Safari Zoo Resort

This is a project that I had worked on ages ago. The Dubai Zoo is still on hold. You can see the presentation (click here).

PARK AND RIDE

I noticed that the free street side parking intended for creek park outside our project near gate #1 at creek park is full of cars every morning up until around 6pm. I surmise that the two new banks that have opened up across the street need plenty of parking as their underground garage most likely will not accommodate the number of car wielding employees, or that the landlord is charging for each spot, which is typical in Dubai.

Another possibility is that people are learning to Park & Ride, either the bus which passes near by (I doubt it!) or with a friend (more likely).
The idea is good. Why not create park and ride locations throughout Dubai and allow people to pool to the more congested areas. You could park your car and take a bus or metro to your office.

Dubai Metro

I've noted that the Metro work in Dubai is moving along at a rather fast pace. It is a very refreshing feeling to see such professional high quality public work project being conducted in the GCC. There is such a contrast in the way things are done by contractors. Almost all of the safety precautions have been taken to ensure that the public at large will not suffer injuries due to ongoing works.

The neat thing about thing about the Metro is that it is not cutting Dubai into pieces like other metros in the USA. To save on cost light rails have not opted for the elevated or underground tracks in many major US cities.

Portland Oregon is one example. The light rail there has litterally cut the city into several part. So many neighborhoods are now cut into two becaues the light rail passes through at ground level and had to be fenced off for safety.



Whether or not the Metro actually provides a traffic solution is questionable. In the late 50's the mass transit systems in the US were on their way out. Cheap vehicles and the increasing number of roads made it impractical to rely solely on the trains and busses. You were poor if you had to take the bus or train. Eventually in many cities the trams and trains were discontinued. Only busses remained as they were the most car-like in that they were flexible and could be rerouted to meet changing demands.

Now that there is financial pressure on drivers in the form of parking, fuel charges etc. there is an incentive to use mass transportation (MT) to get to work. Even considering the time it takes and there is a savings when comparing parking fees and fuel costs. Maybe even time is saved considering that traffic jams dont effect a train system.

In spite of all of the cultural differences that a metro in Dubai will face with respect to the change from complete freedom to train schedules.

The presence of stiffling traffic jams will make Dubai metro a success. As long as this condition remains then the metro will be used, however, as soon as the traffic problem is solved by more and better roads the metro system will suffer. Why take a train if there are no economic benefits. Car's are cheap, fuel is not expensive and if the traffic moves then there is also no time savings. What do you do when you get to the end of the line....walk? Take a taxi or a bus?

Dubai Metro needs traffic jams, high road fees but moreover, it needs better coverage of dubai and not just down a few arteries.

The park and ride model is quite successful. If there were large parking garages where people could leave their car and take a metro to pick up their car where they could continue their journey then that would be a great incentive to take the metro. As it is there is not so much consideration for parking in Dubai. How do you get to the train, and how do you get to your final destination from the closest station. The RTA (Roads Transport Authority) needs to resolve these issues. More busses, mabe smaller with very short shuttle routes. They should have dedicated lanes. Fewer taxis and more mini busses, or taxis that have known desinations like a bus with the option to have up to three independant people as passengers.

RTA could have a premium lane that can be used for a daily fee of lets say DHS50 all day long. Using the same Radio Identification Tag to monitor the use of these lanes or better yet a roof mounted bar code where cars can be scanned more accurately.

Floating Bridge

For those of you who may not know, floating bridges made from concrete are actually used quite some time ago. source "->The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, officially the Governor Albert D. Rosellini Bridge—Evergreen Point, is the longest floating bridge in the world at 7,578 feet (2,310 meters).^[1] It carries Washington State Route 520 across Lake Washington from Seattle to Medina and is often called the "520 bridge" by locals.^[1] Microsoft programmers often call it the "Evergreen Floating Point Bridge", a pun based on a term for numbers with decimal points often used in computers.-<" The particular buidge in question uses a light weight aggregate to make the concrete lighter than water. Ordinary concrete is heavier than water and would require pontoon a like structure to float in the water, while light weight concrete would also be pontoon like but would also float on top of the water without being structurally designed as such.

With such recent disaster as the bridge in Minnisota crossing the Mississippi carrying traffic from Interstate 35W which collapsed (see video).

The only problem with floating bridges is that they represent a major problem for floating traffic. The whole point of rivers and lakes for people is their ability to be used as major arteries for the transport of goods or for pleasure traffic. Most floating bridges have a section that will allow this traffic to pass. The Dubai floating bridge does not. It relies instead on timing whereby a section of the bridge will be moved out and floating traffic allowed to pass. This is why the bridge is opened from 6am to 10pm.

