Here There and Everywhere

Expat currently living in Doha, Qatar

Hold Your Calls, Save Your Life

Actually – not a bad slogan. Pithy, personal, memorable.

00mobilephoneban.jpg

Found this in yesterday’s Kuwait Times. Was it also in the Arabic language newspapers? Doesn’t say anything about the fine . . . . the newspaper announcement leads us to believe they are serious. The fine of 5KD (about $20) remains laughable. Nonetheless – if you use a mobile phone while driving, you will become a CRIMINAL after May 1! ;-)

No one is going to hate this law more than AdventureMan. Sometimes he calls me when he is driving just to see if I will hang up on him. He tries to talk me into talking with him. I have always said I don’t want to hear his last words being “Oh ____!”

April 4, 2008 - Posted by intlxpatr | Bureaucracy, Community, Crime, Entertainment, ExPat Life, Financial Issues, Health Issues, Humor, Living Conditions, Marketing, Social Issues | | 11 Comments

11 Comments »

  1. i pity the ones in the habit of holding up the phone while driving and talking to oneself.what? no? nobody else pretends to be on the cell while driving when in reality talking to urself.
    hmm…im weird.

    Comment by aniche | April 4, 2008 | Reply

  2. easy said than done.. i mean I am glad but do you think people will do it? I wish EVERYBODY will be fined the same without any discrimination..

    Comment by ::: ShoSho ::: | April 4, 2008 | Reply

  3. Aniche – I have seen in all over the world, people pretending to be talking to someone. Eeeeewwwwwww!

    ShoSho – Even if everyone caught were fined every time they were caught, the fine is 5KD. How many people do you think that will stop? How does it work in Switzerland? Do they also have seatbelt laws?

    Comment by intlxpatr | April 4, 2008 | Reply

  4. i think that is one good law!!!! you know how many many people have died and been in bad accidents because of the use of the mobile phone!!! i’m surprised it’s been done now in kuwait! later is better than never! :)

    Comment by nora cassandra | April 4, 2008 | Reply

  5. Yaay! I can’t and dont like to talk and drive! Now I have a VERY good excuse

    Comment by Chirp | April 5, 2008 | Reply

  6. Oh here is really strict! If you are without a seatbelt or your child isn’t in a car seat, it’s big trouble.. but I don’t know how they fine but i know if you have an accident, the insurance won’t pay if you don’t have your belt on or .. something like that..

    Comment by ::: ShoSho ::: | April 5, 2008 | Reply

  7. NoraCassandra – I think a lot of people will be greatly inconvenienced, and many will ignore the new law. Those who change their behavior will probably be safer, more attentive drivers, insh’allah!

    Chirp – I though we were starting a fund to pay for all your on-the-road calls! I totally misunderstood!

    ShoSho – I just wish they enforced the seat belt laws here. I have seen so many children in dangerous situations, lately, and I know their parents love them but in my mind love = seatbelt enforcement. I used to say “the car doesn’t go until the seatbelts are buckled” and it didn’t!

    Comment by intlxpatr | April 5, 2008 | Reply

  8. how is that NO ONE else can drive safely and carry out a brief conversation simultaneously? sigh…yes intlx, i know many are speeding fuck ups on the roads and this law will hopefully make the roads safer but really? no one else can do both safely?

    Comment by Mrm | April 6, 2008 | Reply

  9. They did a special last week on one of the morning talk shows, showing drivers who crashed. The film clips were horrifying. Two factors emerge loud and clear -peole on cell phones are more likely to have accidents, and people who are buckled in are more likely not to be seriously injured. Mrm, I don’t want YOUR last words to be “oh _–_!” either!

    Comment by intlxpatr | April 6, 2008 | Reply

  10. Finally this law is passed :D

    Oh btw, Does this law include sending text messages while driving as well :P :P

    Here’s an interesting fact: “Motorists who talk on cell phones are more impaired than drunk drivers with blood-alcohol levels exceeding .08!”

    Of course i have no idea how high 0.08 is :D

    http://healthranker.com/blog/?p=8

    Comment by magicaldroplets | April 6, 2008 | Reply

  11. .o8 is the magical number for “drunk” on the breathalyzer test administerd to drivers suspected of driving drunk.

    Nope. They haven’t said anything about texting. guess it isn’t any more dangerous than rearranging your gutra or eating your breakfast or reading your paper or trying to hand a girl your phone number while you are driving, all of which appears to be legal.

    Comment by intlxpatr | April 6, 2008 | Reply


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