When I arrived in Dubai in 1996, doing business was a matter of networking with different groups such as the British Business Group and the Dubai Celts. Later in 2002 once I had setup my own business I wanted to avail of these networking opportunities. So I joined BNI (Business Network International) – a fast growing group dedicated to networking and passing business to each-other. As each chapter relied on selling through the members to each others clients there was a heavy emphasis on what was called “Givers Gain” where the person giving the business t another member would eventually gain from a similar connection. I quickly realized this was about good karma and started doing business this way with great effect.
One day whilst stuck in traffic and fighting to maintain my position in the queue, I had an epiphany: WHY DON’T I USE GIVERS GAIN ON THE ROAD? So I stopped fighting with other drivers and let everyone I could go in front of me for one day. At the end of that day I was the happiest and most relaxed I’d been in years. If I had continued on the aggressive driving course I’d set myself I think I would have hurt myself or someone else. If only everyone could try this method of driving the roads would be so much nicer.
This is a good concept however it is do with our individual road right. I was taught driving knowing my rights and the rights of others. Driving on Road and Accidents are measured by rights. In lieu of this argument and whilst considering your article, it seems to me that you are asking us to give-away our rights just because the person behind me has a bigger car and is driving irresponsibly. Just yesterday I was stuck in a Traffic Jam in the DIP vicinity for over an hour. It was like a large car park. But many car drivers preferred to cross over to the oncoming traffic lane and whizzed past us. It would be more appropriate to suggest that drivers must follow rules, period, and drivers must respect other driver’s road rights.
Like they say in customer service that the strength of an organizations’ customer service can be measured when there is a problem and how the experience was whilst the problem was being sorted and not when things are fine. Driver follow rules when things are fine on roads but are very anxious to break them once there is a problem on the road and this act compounds the problem many fold. Creativity on roads can be dangerous for self and for the other drivers.