Driving a car in Dubai
Dubai combines the satisfaction of the modern western and traditional Middle East world with large sand dunes, spectacular scenery from the surrounding desert, and stunning mountains. Tourists can get around Dubai by means of fairly good bus service, minibuses and taxis. Most people who are staying in Dubai for some time prefer to have their own vehicle, as there isn’t a reliable public transport system beyond the city. The roads are in good condition and car hire is not too expensive. There could be no better way to enjoy your holidays in Dubai then traveling by car.
If you rent a car you can explore places outside the city, more of the surroundings and discover amazing landscapes of dense greenery surrounded by the peaks of astonishing Hagar Mountains. You can travel to the ancient fortress village of Hatta, well known for its Portuguese fort from the 14th century. For family’s vacation, it’s advisable to stay not in modern hotel, but find traditional Dubai property for rent and visit the Wild Wadi water park theme, featuring some of the highest and fastest water rides in the world and test your levels of adrenaline. You can also make a trip throughout the desert of golden sand dunes and experience an audacious Safari drive by car.
However, before you hire a car you should know that the rules of the road are not always carefully observed. Be very careful and pay attention to driving in Dubai until you are used to it and be aware of wandering camels and that particularly hazardous roundabouts. There is zero tolerance for alcohol in Dubai and driving with stiff penalties meted out, including jail and deportation. Unfortunately statistics show that Dubai has one of the highest per capita road death rates in the world.
You can be surprised that the junction numbers are not in logical order when driving on the main roads, such as Sheikh Zayed road! Road names can also be very confusing due to transliteration from Arabic as you may hear slight differences in spelling that is very important. The construction works are taking place all over Dubai especially in districts with Dubai property constructions and this can make finding your destination a big challenge. Temporary signs and temporary road layouts change with alarming regularity can be misleading or non existent.
Try to avoid driving during morning and afternoon peak hours, as there are huge traffic jams and even a simple trip across a bridge can take up to 45 minutes. As in most big cities there is also a scarcity of parking spaces, especially near crowded streets with property in Dubai, villas, houses, apartments and Dubai shopping centers. Before renting a car in Dubai, check the fine print of the contract and make sure that seats, starter lights, horn, and mirrors are all in good working order. Also, check if a car is insured or else you will have problems.
Very often visitors may not be given the exact car they ordered - most car hire companies make it clear, or it will be a particular car or ’similar’ and reserve the right to upgrade you to a more expensive model if they cannot supply the one you ordered. Before taking the car away, check the petrol situation and see if you paid for a full tank and how much is actually in the tank. Ask how you must return the car, because if you need to return with a full tank check where the nearest petrol station is to the car hire return depot.
It is also advisable to book a car rental before you arrive in the UAE - at least by a week - and don’t forget to consult with your vehicle insurance broker on additional holiday hire insurance policies.
Written by Car Enthusiast on June 28th, 2008 with
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