Opinion 2010
Good drivers stay on the defensive – My Letters – THE NATIONAL Dt. 05.10.2010
My Letters – THE NATIONAL Dt. 05.10.2010 – Good drivers stay on the defensive
In reference to Car flips over in Dubai crash (September 21), these drivers will never learn. I think the only solution here is to have all the cars fitted with speed controllers which restricts a driver to speeds below 120 kph.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL Online.
My Letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 03.10.2010 – Dedicated area
My Letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 03.10.2010 – Dedicated area
Dedicated area
This is in reference to a recent community report about jet skis at public beaches. It was an eye-opener regarding the danger it can cause to swimmers who use the beach. Frequent accidents caused due to deliberate and inadvertent attempts to drive powerful vehicles have resulted in their restriction at public beaches in Abu Dhabi. This calls for uniform implementation of such rules in all emirates whenever a life-threatening situation is identified in one of them, as rules are implemented to control it. There should be separate options that are exclusive to water sports and those who indulge in it should limit themselves within their allotted area.
From Mr Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS Online.
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 02.10.2010 – Don’t play with lives
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 02.10.2010 – Don’t play with lives
Don’t play with lives
Life is strange when we look at each day passing by like a flash. At times, when I am sitting at the right side of my car, I look at the passing vehicles and buildings as they pass behind quickly.
It reminds me of my school days, when I sit on the side of the bus and look at the trees and riverside scenes that we pass by on our way to home. At times, some incidents remain in our life forever. We then get to take those actions which lead to it in a serious manner and try and see it never gets repeated to us and to others we know.
Traffic accidents are one such thing, which I take seriously.
It is due to the loss of an entire family of my mathematics teacher from school on way back from Abu Dhabi. They were driving back to Dubai a few years ago and her daughter-in-law was at the wheels of their brand new jeep. The car was full of passengers – she, her son, her daughter, and daughter in law and a close relative.
It had its two petrol tanks full too. The road work for the modern Abu Dhabi was beginning and the roads at Umm Al Nar were zig zag. Someone tried to rush through the traffic in between their cars and hit them from behind very fast. Their jeep hit the road dividers and caught fire.
The doors got jammed. All of them were stuck inside, and within minutes it was a huge ball of fire around. The tragedy was huge and everlasting.
It was followed by another incident in which my close relative was killed when his vehicle was hit by a speeding truck.
These impacts created an unknown urge in me to start campaigning for road safety. I have done my best effort to create awareness at every possible opportunity. But I feel it is not enough. A drive down through Sheikh Zayed Road of Dubai and Abu Dhabi Street in the recent days, I found many drivers using mobiles and texting on their phones.
This is a serious danger for the driver and for those on the road at the same with him. Companies and organisations should alert their staff not to use mobile while driving.
Police and traffic authorities are helpless if we do not abide the rules of the road. Let us not create accidents due to our negligence.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
My Letters – Khaleej Times Dt. 28.09.2010 – Cricket mining gold at South Africa
My Letters – Khaleej Times Dt. 28.09.2010 – Cricket mining gold at South Africa
28 September 2010
As expected before the first ball of the finals played, Chennai Super Kings have won the finals of the CLT20 Cup. Watching the match and the entire series gave several interesting management perspectives. One man cannot win continuously matches for his team, especially highly competitive matches like this. This was proved by the performance of Davey Jacobs. He guillotined his and his teams chances the moment he played an over enthusiastic shot of Ashwin’s first ball. It proved several things for the bowler and all of us.
First of all, the value of following the basics, which he did, by keeping the ball straight to the stumps. Secondly and most importantly, keeping a calm and composed self on the field, even at times of victory or defeat.
I wish, video of his bowling efforts at this series to be showed as an example to our other bowlers, who swear, curse and do all sorts of emotional tantrums, while they lose focus and objectives.
The team spirit showed on field between all players, irrespective of their nationality, showed a harmonious feeling and optimism for world cricket. The encouragement to our young generation players from senior players was outstanding. The series really gave some players to stand tall amongst the crowd. I wish, the same strategy is employed by corporate organisations to promote other sports, especially football and hockey.
To read it in original, please visit KHALEEJ TIMES online.
Photo Speaks – THE NATIONAL Dt. 26.09.2010 – Abu Dhabi motorists face morning traffic chaos
Photo Speaks – THE NATIONAL Dt. 26.09.2010 – Abu Dhabi motorists face morning traffic chaos
Abu Dhabi motorists face morning traffic chaos
Traffic is grid locked on in this view of a Salam street intersection. Courtesy Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi motorists face morning traffic chaos
Last Updated: September 26. 2010 12:10PM UAE / September 26. 2010 8:10AM GMT
Accidents in the city centre and on the roads leading into the capital have caused chaos on the roads this morning.
Commuters on Sheikh Zayed Road heading towards Abu Dhabi are currently stuck in gridlock after the part of road opposite Al Rahba Hospital was closed forcing drivers to crawl along a two lane side street.
The Abu Dhabi police, through their twitter page have advised that motorists exercise caution in the tourist Club Area, Al Najda street, Al Salam street and Hamdan street, where there are heavy traffic jams.
