Friday 7 November 2014

Kuwait: "I will run you down"

The time has come for me to make a comment on the driving habits of people in Kuwait. 
In a nutshell: Never in my life have I had the misfortune of sharing the road with such arrogant, entitled, pushy, aggressive and dangerous drivers.

If you are a pedestrian, and you want to cross the street at rush hour--forget it: they will run you down. I have no doubt in my mind. 

But its not just their behaviour on the road...today, I parked my car in a regular, designated parking spot, in front of a shop.  The shop, and so the parking spot was right outside a mosque. It was Friday prayer time. 
When I came out of the shop, I saw,  much to my dismay that someone had parked right behind me. Not only was he blocking me in and another car in, he was blocking the lane on the road. 
I ask you--who does that???? 
Who is so arrogant, self-centered and self-important to think that its OK to park behind a couple of vehicles that are legally parked  thereby blocking them in??
Would you want anything to do with this person? (It was not lost on me that the man was, presumably, at mosque.)
I was speechless at the audacity and total lack of caring that this man displayed about anybody else other than his need to park his car and get to mosque. Unbelievable. 
What would this driver be like on the road?
Well, what he would be like, is what is evidenced by myself every time I get behind the wheel. 

They drive like they are driving bumper cars. 
They don't stop at stop signs, they don't signal, they are texting, talking on the phone, playing with their kids ( who are often on their laps) and otherwise totally disengaged from the driving process. 
And...they will run you down. 
They push their huge vehicles into spaces that will not accommodate their car causing you to back up....just to advance a few inches when there is a bottle neck of traffic.
They consistently swerve in and out of lanes, trying to gain those few inches before they get to the next light.
If you are not driving as they think you should be driving ie texting, talking on the phone, or playing with your kid who is sitting on your lap, not going 30 km over the speed limit, or generally obeying the rules of the road, they will honk and ride your bumper, all while talking on the phone.

They do not care if your car is there, if you are where they want to go, they will run you off the road.
If they want to stop, they will stop, who cares if it is in the middle of the road??Heck, people stop in the middle of the road, to make a phone call!!!

Who does that??

I have met some wonderful Kuwaiti people here--but seriously, what happens to them when they get behind the wheel? 

Drive at your peril--but bear in mind: They really will run you down. 



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