Call to control number of cars on the roads
Several citizens have called for stricter measures to curtail the continuing rise in the number of new cars and new drivers in the country, saying the government ban on some categories of expatriate workers from obtaining a driver's licence is not effective.
They say several companies have surpassed the decision issued in 2013 by changing the profession of their employees on record only to make them eligible for a driver's licence.
Barring some segments of expatriates from driving is not enough to curb the rapid rise in the number of new cars hitting the roads every day, citizens said.
There should also be limits on the number of cars a citizen can own, they feel.
Car dealers in the country have also reported record sales this year, especially for privately owned vehicles, adding more pressure on the roads and worsening the traffic situation.
Citing the latest data of the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, a local Arabic daily reported that the number of new vehicles registered in Qatar increased by 18.6 percent in one month while the number of new driver's licences issued during the period went up by 16.3 percent.
"The increasing pressure on the roads is basically due to the increasing population.
"The latest data shows that driver's licences issued to citizens increased by 2.9 percent while those for expatriates rose by 17 percent. This indicates that the decision to bar some workers from having a driver's licence has had no impact," a citizen named Ibrahim Al Yafee was quoted as saying.
He said issuing new licences should be linked to the capacity of the roads in the country and the practice of changing professions to obtain a driver's licence should be curtailed.
"There should also be restrictions on ownership of cars by citizens. A citizen should not be allowed to have more than two cars," he said.
He said many Qataris have many cars — one for driving in the desert, one for office, one for leisure trips, one for travelling abroad and so on.
Another citizen, Abdullah Al Mohannadi, said many car rental companies are getting road permits for different types of cars without any restriction.
Several expatriates operating private taxis are hiring cars from them on long-term basis.
According to Eisa Al Hammadi, the roads in the country are not expanding proportionate to the increasing number of cars.
"The practice of changing professions should be curtailed. There is a need for an investigation before issuing licences to new drivers," said Al Hammadi.
There are also citizens who view the phenomenon as a natural outcome of the burgeoning population in the country which has now crossed 2.26 million. [The Peninsula
Safety is a factor. There is one case, where in one newly married couple hired a unapproved taxi due to unavailbility of sufficient public transport. The driver pretended that the car had some problem and requested the passenger to push the car, the man leaving his wife inside the car pushed the car, but the driver immediately drove the car leaving the man outside. The man cried without any help and finally found his wife body after 3 days. So humbly request the authorities to provide sufficient public transport before implementing and strict rules.
12k min.salary or possess a driver visa ..This would be the best solution ..
Driving is a privilege ...Not everyone is eligible to drive..
Much like family visas, minimum income requirement should also be imposed for obtaining driving licenses and only people on valid driver visa be allowed to get one.
For ex. 12,000 QR/ month min. salary required for obtaining a permanent driver's license.
Only those who are eligible for a driving licence deny the right of the limited income people's right .
Even the garbage man who collects your own garbage that you throw everywhere and everywhere has the right to have a car if he can afford buying one. Just wait for a carwa taxi out when it's burning hot then give an opinion. Or even for the bus.
The solution is to develop other cities or even create other ones.
Buildings of 5 and more stories are found in:Al Sadd, Msheirib , Bin mahmoud, Merqab, abdulaziz, Mansoura, najma. It's the building rectangle. Expats live in that rectangle, and most work there or nearby.
Move some companies to Wakra is a suggestion. Have all government buildings on the outskirts of Doha.
The more people are coming to Qatar the more we need to serve those people. The country is expanding.
So much Traffic in Al wukair Area, specially morning 6:00 AM to 7:30AM, should be increase buses as much as possible to reduce Traffic.
Really !!! One car ? And if any emergency wil u give a ride? Rare cases!! emergency won't happen with a notice period...
citizens should have two cars and expat only one or in rare cases two follow Kuwait
This is all about the transportations system is worst. Karwa is totally miss routed system. Taxis are not whiling to take passenger wanted to travel within the city, only longer distance passenger can share a taxi with four people.
Buses are not coming in time and because of a huge traffic on the road we cant reach to the destination in time which we have to be there.
Many families they needs a driving license to full fill their daily needs and it is a 100 percent humans right to have it after complying the regulations. I totally support for the people should have at least one means of transportation.
Road is scar to city`s face!
1. Mass transit systems should be employed. Especially the bus system i would say is the worst here. Ppl need to wait for at least half an hour for a bus. Buses should b available in 30 seconds time like we see in dubai.
2. Shift new offices outside doha.
3. Convert inside cities road to 3 lanes atleast & highways as 4 lanes atleast. Most of d busy roads in d city are either 2 lane or 1 lane.
4. Abolish all the roundabouts and build flyovers instead.
5. Build new roads.
6. U cant stop issuing new licences as this is a basic need in every country. If more ppl are coming, they need driving licence for sure. Its a ridiculous idea to ban some professions from getting driving licence. It will show a bad image of qatar for discriminating.
People sitting in the cars ... holding sterring wheels for so many hours daily .... imagine how much production is being lost due to driving ............
Why we see people going in the opposite direction everyday ..... why cant they remain on their original places .... let the travellers on the both sides of the road sit together one day & decide not to interchange position after getting up everyday ... let the roads feel lighter .... let the cars rest .... let the tyre not wear & tear ..... let's save fuel from burning ...... help greenary ..... let there be more oxygen .... ..........
* make the public transportation more effective
* increase the number of buses and routes
* reduce the waiting time for buses
* a metro or train facilities will reduce the rush on roads into half.
Also affordable accommodation for expatriate with in city limit is not available.
sufficient public transport and affordable accommodation with in city shall reduce traffic.
