For many reasons driving is a MUST in Doha. Obviously, the oppressive heat during a good portion of the year is a major factor, but even when the weather is comfortable, you take your life in your hands as a pedestrian. Doha was built for drivers, not for pedestrians.
I was determined to become the official navigator of Doha in our family. Given that I was not working when we initially arrived I made a point each day to venture somewhere new in order to learn my way around the city. But before I could begin navigating, I had to start driving.
When we visited Doha in March we purchased a 1999 Landrover Discovery from fellow teachers at ASD. It certainly wasn't a pretty car, but it was reliable and something that could get us around. Plus the price was right, and hey, how many people ever own a Land Rover?
On our third day here I summoned all my nerve and got behind the wheel for the first time. Even though I consider myself a confident driver, driving in Doha takes nerves of steel and an aggression I had to dig for. My first trip was to Villaggio, our local mall, and with Pat as my co-pilot and the kids in the back, it was a tad stressful to say the least. As I was driving through the yellow light, Pat informed me that flashing green means "caution" or "yield" and that yellow actually means stop, before it officially turns red. My first offence.
Other learnings about driving in Doha: U-turns, for the most part, are legal and in fact common and necessary. Because most streets are constructed with boulevards down the middle it is rare to be able to make a left turn into a shop or plaza. Instead, it is necessary to proceed to the next intersection and do a U-turn at the lights.
Doha is also fond of round-abouts as opposed to intersections and traffic lights. In fact, many round-abouts also have traffic lights. The round-abouts took some getting used to, bu the best tip I got was from our friend Chet, who told us that when traversing a roundabout, you are responsible for what's in front of you - DON'T LOOK BEHIND. Although strange at first (my tendency was to look behind me before I changed lanes or exited the roundabout), I am now confident with this and actually quite a pro.
I didn't feel like a pro in my first round-about experience. It was our second week in Doha. Pat was back to work but Carter and Maryn had not yet started school. Carter needed a phys. ed uniform so I decided I would take the kids and do this and a few other errands.
We left the Orange Villas and headed towards the Al Waab/Al Bustan intersection where we did a U-Turn at the lights and headed towards Decoration Round-about. My directions were to take the first exit in Decoration Roundabout and then at the next Roundabout go right around to be taking the same road the opposite direction.
As we approached Decoration Round-about we found ourselves in a lot of traffic. I told the kids that I was excited and nervous to be going through my first round-about which they found fascinating. As we were sitting there, stopped dead in traffic, a small motorcycle was making it's way between the stopped cars. Not only was their course interesting, but more interesting was the fact that the motorcyle was carrying a lawnmower on the back!?
Two thoughts entered my mind: first, who carries a lawn mower on a motorcycle? And second, who needs a motorcycle in the desert?
I pointed it out to the kids and we laughed and laughed.
Meanwhile, my eyes, and more specifically my contact lense, were getting used to the dry, dusty, hot conditions in Doha and I was finding them particularly irritated that day. As I wiped my eye for the millionth time my contact lense took that very moment to pop right out of my eye. Just as the light turned green. It was GO time. Missing a contact lense, and it was go time for my first roundabout.
Stepping on the gas I entered into the round-about. A feeling of exhilaration overtook me and soon I was whizzing right around that roundabout. I went full circle. As I pulled out into the straightaway I was overcome by a great sense of satisfaction. I'd done it. Successfully manoeuvered my first roundabout. The kids and I both cheered.
It was only as we continued on with our travels that I realized it - I hadn't intended to go right around the roundabout, I was only supposed to go 1/4 way and take the first exit. My dismay was shortlived though. It just meant that I'd have to do it all over again and this time, I knew that I could.
I was determined to become the official navigator of Doha in our family. Given that I was not working when we initially arrived I made a point each day to venture somewhere new in order to learn my way around the city. But before I could begin navigating, I had to start driving.
When we visited Doha in March we purchased a 1999 Landrover Discovery from fellow teachers at ASD. It certainly wasn't a pretty car, but it was reliable and something that could get us around. Plus the price was right, and hey, how many people ever own a Land Rover?
On our third day here I summoned all my nerve and got behind the wheel for the first time. Even though I consider myself a confident driver, driving in Doha takes nerves of steel and an aggression I had to dig for. My first trip was to Villaggio, our local mall, and with Pat as my co-pilot and the kids in the back, it was a tad stressful to say the least. As I was driving through the yellow light, Pat informed me that flashing green means "caution" or "yield" and that yellow actually means stop, before it officially turns red. My first offence.
Other learnings about driving in Doha: U-turns, for the most part, are legal and in fact common and necessary. Because most streets are constructed with boulevards down the middle it is rare to be able to make a left turn into a shop or plaza. Instead, it is necessary to proceed to the next intersection and do a U-turn at the lights.
Doha is also fond of round-abouts as opposed to intersections and traffic lights. In fact, many round-abouts also have traffic lights. The round-abouts took some getting used to, bu the best tip I got was from our friend Chet, who told us that when traversing a roundabout, you are responsible for what's in front of you - DON'T LOOK BEHIND. Although strange at first (my tendency was to look behind me before I changed lanes or exited the roundabout), I am now confident with this and actually quite a pro.
I didn't feel like a pro in my first round-about experience. It was our second week in Doha. Pat was back to work but Carter and Maryn had not yet started school. Carter needed a phys. ed uniform so I decided I would take the kids and do this and a few other errands.
We left the Orange Villas and headed towards the Al Waab/Al Bustan intersection where we did a U-Turn at the lights and headed towards Decoration Round-about. My directions were to take the first exit in Decoration Roundabout and then at the next Roundabout go right around to be taking the same road the opposite direction.
As we approached Decoration Round-about we found ourselves in a lot of traffic. I told the kids that I was excited and nervous to be going through my first round-about which they found fascinating. As we were sitting there, stopped dead in traffic, a small motorcycle was making it's way between the stopped cars. Not only was their course interesting, but more interesting was the fact that the motorcyle was carrying a lawnmower on the back!?
Two thoughts entered my mind: first, who carries a lawn mower on a motorcycle? And second, who needs a motorcycle in the desert?
I pointed it out to the kids and we laughed and laughed.
Meanwhile, my eyes, and more specifically my contact lense, were getting used to the dry, dusty, hot conditions in Doha and I was finding them particularly irritated that day. As I wiped my eye for the millionth time my contact lense took that very moment to pop right out of my eye. Just as the light turned green. It was GO time. Missing a contact lense, and it was go time for my first roundabout.
Stepping on the gas I entered into the round-about. A feeling of exhilaration overtook me and soon I was whizzing right around that roundabout. I went full circle. As I pulled out into the straightaway I was overcome by a great sense of satisfaction. I'd done it. Successfully manoeuvered my first roundabout. The kids and I both cheered.
It was only as we continued on with our travels that I realized it - I hadn't intended to go right around the roundabout, I was only supposed to go 1/4 way and take the first exit. My dismay was shortlived though. It just meant that I'd have to do it all over again and this time, I knew that I could.
Welcome to Blogger, Renee! If you have any questions about how the platform works, please ask me! I think you did ask me about blogging sites, like, a year ago but this time, I mean it!
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