that not in the industrial area...

one round of industrial area and see how professional u will become

Try this..You can drive Friday and saturday on roads and make one trip morning ,after noon and evening...

if you drive from ur home to corniche in morning..(1Trip)

drive from Mushrib - Al sadd to madina khalifa.(Trip2)

last in evening toyota Museum of islamic art - toyato signal - ramda -lacigale- landmark. (trip3)

Try this atleast friday and saturday 3 route - and feel free to Drive on roads.

Blistering....can't wait until all the round-Abouts are turned into signals....they are crazy. One guy hit us and never stopped, we chased him for a good 5 minutes (honking and flashing),

Got his license plate number and that's it. Guy never stopped, crazy nutcase!

Driving in Doha is now far better since they put signals on the Roundabout. They even converted some of the Roundabout to signals.

Its need more adrenaline to walk across the road in here.

They seem dont have a brake pedal on their car.

Lol lol nomad, so I gotta drive what the locals drive.

Thanks for making me laugh

Get yourself a Toyota Land Cruiser (preferably white) and drive as you like...you will be just fine believe me.

I drove three weeks into moving here

And worse for me cos coming from Australia it was the other side

But after spending four weeks dragging the kids in the heat lookog for compounds and schools and taxis I decided I had to drive and plus thought ramadhan was a food time as everyone was half asleep and so less aggressive in the mornigs

Still would suggest be same for u got rutty Friday mornigs :) give it a god

It will be much easier I promise!

Although I still sometimes get confused left and right on smaller roads

Been driving three weeks now

So good luck!

Where r u guys living have u found a place

Oh yes I remember now !

Thank you all. After reading all your comments and reading some of your stories, you may have given me the confidence I need.

You said yourself that you refused to drive in Dubai where driving is easier. So obviously Qatar is worse . So you shouldn't drive here either. Get yourself a driver. Good luck !

To drive perfectly in qatar, you have two options.

01. Drive like an idiot with other idiots.

02. Buy a helicopter.

do not worry sister. most of the ppl have fears when they start driving specially when they start it in later age. Driving in any busy city gives u scares. I started driving only from Doha one year ago and now I'm traveling everywhere alhamdulillah. i had same fears and i still feel pressure bcz of crazy drivers but u have to be right on ur side and hoping n praying for others to be driving safe as well. its same if u r sitting in some taxi..u will still face other drivers on the road and u r not sure of taxi driver u r sitting in. just start practicing ...more u practice more u'll master it..dont listen much from others on how to drive in qatar....more u listen more pressure u'll develope...may Allah help u overcome ur fears in all matters of life ameen:)

Hello lost-in-qatar, i do know how you feel. When I first arrived in Doha I was absolutely petrified of driving but necessity made me force myself to face my fear. I drove my son to and from school since the bus services of the school was quite exorbitant in my opinion. Take it slow, you don't have to face your fear of driving all at one go. Do what dohabunny did and also planning your route to where ever you are going is a big help. Desensitize yourself of your fear of driving...and also another piece of advice...pray hehe

Goodluck to you and may you always be safe...

same goes with me. but then to overcome your fear is to face it. enrol yourself in a driving school. as days pass by, you will gain confidence driving around the school and outside. i remember i had clammy hands when i first started and i can hear my heart beating out loud :) and mind you,i don't have any driving license back home. i have been driving since 2009 in Qatar and with so many crazy drivers here, i haven't faced any accident till date. you can do it too. benson's advice is a good one. you go girl!

Thanks Brit that's very nice of you.... if bashing people makes you feel better than go ahead. I know how to deal with children I have 2 of my own.

I know how to drive been driving for over 20 years,..

To the OP:

No. Once you become complacent, there will be an accident.

For that u need to sit in a driving seat.. Before test we all feel nervous & scare but once we learn we come over it.. So u need to take driving classes.. And one major rule of driving is confident on urself and dont ever care about others cars no matter whatever they are driving.. Everyone is responsible of his own car...