No body is bothered about the expatriate travelling every day from wakra to the city and back to wakra for home. If same provision is within city limit then daily commuting shall be reduced.
Increase public transports and nominal tariff... This should help to reduce traffic... It's dumb to impose a ban on issuing driving license to certain people.. For some people it's their livelihood.. Rather provide good public transport and reduce traffic
There is not sufficient affordable taxis or public transport like dubai.
Driving is not a human right .. Only who is capable of driving safely is issued a license after passing reqd. tests ..
Right of travelling does not anyway mean right of driving .
Point 13 would require that Qatar ceases the use of the exit permit system, which is why the country is not a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Just like point 23 - workers have a right to join a trade union. In Qatar it is illegal to join a trade union.
Just because western countries have adopted these principles doesn't mean Qatar will.
The above comment for new expat not for Mary
You fool read carefully Article 13 before commenting..
He should be able to travel as he wish
My comments were not tied to nationality or gender, just ability/capability/adherence to the rules and regulations in place. If gender is such a factor for driving ability then Saudi would have a near perfect safety record, instead it is very poor.
No where it's written that driving is a human right ...Only travelling is !
Travel in a taxi or with a friend or by air or bus or just walk to the destination..
16. Marriage and Family. Every grown-up has the right to marry and have a family if they want to. Men and women have the same rights when they are married, and when they are separated.
17. The Right to Your Own Things. Everyone has the right to own things or share them. Nobody should take our things from us without a good reason.
18. Freedom of Thought. We all have the right to believe in what we want to believe, to have a religion, or to change it if we want.
19. Freedom of Expression. We all have the right to make up our own minds, to think what we like, to say what we think, and to share our ideas with other people.
20. The Right to Public Assembly. We all have the right to meet our friends and to work together in peace to defend our rights. Nobody can make us join a group if we don’t want to.
21. The Right to Democracy. We all have the right to take part in the government of our country. Every grown-up should be allowed to choose their own leaders.
22. Social Security. We all have the right to affordable housing, medicine, education, and childcare, enough money to live on and medical help if we are ill or old.
23. Workers’ Rights. Every grown-up has the right to do a job, to a fair wage for their work, and to join a trade union.
24. The Right to Play. We all have the right to rest from work and to relax.
25. Food and Shelter for All. We all have the right to a good life. Mothers and children, people who are old, unemployed or disabled, and all people have the right to be cared for.
26. The Right to Education. Education is a right. Primary school should be free. We should learn about the United Nations and how to get on with others. Our parents can choose what we learn.
27. Copyright. Copyright is a special law that protects one’s own artistic creations and writings; others cannot make copies without permission. We all have the right to our own way of life and to enjoy the good things that art, science and learning bring.
28. A Fair and Free World. There must be proper order so we can all enjoy rights and freedoms in our own country and all over the world.
29. Responsibility. We have a duty to other people, and we should protect their rights and freedoms.
30. No One Can Take Away Your Human Rights.
Please see Article 13 of the UNITED NATIONS
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Simplified Version
This simplified version of the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been created especially for young people.
1. We Are All Born Free & Equal. We are all born free. We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.
2. Don’t Discriminate. These rights belong to everybody, whatever our differences.
3. The Right to Life. We all have the right to life, and to live in freedom and safety.
4. No Slavery. Nobody has any right to make us a slave. We cannot make anyone our slave.
5. No Torture. Nobody has any right to hurt us or to torture us.
6. You Have Rights No Matter Where You Go. I am a person just like you!
7. We’re All Equal Before the Law. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all fairly.
8. Your Human Rights Are Protected by Law. We can all ask for the law to help us when we are not treated fairly.
9. No Unfair Detainment. Nobody has the right to put us in prison without good reason and keep us there, or to send us away from our country.
10. The Right to Trial. If we are put on trial this should be in public. The people who try us should not let anyone tell them what to do.
11. We’re Always Innocent Till Proven Guilty. Nobody should be blamed for doing something until it is proven. When people say we did a bad thing we have the right to show it is not true.
12. The Right to Privacy. Nobody should try to harm our good name. Nobody has the right to come into our home, open our letters, or bother us or our family without a good reason.
13. Freedom to Move. We all have the right to go where we want in our own country and to travel as we wish.
14. The Right to Seek a Safe Place to Live. If we are frightened of being badly treated in our own country, we all have the right to run away to another country to be safe.
15. Right to a Nationality. We all have the right to belong to a country.
Driving must be an animal right...
Do you mean that new expat?
Driving is not a human right..
No lady drivers also......
Do you mean that also Mary? .
Some people are callous to Human sufferino.
Where in the world is having a driver's license a right? It is a privilege granted by the governing authority and should be revoked if abused.
Another suggestion, only persons with valid Qatari RPs should be allowed to drive. Visit or business visa holders should not.
Revoke bad driver's licenses and impound and sell their vehicles. Bar them from buying or renting another vehicle. The owner would get the proceeds less costs. This alone will improve traffic, driver behavior, etc.
Implement a proper bus service that expats will use to get to work with proper bus schedules. Traffic from Village area to West bay could probably be reduced by 25% if this was done right.
This is clear violation of Human Rights.
The freedom to travel by himself is a person's right.
Nobody should stop anybody from obtaining a License.
It is unfair that certain poor sections of the society is denied this freedom.
In stead of suppressing human freedom and poor section of society,
the solution would be to develop other areas of Qatar rather than Doha itself.
The on going demolitions is a wasteful process as billions of Riyal is powdered
to the soil to spend another billion to build another one there. Even worse is the
number of human lives lost in the process. Developing other areas of Qatar
and shifting Government institutions to this new location is the best option