Hard Rock Cafe reduced to memory

Lowering the driving age would be a bad idea until such time as individuals understand that they must obey traffic laws. Other topics: Kuwait, maids, beach, photo studio, food, cleaners, Hard Rock Cafe.

Now that it's being knocked down, readers reminisce about Hard Rock Cafe's opening in Dubai in 1998. Jeffry E Biteng / The National
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Lowering driving age will make the problem worse

I refer to the story, Lower driving age will lead to safer roads, with right training (March 21). I have been in the UAE for the past 36 years. I have a low opinion of driving skills here.

I think, driving skills are on a steady decline and drivers are increasingly becoming arrogant.

I think lowering the driving age would be a terribly bad idea until such time as individuals understand that they must obey the traffic laws, be courteous to other road users and respect life.

Introduce a sustained campaign about road safety across the board - from kindergarten all the way through to advanced adulthood - and hammer the message of safety and responsibility home relentlessly.

Each day I would say I witness, on average, 20 dangerous manoeuvres on UAE roads.

Don't make this worse by introducing still younger drivers fuelled on testosterone and driving fast cars they can't possibly handle. They are not even willing to be responsible for their own lives, let alone the lives of others.

David Pryce, Dubai

Cutting expat jobs will help Kuwaitis

Kuwait's plan to reduce dependence on expatriate workers is a good idea (Kuwait to raise its drawbridge on expatriates, cutting 100,000 a year for a decade, March 21).

The move will boost Kuwaiti employment. Why do we need expatriates to fill unskilled or service positions when Kuwaiti people can do these jobs?

Eman Zabalawi, Kuwait

Maids must get protection

Countries should take adequate measures to protect the interests of their vulnerable people and ensure their welfare abroad (Maid recruitment agencies suspended, March 23).

These poor women leave their families and homes behind to earn money for their families. But their dreams and hopes are often shattered when they come in contact with the reality.

Vijaykumar, India

Ladies-only beach is most welcome

I am delighted to learn about the plan for a ladies-only beach in Al Bateen (Abu Dhabi to open ladies-only beach, February 28).

My mother had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Many thanks to Abu Dhabi Municipality.

H Hashem, Abu Dhabi

Photo studio is doing good job

Thank you for the online video (Sending home an alternate reality through portraits, March 22) on the studio that specialises in taking portraits of lower-income workers and sending them to their families. It is doing a great job.

S Sultan, Abu Dhabi

Article offers food for thought

I am referring to the article The worst foods you can feed your kids (March 20).

I would say, and I think any nutritionist would agree with me, that soda is worse than juice, while ice cream, cakes and sweets are much worse than frozen yogurt.

However, the quality of frozen yogurt differs from one producer to another with varying levels of sugar, fat and protein.

Ali Jams, Dubai

Don't put cleaners' lives in danger

Companies should not put cleaners' lives in danger by having them go up in bad weather conditions (Residents flee showering glass, March 21).

Moreover, these people are involved in risky jobs but are underpaid.

Is it such a big deal to have clean windows?

Chris Murray, Abu Dhabi

Missing the old Hard Rock Cafe

I remember the time when the Hard Rock Cafe first opened (Demolition workers told not to rock cafe's crossed guitars, March 22) and how we moaned about it being in the middle of nowhere and it taking forever to get there.

Things have definitely changed.

Annette Waddington, Abu Dhabi

I passed by the site the other day and it's already partly destroyed. I feel sad about it. The Hard Rock Cafe was a great place to socialise.

J Carillo, Dubai