About driving comparison in dubai & doha, i think driving in dubai is worse coz in dubai 120 KPH is normal for them...

Dont follow the International rules.

follow the Qatar Rules

Round About : Those who enter to R/A with more speed, give the chance for them.If you not give the way, they will hit on your vehicle.

Line Change/ Track change: Here no priority from Left track to Right. If you want change track. two options for you.

Option 1: Just change the track, when you desire, the other vehicle will stop for you....but it is may be waste your time and more risky.

Option 2: If you given the signal for track change, immediately the vehicle on the same track will increase the speed...so after that vehicle pass..u can change the track.

Exits: If you make exit to service road, stop the car in the main road and allow the those vehicle comes from the service road, and make sure no more vehicle form the service road.

Parking: Dont park your vehilces the place, if thier more place for other parking, or in the parking lot, if you parking thier, you will get some damge on your vehicle bumper back or front side. Better parking only desert area.

finally, This is Qatar...dont follow the International rules.

You need a Qatar Driving License.

You do sound wimpy, so it's best not to drive. You may put others at risk ..

for almost 12 years, but I didn't drive more than 200 km since then. I didn't needed to. Public transport was great back home.

We moved here 2 weeks ago and I am already looking for a car. Taking my kid to the nursery with a taxi is not for me. So I am exactly in a same situation. No experience with driving, but I will have to do it... So watch out on the roads...

Btw. do I need an international driving license?

I can help.

No that certainly doesn't sound very confidence boosting =D

to meet it head on. Of course that doesn't sound so appealing when you are driving.....

Just do it.

okay then get a lamberghini or rolls royce , that dosnt make any sense , u can drive be brave and stronger , dont drive same road with me ho ha ha ha

Just follow the standard road rules and stay in the middle lane as much as possible.

Drive at 50 - 60 and buy an extremely tough SUV, like Jeep or Land Rover. So if you have an accident, not much of a problem for you.

Frankly driving here is much better than in Saudi Arabia....

I too have the exact same fear, and should you overcome yours then please share the method with me!

Seriously I cannot imagine driving in Doha...it's absolutely petrifying a thought to me, and all those mounting statistics of deaths/injuries due to accidents do nothing to curb my phobias!

Thx all, I guess you're all right, need to do it to get over the fear.

Hopefully I'll do it sooner than later, as a very independent woman, my husband is enjoying this sudden need I have for him :))

u need more training

Hi, I understand where you are coming from. Have the same fears myself. Especially with the speed, beeping of horns, not using indicators, very little road courtesy, people crossing without looking, children stunting on roads, drivers weaving in and out and roundabouts are nightmares to me here. Also coming from UK, the road directions here took some getting used to. I started out driving in my neighbourhood during daytime (when no one else is out). Next I set out the route I will be taking, the turns involved, what I should look out for and what I can expect to encounter on that drive. Then went on short runs to nearby shops during non busy traffic times. After that, did the big roundabouts and big roads during non traffic times. Still do most of my driving during lower traffic times actually as it is easier on my nerves and teeth. You can try that just to gain confidence in handling the car, roads and driving situation here. Good luck.

i guess the tutor cant help it. You will have to drive and take out that fear.

Best of luck though!!!

Don't drive.

get an experienced tutor who can remove the fear

Well, i think its not as bad as in UAE 'cause you see lesser sports car passing by you at high speeds.

Plus, try sticking to center lane and make use of indicators (turning lights) and things will work out.

And this fear, well, to get over it, you will have to drive so.....get on the road and enjoy :)

I'm going over it slowly, stay in the middle or right side line, avoid crayzy 4X4 drivers, try to get into round abouts from the safest end...

Good luck!!!

i don't know, i found driving in the uae much worse than here. ;)

get a feel for your car, try out the ways you need to go on a friday morning when it's quiet and believe me, it is much worse sitting on the passenger seat. leave enough time so you don't put yourself under pressure, think for everyone around you.

good luck