Law Enforcement

The Dubai newspapers recently reported that it is now illegal to leave one's car running. Farook did this a couple of years ago, and came out to find that his car was gone. Of course, when Farook ran in to pick up a package, this was an Oriental transaction that must include, 'How is the life?' with a full report, taking at least half an hour.

I was, however, surprised to see a car parked outside a pharmacy with the engine running, no one inside, and a police car parked behind it with the lights flashing. The young lady who had parked in order to run in and pick up her prescription waved at the constabulary, jumped in her car and drove off. The police followed, lights flashing.

Since Dubai@Random is only reportage of facts, I cannot say how the chase turned out. (It's a pity this isn't fiction, where I could have written a satisfying conclusion to the story.)

In the West, when a professor catches a student cheating, the student begs for mercy (which is seldom given). Here, the student says, 'I wasn't cheating, you can't prove it, it's your word against mine, and I'm a Citizen.' The students try this even if they aren't Citizens, since most professors prefer to err on the side of caution, knowing that they are unlikely to lose their jobs if they overlook cheating, but are certain to lose their jobs if they accuse a Citizen, especially if the Citizen is guilty.

So I'm sure, if the police managed to convince the young lady to pull over, she said, 'I never left my car running! How dare you accuse me. I know the Sheikh personally, and if you don't let me go, I can have you fired.'

I've seen Farook pull this off (for parking illegally). I also know of a young man who was given a year's room and board in the Muraqabat Hotel when he tried it.

So Law Enforcement here is the local answer to casino gambling, which remains illegal.