Dubai Traffic

I am a perennial pedestrian (or public transportation consumer). I tell people that I do not drive because I'm green, but really it's because I'm yellow. There are more than two accidents a day in Dubai, and the non-Arabic speaking ex-pat tends to be guilty. The rules aren't entirely clear, but if a Citizen runs into you, it's always your fault for being on his road. [Of course, if a Western ex-pat runs into a sub-continental ex-pat, the Westerner may be waved on his way while the sub-continental disappears into the Dubai justice system, unless a particularly devout judge agrees that the sub-continental was a Muslim and the Westerner was an infidel.]

So I walk, generally in the low-rent districts, since I have no business in the posh areas.

Which means I was quite surprised at the traffic jam.

Not that a traffic jam is surprising anywhere in Dubai at any time, but the car stuck in front of me had a Flying Lady hood ornament. I have heard of the Rolls Royce (and seen pictures in expensive magazines viewed in the library), but in a long and varied life, I had never before found myself standing next to one.

The chauffeur looked quite harried. The passengers were behind opaque glass, so I'm not sure what condition they were in: screaming at the chauffeur, or relaxing and sipping some cool, bubbly beverage, unaware of their chauffeur's problems.

I stood there for a few minutes, mouth agape, but I once stared at a Sheikh's huge hummer, and was told that gaping is not allowed. So I decided I'd better move on.

At least I made rather better time than the Rolls.