Earlier this morning motorists were held up as much as an hour by a seven car accident on the interchange before Mussafah bridge. According to Abu Dhabi police twitter site, the area was clear by 9.40am.
* The National
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.
Short Take – GULF TODAY – dt. 25.09.2010 – Exploration Future
A caricature was done as a best wishes card for all of us to write our future wishes to him and presented to him during the farewell lunch.
‘Exploration Future’ GULF TODAY Dt. 25.09.2010
It is hectic these days as the start of winter season after the summer holidays bring in many new staff. This is the time when some of the old hands say good bye after their assignment period in the UAE gets completed. It follows with a farewell lunch and welcome parties and one such event happened this weekend.
It was a farewell lunch for one of our managers, who, unlike others remained in this region for two terms, i.e. almost six years, which is not common among our expats. It is a professional environment at office. Seldom do we get to speak personal matters between colleagues as we all immerse ourselves in our own area and scope.
Considering the long interactions with him and the bond and team spirit, I thought I should know a bit more about him than I know as a colleague. I took time out before our normal start and spent a few minutes with him.
Talking to him gave interesting insights and remembrance of my mother’s retirement from work. Into his late fifties, he refused to say the word “retirement.”
He preferred to use “professionally provided long term leave.” With more than 38 years experience, he has worked in France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Brazil, Indonesia and now the UAE, his last professional stop.
Being a sport, he has travelled extensively in all these countries and their neighbouring countries on road and sea. In addition, he has also visited, Yemen, Oman, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain several times and all the roads and important places are easy for him as the lines on his palm.
With his children now settled, he and his wife, have already bought a boat and plan to explore the un-explored and explored locations for another 10 years. To keep himself fit, he plans to continue canoeing, kite surfing, mountaineering, skiing etc as he is an expert in all those.
I know well, but even then I asked him, do you keep any photos or write blogs about your expeditions so far? Or plan to do any such thing in the future? He answered, “No. I do them and forget them to look forward to the future one. May be a few photographs here and there, which my wife takes. But not on a regular basis. That encourages me to always look forward to the future and keep myself young.”
Well, I listened to him silently and wished him good luck in the new assignment of his life, which I termed, “Exploration Future.”
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Car flips over in Dubai crash – My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 21.09.2010
My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 21.09.2010 – Car flips over in Dubai crash
Car flips over in Dubai crash
DUBAI // Four vehicles, including a taxi, collided on Sheikh Zayed Road this morning.
The incident occurred in the Abu Dhabi-bound fast lane, near the Internet City exit. One of the vehicles was flipped onto its roof in the crash.
The accident, which occurred at 8am, caused congestion to Oasis Centre in the Al Quoz area.
Police cleared the wreckage from the scene and traffic was free-flowing by 10am. No serious injuries were reported, according to Dubai Police.
My comments as follows:
Added: 09/21/10 03:49:00 PM
These drivers, they will never learn. I think, only solution here is to have all the cars fitted with speed controllers which restricts a driver to speed above 120 kms.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.
Restart traffic safety campaigns – My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 23.09.2010
Restart traffic safety campaigns
I refer to Commuters back, schools back … and tailback (September 20). Summer holidays are over and schools have started a new academic year. Back to work and back to the old problems. Traffic, traffic, traffic everywhere. The media should restart their traffic safety awareness campaigns as they did successfully last year.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.
Community report – GULF NEWS – Dt. 21.09.2010 – Coping with fog
Community report – GULF NEWS – Dt. 21.09.2010 – Coping with fog
Road signs on Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway need an overhaul
Text and picture by Ramesh Menon, Gulf News Reader Published: 00:00 September 21, 2010
Gulf News reader Ramesh Menon predicts the return of foggy days and urged the authorities to plan ahead in order to make residents’ commutes smooth and hassle-free. He took this photograph last year on the Ghantoot highway. Image Credit: Ramesh Menon/Gulf News reader We witnessed one of the worst road accidents in the UAE back in 2008, on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway near Ghantoot.
For regular road users of this highway, it was not a surprise. The sudden weather change and lack of visibility during early mornings is a regular phenomenon on desert roads.
Now, the weather seems to be changing once again to foggy days. Accordingly, during early morning drives on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, we can see several fog pockets, especially after the Ghantoot area. It gets very dangerous to drive with less than 30 metres visibility.
Along the route, there are major exits from the highway and all these have signboards placed on the right side of the road. During foggy days and when there is heavy vehicle traffic, these signboards are difficult to spot.
In order to avoid this dangerous situation, I suggest that the authorities:
– Introduce a new road signage system. Signboards near major exits can have luminescent paint, along with clear markings on roads. These should be present well in advance, so that drivers do not get worried and are not misguided, even in case of extreme foggy or dusty conditions.
– An increase in the installation of electronic road signs so that drivers are cautioned if there is danger ahead.
– An increase in police patrols on foggy days, especially on the Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway and Emirates Road.
I am optimistic that this system will be very effective, specifically on Emirates Road, Shaikh Zayed Road towards Abu Dhabi and Shaikh Rashid Road towards Dubai.
— The reader is a technical officer, based in Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS Online.
ClicksandWrites 
You must be logged in to post a comment.