Monday, October 3, 2011

Driving licensce

While public transport is an option, it’s not a viable long-term option – so you need a car. Now that’s the really fun part of Dubai! Cars of almost any make that you can think of, are available, are not that expensive and leases are readily available.

So that’s how the three of us ended up spending three days practically camping on Sheikh Zayed Road, where bulk of the car showrooms are situated. Father and son have been discussing horsepower, RPM, torque, leg space, speed, acceleration, size etc ad nauseum, me, I’ve set my heart on a Hummer! Unfortunately, they stopped making them in 2009, so will have to contend with a second hand one, but believe they walk out of the doors faster than they walk in! Sigh!

After having spent 3 days, window shopping for cars, received a rather rude jolt. Can’t buy a car unless you have a license valid for driving in Dubai! Great idea actually, it ensures that everyone who buys a car, is at least capable of driving it.

Hmmm, just a thought…I am not quite sure what happens if you happen to be a local / expat who cannot drive and would rather be driven around. Do you buy the car in your driver’s name J? Or just hire cars? Or you have no option, and must learn to drive, to own a car? Do the same rules apply to both expats and locals?

Till that question remains unanswered, the bottom-line is that you can’t drive or buy a car unless you hold a valid license.

I have enrolled in a school, for, hold your breath, driving lessons. The powers-that-be clearly believe that Indians don’t know how to drive in a disciplined manner J (as well as some other nationalities) but the bottom line is that my driving license, if I had had one, would not have been valid – that’s why a driving school! Not to mention, the driving school refused to give me lessons, till my “better half” had given me permission to learn! R says I’m paying for past sins, lol! I suspect, he has no intention of getting a license for himself, and intends to ensure that I drop/pick him up from work – not too different from back home, I’ve simply exchanged my young boy for the older one, lol!

Have been warned, I need to unlearn 18 years of driving and start from scratch. Sounds intriguing, bring it on!

1 comment:

  1. Before leasing a vehicle kindly make sure that you have a proper vehicle driving licence.

    Rent A Car Dubai, Car Rental Dubai, Car Hire Dubai

    These rules are specially developed for every one safety who travel on road in Dubai / Abu Dhabi "UAE". Kindly during drive must follow driving rules and regulation.

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