Driving in Abu Dhabi

Notice in pic above how in parking lots, if all the spaces are full, u just park in the middle of the parking lot and leave ur cell phone number on the dash so the cars u are blocking can call u to move ur car. This is done in every parking lot, so many people back in to have a better chance of getting out.

We rented a small Nissan Tiida for a month and I don't drive, I let Art do all the driving as it is pretty crazy and very very deadly dangerous. So in Art's words, here is his first day experience...

I picked up the car and drove to Marta's work, parked and when I tried to leave I found that I was pretty much blocked in ..I had to bump the car behind me to make him move..The cutoff seems to be the main driving tactic used here. When someone wants to change lanes, they edge just slightly ahead of you and then they move into your lane..so I discovered that you always need to be just a nose ahead of the next driver..I drive with 1 foot on the gas and 1 on the brake as the cutting in and out is constant. Stop signs are meaningless...You NEVER stop for a stop sign. EVER..I noticed the taxis all NEVER stopping and NO one stops..u do slow down to observe cross traffic, but you just merge into the flow as needed. I don't know why they waste time with the signs..Pedestrians are optional traffic obstacles.. They do NOT have the right of way. If you cross in a cross walk you need to yeild to cars..They never stop for a person in the crosswalk NEVER...so don't even try to think u can get accross. We were at a Left turn lane, waiting to turn left with the arrow, but here evey one else in the FAST lane to your right can Also turn LEFT from that lane AND make U turns..so anyway my first night taking Marta home, we were going to make a Left Turn from the turn lane, but the driver in the fast lane to our right decided to make a U turn, thereby cutting us off and forcing me to make a last minute U turn with him..he just laughed..he was a nose ahead of me so it now makes sense why everyone speeds, u control the flow of traffic when u are in front. So I have made it 4 days and have not had an accident...I will leave that for another entry as I am sure it will happen eventually.

We found a beautiful apt. on the water, overlooking the Emerates Palace Hotel...it is in our price range, now we just have to go through the 3 months of paperwork to get it done....wish us luck