The main reason for this stop gap measure was to provide additional traffic bearing capacity accross the Dubai creek, which itself is partially an artificial waterway. Typically many areas in the gulf region where somewhat false bays and inlets. They were partially navigable during high tide and where very shallow or empty during low tide. These areas were called "subtra" where they were either permanently wet or at peak tides had water cover. The Dubai Creek was internally such a formation. In1963 it was dredged and we have today what appears to be a river of sorts.


So now with a floating bridge, what is next? I believe that the floating bridge will be removed in years to come or it will have a section replaced. Floating bridges are more appropriate for very wide waterways where a significant portion of the bridge can be floating while one section can be higher and allow for water based traffic.

The floating bridge in Dubai is hearalding a new era in the Middle East where non-traditional building concepts are gaining acceptance.

Salik Road Tolls

I don't know how effective the Salik road toll system will be. There are two toll control gateways that I have seen being assembled just after Garhoud bridge on Bur Dubai side. Fortunately they do not create any problem for me because I turn off just before the gateway. I don't understand why the put both on the far side of Garhoud bridge. I see how people are just going to go down the slip road to bypass the toll. I'm sure the back roads will be clogged.

I am halfway afraid that the police will set up a road block and will start to punish everybody for using the slip road. I am thinking about taking proof that I work in Creekside Park.

I think a more effective way would be to force Trucks and Commercial Vehicles to pay more tolls and let others be free, or if you have more than a 4 cylinder car then you pay. Like what they do in Europe based on the engine size. The reasoning stands that the more power the more luxury.

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Nasty Driving Tricks

It is impossible to be nice while driving in Dubai....?. Each nationality brings their own attitude to the road. I have been to almost all of the countries of the majority of the expatriates in Dubai and have witnessed the peculiar driving habits of that country. INDIA DRIVING VIDEO

I'll list some of the STUPID tricks (used a few of them myself) and how to prevent them (if possible).

1. Pretend you are moving up your lane and then all of the sudden switch lane (use your blinker after the fact...like saying..oh by the way) and watch in your rear view mirror a pissed off face.....Prevent by driving bumper to bumper....this is dangerous because if the guy in front stops....boing.

2. Leave your left or right blinker always on....then go the other direction...I see this all of the time....sometimes we forget to remove our blinker. People do this to trick you into leaving more space so they can squeeze in. No way to prevent this. Just don't believe blinkers and be ready for anything.

3. The Push.... were one car just pulls in front hoping you will stop....this bluff is usually done by the rudest of drivers... note that their cars have multiple dents..... Prevent by looking mean to begin with or make sure you have an old beater and plenty of time for the police to give both of you a violation. At least you will feel good for that instant...but later you will feel sorry for that person one you get to know them and realize that they are just like you....trying to get to work on time.

4. Gestures....normally putting the hand out of the window indicating you want in...sometimes accompanied by a smile. Works great with women, but guys don't always get the same treatment. It helps to have a women in the car with you...ask her to smile and look at the other driver. Prevent by pretending not to see the gesture or have your girl friend/wife look at the other driver with scorn.

5. Emergency Flasher... I've seen people doing all sorts of stupid things.....the flasher means that they are more important, or have a greater right to get where they are going. Prevent by blinking your eyelids at the rate of the blinkers, then you don't see them.

6. Tail Gating...When you look into the rear view mirror and only see the eyes and nose of the driver behind you...they hope to intimidate you into disappearing or moving to the slow lane so they can pass. This is one of the most annoying things and is probably the main cause of accidents because there is no reaction time to avoid collision. Prevent...if during the day turn on your lights...this will cause your rear red lights to turn on..this looks like a brake light... the they may pull back....or....use some nice gesture or face arrangement to let them know you don't like that...or...give them the lane and if you're really pissed off ride their bumper...however the best thing is to give way and live longer..

7. Following the ambulance.... have you ever seen this? It almost looks like the whole tribe is going along with the sick guy in the ambulance.... Not recommended....to prevent this from happening...had to do...but when you give way to the ambulance be prepared for the long tail of cars behind..

8. Service Road/Parking Lot/Shoulder Surfing...this is where the driver will take almost any alternate parallel route to pass a few cars...normally they need to push their way back into traffic when the pop out. I love it when I see the police do this and even more when I see them give violations to unlucky motorists....Prevent....no way...just don't let them in.

9. Following another rude driver....this is where the ICE BREAKER pushes his/her way through traffic and another less aggressive but more intelligent person follows....I've seen this gang mentality where one driver does something stupid and other follow....seems to be safety in numbers.

10. Jumping the Queue...is where one really nasty rude driver pushes his/her way to the front of an off/on road passing the kilometer long queue. This usually slows all of the traffic as other drivers play chicken and you get a road block...this is why so many police are needed to physically watch drivers....I love it when they catch them....I have rarely done this...and have only done this when there was no queue but a blob of cars trying to push their way through.

