Far from winning hearts and minds (Mawaqif campaign to win the hearts of Abu Dhabi's motorists, March 13), Mawaqif is causing stress and aggravation, and raising expenses - at least in my case.
Since the publication of my last letter in your newspaper (Mawaqif should pay attention to customer service, May 7), I have received three violation tickets, even though I have had a valid M-Ticket.
Either the system is not working properly, or inspectors are issuing tickets without checking whether the vehicle has a valid M-Ticket.
Although all of those violations have been cancelled, each one of them involved a trip to the customer care centre, wasting time on a working day.
The news article also states that only 0.03 per cent of violations (or 3 in 10,000) were proven to be incorrect during December last year.
I must be very unlucky, because out of the last 15 times that I used an M-Ticket, I received five violation tickets (which is 33.33 per cent).
Jeremy Weeks, Abu Dhabi
Options limited for higher education
The article College Choices, the local route (May 13) reminded me that I will have to think about the future of my son who will finish school in a couple of years.
My husband and I often worry about his higher education. We have very few options. Many of the Indians I know send their children back home for university education, even though they would like them to stay close to family.
In some cases, the mother accompanies the child, while the bread earner stays back in the UAE. In the past decade or so, many UK and US colleges have opened their campuses in this country.
Some of these big names may be alluring, but there are many issues that one needs to consider before getting one's child admitted to one of these institutions.
These colleges and universities are expensive, while the subjects they offer are limited. In some cases, the education standard is questionable.
I think the UAE needs more affordable international-standard institutions that offer a wider range of subjects. That will help many of the children to continue their studies in the UAE.
Sneha Shruti, Abu Dhabi
Stop making noise at the cinema
A cinema is a place to watch films with friends and family and have fun (Hate mobile phones at the movies? Then stay Home, Alone May 2). But it is not the place where you can make a noise. I disagree with the view expressed in this blog post.
People don't go to the cinema to get distracted. It's not a library, but it's not a mall or street either. What's the point of watching a movie and listening to others' personal conversations? No one will enjoy the movie.
Shaikha Abdulla, Abu Dhabi
When I go to the cinema with my friends, we laugh and talk during the movie.
I don't think laughing and talking in the cinema ruins the fun, because the purpose of watching a film is to relax and enjoy.
When people laugh and comment loudly or clap while watching a movie, I become more excited. However, I don't have any problem if people keep quiet.
A Alfalasi, Abu Dhabi
I agree with most of the respondents to this blog post that we must keep quiet while watching movies in cinemas and that we should keep our phones switched off, or in the silent mode. If a person cannot do that, he or she should watch films only at home.
Maryam Alsalman, Abu Dhabi
I disagree with the author of this blog post. I think people should keep quiet in the cinema.
Nada Abdullah, Abu Dhabi
Numbers raise a few questions
I am commenting on the news article 60 per cent of workers 'better off in UAE' (May 16).
What about the 40 per cent who are not better off? Considering most migrant workers are blue-collar workers, a significant percentage is missing out. Where are these surveys published? How can they be accessed? What are the titles of these studies? It would be nice to be able to access and critically read these reports.
The use of hard numbers is a good start, but understanding how these numbers came about would be nice, too.
M Carr, Abu Dhabi
