Life on the Spot! Life and Leisure in Doha, Qatar

Residents of Doha were greeted this morning, not by a warm, bright sunshine but rather by a very thick fog. Although it wasn't that cold, there was nothing to see but fog once you set foot on the streets. I was the first one to go out of our building and the first thing that came to my mind was whether or not it was safe to drive. When my husband finally came down with my daugher, I instantly asked him if I could drive under such conditions. And almost instantly, he gave me a reassurance that I sure can, that I only have to drive slowly. At least it was comforting to know that Tian has confidence in my driving.

I drove all the way from Ras Abu Abboud, down to C-Ring Road, Mamoura Complex and back. You bet there was fog all over the city. On the contrary, it wasn't that scary. I think drivers in Qatar have never been so careful till today. A lot of cars were using the hazard lights, most of them have their headlights on, and most of all, everyone was really cautious and driving at a minimal speed. I guess for the first time since I started driving here, no one was in a hustle. No one tail-gaiting another car, egging someone in front to either step on the accelerator or simply stay out of the way. Everyone just drove at a safe distance. Even the usually aggressive 4X4-car drivers are unusually well-behaved.

I looked outside the window, the sun has already shone and the fog is definitely gone. I just wish that fog or no fog, drivers are always in their "cautious" mode so that accidents can be prevented from happening. I hope the same coolness in driving that I saw today is always there even on a bright sunny day.