11. Driving on the sidewalk....The big 4x4's that can go anywhere...and usually do go up curbs and jump the queue....This is very dangerous and damages the paving stones.. There is no prevention of this stupidity....only the police can stop it.

12. Making you own lane....this is where there is clearly x number of lanes determined by those what lane markers and somebody squeezes in between two cars making another lane....normally this is perpetrated by economy cars who think they almost have the same rights as a motorcycle. I've learned to hate ECHO, Carroll, Picanto as they carry some of the rudest and most thoughtless drivers...excluding SUV or course... Prevent by not leaving too much space between you and your neighboring lane.

13. Passing on the right....sometimes at high speed.....normally done when there is little traffic...these drivers don't signal and don't seem to care that their and the guy in front's life could be snuffed out....Prevention...NONE....Preservation....ALWAYS LOOK IN YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR and EXPECT STUPIDITY....It's your life so don't assume other people will care about it.

14. Passing in between.... Yes like 13 above there are some drivers who think they know exactly what other people will or wont do...they zoom in between cars...many of the STUPID accidents are caused by these people.

15. Flashing High Beams....Means ... Outamyway....you're going too slow...that is you are going the speed limit and they aren't.....Want to really get pissed off....at night you get the flash and you move thinking that somebody important in a big MERC or Landcruiser wants by...instead its an ECHO....Prevent...BE CAREFUL....if you don't change lanes fast enough they may try to pass on the right left or middle and that's a recipe for disaster....I prefer to give way when I can but sometimes SOME PEOPLE are really STUPID. You will have a hundred car in front of you and some jerk is flashing you....I can never really figure that one out...but many times you will see it's the ECHO again.

16. HONK HONK....you are at a RED light and before it changes to GREEN some idiot is honking because he/she is more ready than you and doesn't trust that you are not actually sleeping. Getting even....don't move when the light turns green and then when they try to pass then you speed up....BE CAREFUL....some people want to GET EVEN with your GET EVEN....so its better to just be normal and consider the source.

17. PECKING ORDER.....If you have a three digit license plate and drive a luxury car it gives you more rights...and people actually give way....out of fear or respect who knows...I'm even guilty....you don't know who may be there? I've seen three digit plates on junkers....don't know how that happened. Next are any digits and LUXURY CAR with no way to see in because they've got 100% tinting. Of course smart people will assume that who ever in the car is important, but usually they are no more important than the guy driving the ECHO. Next is the nationality. If you are local dressed in national attire you get more consideration than others. If you are dressed in a suit are white or blond. Unfortunately at the bottom of the totem pole are non-whites - they get no respect. Next is nationality....if you can guess....if you are European, Arab you get some consideration last in the order are South Asians... who incidentally represent about 99% of the expatriates. Oh I forgot....if you are a women you can almost get away with anything. I think the best is expensive car with a three digit plate abaya attire next would be a sumptuous blond in a sports car. There is also the MEAN LOOKING TOUGH GUY possibility...usually somebody who looks like they could snuff you out for looking at them in the wrong way.

17. Nothing to loose....driving behavior is influenced by attitude. A mean tough guy driving a beater can usually win out on the PUSH in tactic. BIG TRUCKS...that pretend they don't see you and usually don't. Sometimes people know that they will have the advantage and this affects their attitude. Hey I'm local so I can do this or I work for the police so no use in complaining I will win or I''m a woman so you have to let me in.

18. Professional Driver....These guys are on the road 24x7 Taxi drivers, buses trucks...and they have an attitude usually against all other drivers..they are even rude to themselves. Frankly if you are not a rude taxi driver you wont make your quota. I hate to say it but when I see a taxi at the side of the road with a fender bender waiting for the police...I chuckle with delight...only to feel a little bit later sorry of gloating on somebody Else's misfortune.

So where does that leave us?

I think that a good portion of the traffic problems can be eased up by people just respecting the rules and applying a little bit of civility. Let's try to smile and give way. Some more ideas on reducing traffic congestion.

1. Reduce the speed limit to 5km per hour, that way people will never be aware of any traffic jam because even at 4am you will be traveling the same speed.

2. Even/Odd....Only even number plates can drive one day and odd the next. This will half the traffic on the road. Rich people will have of course two cars and cheating people will have two plates and stupid people wont know what is even or odd.

3. Nationality...One day no South Asians, one day no Arabs, one day no westerners....this will mean that on at least one day a week there will be no cars....

4. Color....one day no red, no black, no white etc.....this will be easy for police to identify offenders but will encourage people to buy pink cars and crafty people to use color film but STUPID people wont know what red is...but there is also the problem of color blind people...oops.

