So smooth, so Salik (2)

I got a call and had to meet someone on the other side of the Garhoud bridge. The taxi had a Salik sticker, but detoured to the Maktoum bridge to avoid the hated Salik (and, I think, the detour cost me more than the cost of paying the Salik fee for using the Garhoud bridge).

When I met my friend, he said he'd paid for his Salik five days ago, and, as we were talking, his mobile got an SMS saying he'd finally been registered.

He planned to avoid Salik except in emergencies, since he could take Al Khail Highway. Only traffic on Al Khail was not moving at all, so he broke down and took the Salik route, which was very fast, but it cost him Dh 8 (€1.40).

Which is, of course, the RTA's idea, if not my friend's. €2.80 a day adds up rather too quickly on his salary.