Defensive Driving Middle Eastern Style!

Advanced Driving in the Gulf

I have been working here in Qatar in the Gulf since September 2007. I deliver defensive driver training to delegates from all over the world who work for major gas and oil companies. This consists of a one day classroom presentation and a one day practical session.

Different Rules!

Defensive driving is certainly the right term for it if you want to survive out here on the roads!
Not enough lanes? No problem!...make some more, there's always the hard shoulder or central reservation or the pavement or the desert, it's easy, 2 lanes become 5. Turning right? Left lane will do. Turning left? Try the right one. Red light? Just go around it on the pavement. Wrong way? No problem, you turn across 3 traffic lanes. Ever heard of the 0.2 second rule? You have now! And that's just the Police! There's a truck behind you, 3 feet from your exhaust pipe, should you use the hard shoulder to let him past? You bet! He probably hasn't got any brakes (good headlights and air horns though). Don't worry about the fog or sand storms, put your foot down after all they have their hazard warning lights on (no headlights though, that's just daft).

The Good Side

On the good side, I meet delegates from all over the world who can handle a vehicle well, it's just that until we came along no one had ever told them the rules. They can't thank you enough.

So spare a thought for me in my little Nissan trying to avoid 6 litre 4x4s and suicidal truck drivers all day. Next time you sit for two hours on the M25, remember it takes that long sometimes to get off the industrial estate here.

UK drivers? Angels, every one of them.

Paul Hockney ADI.  January 2008

Paul has been employed within the driving and transport industry since the age of 18. While not in the Middle East, Paul is based in the North East of England, providing advanced driving tuition to both public and corporate clients.