5. Car Model....ECHO only day.....SUV day.....Luxury car day...Toyota day... the traffic on Toyota day will still be tough and ECHO day so many accidents....

6. One way....from 8am to 4pm all traffic goes one direction and from 4:01pm to 8pm (and so forth) the traffic goes the other way. Like this Sharjah will empty by 11am and refill by 8pm. Just make sure you don't forget your keys...no going back...!

7. Add lanes....remove all sidewalks and remark roads with 2m lanes instead of 3m lanes, this way there will be many additional lanes....this is just about what it is anyway so why not do it!

8. All seats loaded.... make it mandatory for every seat in a car to carry passengers... this will encourage mannequin sales, more friends, unauthorized taxis or frustrated people like me who drive solo.

9. Pick Up....make it mandatory to pick up people who want a ride as they flag you down...I might even park my car if I knew that I could get to work faster and not have to find parking. Only the taxi companies would object...and of course everybody else...because what about people who don't wash?

10.Downsize...make it mandatory to drive ECHOs let each lane of traffic be 1.5m wide...predent the car before giving it to the customer so they don't feel bad when the get their first ding.

11.Make cars illegal....there will be no cars on the road...only bicycles, motorcycles and trucks...I'll get a tanker truck...

However, more roads might be nice, with overpasses, tunnels etc..

Novel Pedestrian Crossing System

THE IDEA

The Pedestrian Loop will at the same time save countless lives as people will not have to cross dangerous roads and it will also create an income stream from use and advertising. It is a direct replacement of the pedestrian bridge or tunnel which themselves can be quite expensive. The basic idea is to replace many single point to point elevated pedestrian bridges with a single multi-point to multi-point elevated pedestrian crossing shuttle. One of the shortcomings of a pedestrian bridge is that the average walking distance is quite high for people because the bridges aren’t always located in ideal positions for every persons need. The Pedestrian

Loop is more or less a miniature monorail system, like a rollercoaster, that continually picks up and lets off people within a defined circuit. Like an elevator there are points which people select from a button

panel. The car will stop only if somebody inside or outside at a designated zone has pressed a call button. The system is only elevated when crossing the road, otherwise it is at street level.

THE CAR

The cars are powered by DC electricity embedded in the monorail are will have a simple bench seats. The air-conditioned cars can be grouped together in several units at a time depending on the traffic requirement and length of the loop. Each car will be supported by an electric motor The monorail is essentially a beam made from reinforced conc

rete which will keep it low cost yet provide enough strength for the loading created by the small cars. The cost of a pedestrian bridge can range fro

m USD0.5 up to USD 5.0 million where obviously

span and esthetics play a key role in the cost. The cost of a pedestrian loop is based on the length of the circuit, span of the road crossing and number of cars. The through put of the system is calculated based on the number of stops, speed and loading and offloading times.

SYSTEM OPERATIONS

When one considers to get from one side of Shk. Zaid Road that it would cost at least DHS 4.00 to take a taxi, presuming that one can be found, then a nominal charge of DHS 1-2 to use the system is quite reasonable.

There are options for advertising both internally and externally, which could generate additional income.

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How to eliminate traffic jams

I noticed that most of the traffic problems in Dubai come from people who through their own selfishness create cause traffic to stop. They pass on the right, left, inbetween having little disregard that you have been waiting just as long as they have

It is a problem of attitude. People who are patient and follow the rules have to wait longer. This breeds contempt for the rules and increases the number of people willing to break the rules. WHO WANTS TO BE LATER JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NICE!

How to adjust the attitude of these kinds of people? NOT EASY. And not only money in the form of penalties will stop them. It would simple mean rich people do what they want while the less fortunate have to be late or take the risk of loosing everything.

When the police are around traffic moves very smoothly. Unfortunately they cannot be everywhere. It is such a great feeling to see somebody pulled over in front of everybody for line jumping.

The police can be everywhere. All the are needed are multiple webcams in all of the traffic jam areas and a few mobile mounted web cams put in the front and rear of government owned taxis.

Who will monitor these and how much will it cost? Well, anybody can monitor as long as they sign up on line. They will get a small percentage of the fine levied if they report it first. The web feeds will remain live for 2 days and people can bid (from their accumulated earnings) for snips in the various locations and time zones.

This project is self financing and self controling. With software which is available online the can zoom in on an offender, get help in identifying what is an offense or not. Then they submit their findings. The findings get peer reviewed and voted on, again by registered users of the system. If the offender gets a thumbs down. BAM a fine. A SMS goes out to the car owner.....GOTCHA! 500DHS fine.

The offender has the opportunity to pay the fine in cash or work it off over a period of time by.....signing up and trying to catch other offenders!

Over a period of time people will feel big brother is watching and they will stop screwing up the roads....

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