Dubai Motorists: brace yourselves!

Because Salik is back ....and this time, its back with Vengeance.

The Salik road toll system is to be expanded to all major roads and bridges in Dubai in a major push to get people to use public transport, Emirates Business 247 has learned.

OKAY.... it doesn't take a rocket scientist to say that this strategy is doomed to fail.

If ALL major roads have Salik, and majority of car owners still can not and will not use public transportation, one might as well use the road with shortest distance.

And that is, ladies and gentlemen, taking everyone back so square one.

Challenge me..

Pimp my Salik!

Next time you walk around in a parking lot, take a quick glance at the parked cars with all the Salik tags on them.

Doesn't the view remind you of something like this?

I mean, seriously guys .. why does all the tags HAVE to be in that pale orange color? Is there any functional need for the sticker to be spotted a mile away? Why not have it in transparent or black color? If it was up to me, black would've been ideal. Because once you paste it on the windshield, the sticker will virtually disappear.

OK, here is an idea. Since everyone really REALLY hates Salik now, Maybe RTA should consider giving Salik a makeover ... perhaps it would ease on some of the flak they've been getting in the press everyday.

So, RTA, here it goes:
Why not re-introduce Salik tags in a wild range of colors. Giving our stylish drivers the chance to customize their Salik tags in a color that matches their ride, their mood and their personality?

With almost ALL cars in Dubai mostly white and silver; black, white and gray tags will be flying off shelves. Red, blue and their shades can be available..

I've rarely see any green or brown; besides, who the hell would wanna own a green car?!


I think it will work.


I mean, lets face it. We are building towers that spin, buildings shaped after local men and MP3 players, dumping the sea to build islands that look like trees, bars made out of ice and everything from personal loans to grape shisha can be delivered to your house.


Why wouldn't a limited edition colored Salik tags work?







Of course, "special" color collection for our bright-colored-car-owner friends from Oman is available. :)

Screwed by Salik

I am still waiting for Etisalat to hock up our building. Its been almost 6 months now and we are still on Etisalat's to-do list to get telephone and Internet. Unbelievable!

Yup, you guessed it right. Salik is the reason why i re-surfaced today.

I didn't want to comment on Dubai’s latest money collection scheme. Though I did stick the orange tags on all our cars, this toll system is not supposed to affect me or my wife's travel to work.

My trip to work is a 5 minutes drive that doesn't involve having go on Sh. Zayed Road in the first place. My house is actually (and geographically) located outside the so called "Salik-Zone".

This morning I discovered that I could never be more wrong.

As I drove out of my house heading on my normal route out of Barsha northbound toward Jabal Ali, I noticed the short/tiny side road that I take every morning was way too active than it usually is.

Then it all got revealed: a 2KM long queue of cars lined up all the way to the end of the road.

It was Sharjah deja vou all over again.

Knowing the way around my own neighborhood, I took the first turn out of that street. Few lefts and rights and I am forced into to getting on Sh. Zayed Road, on the opposite direction to work and straight under the first Salik panel, forcing myself into a U-trun, under passing the second ugly pale-orange panel in the opposite direction again. Total damage: Longer trip plus chucking Dhs 8.

So, here is the deal:

Before Salik:
My trip to work took up to 5 to 6 minutes max. And I don't have to get on Sh. Zayed Road anyways.

Thanks to Salik now, I have 2 options:
(1) Pay: Forced to get on Sh Zayed Road, my trip is 15 to 20 minutes longer and it costs me Dhs 8 /day more
(2) Don't pay: My trip will take at least 30 to 45 minutes longer to get to work.

If RTA is reading this, I hope you are proud.