81be43239aa58210VgnVCM100000e56411acRCRDapproved/thenational/Articles/Migration/2009-Q4Road safety needs more than just councils71be43239aa58210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____"The SUV tailgated the police car before the police changed lanes to allow it to pass. Then it accelerated away, well in excess of the speed limit. Where else in the world would that kind of behaviour be tolerated?"<p>With regard to <i>Capital ponders road safety council</i> (December 7), this is a great step. Better late than never. Qualified and experienced road safety experts, such as local engineers, doctors, educators and law enforcement have to establish a unified and sustainable road safety authority. We are lucky now as we have road safety experts and consultants with enough knowledge and exposure regarding the proven actions to prevent and reduce road crashes, casualties and property damage. All road safety professionals of the UAE must join and act together in developing integrated and sustainable road safety strategies. <b>Sumi Tiwari</b>, Dubai</p> <p>My family and I came to the UAE more or less a year ago and we have lived in different countries with totally different traffic systems and driving habits around the world. There are many reasons why road safety is such a big issue, and some are more than obvious: being on the roads in Abu Dhabi and Dubai every day and hoping that my wife returns safely from her daily commute is one of them. Big business deals in the UAE are very often proclaimed as "visionary" and "benchmarking". What about road safety? <b>Robert Koppe</b>, Dubai</p> <p>While driving to work this morning, I witnessed a large SUV with tinted windows speeding towards a police patrol car. The SUV tailgated for around 30 seconds before the police changed lanes to allow the SUV to pass. Then, it promptly accelerated away, well in excess of the published speed limit. Where else in the world would that kind of behaviour be tolerated?</p> <p>Subsequently, I read with interest the article relating to the possibility of establishing an Abu Dhabi Safety Council. However, I did so with some concern. There is no doubt that the roads of Abu Dhabi are awash with examples of poor driving standards and etiquette, as the statistics speak for themselves; however, is the answer really to meet every few months to "set the agenda for campaigns and [more] legislation" if that is the behaviour of the police? <b>Darren Male</b>, Abu Dhabi</p> <p>How exactly is a pull-out validating al Qa'eda tactics? (<i>Endgame in Afghanistan is security, not a troop pullout</i>, December 7). Al Qa'eda may well claim victory but I am unconvinced that whichever group begins to dominate Afghanistan, they will accept al Qa'eda as a dominant force in the country, where it can attract havoc from an invasion by western powers.</p> <p>With the huge amount of drug money in Afghanistan, al Qa'eda no longer has sufficient financial muscle to buy political influence, and I do not imagine that the Afghans are willing to support "foreigners" who have destabilised their country. The best that can be done is to try to engineer a responsible government that will bring security and hopefully control the poppy farming. If any economic development materialises, that would be a big plus, and while there is some moral responsibility to restore a level of prosperity equivalent to that prior to 2002, this no longer seems to be a high priority. <b>Tim Crowe</b>, Dubai</p> <p>It's dismissive to just blame people for gaining weight because of their own laziness (<i>Life in UAE making us fat, say expats</i>, December 7). It's patronising to say, "you could do it anyway if you had more willpower". There could be other underlying factors as well that make living in the UAE particularly fattening. How many of these overweight expats are under heavy stress at work or home? How many of them live in a place where noise makes it difficult to sleep at night? Perhaps it is the doctors and health insurance companies that need to take this issue more seriously. <b>Donald Glass</b>, Abu Dhabi</p> <p>I believe that the problem of homelessness and poverty will be history in our world when the ferocity of competition is balanced by the compassion of co-operation (<i>The men who sleep on the streets</i>, December 7). This will also help us to secure a more peaceful world and leave conflict in the past. If workers are forced to sleep rough, then both authorities and employers must get real with their responsibilities. <b>Kim Peart</b>, Dubai</p> 85YYOPINION2009120800000020091208000000100ARhttp://adedit.ad.atl.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091208/OPINION/712079884371207988420091208100000000b9f526e4b2b58210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____71be43239aa58210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____83d7c4f35ea58210VgnVCM200000e66411acRCRDImageArticle Asset captionArticle Asset option