UAE must improve public transport to change lifestyles

Improve public transport before urging people to use it, a reader says. Other topics: Gaza carnage, Dubai dogs and UAE safety.

Readers ask whether public transport in Abu Dhabi is ready for more passengers. Photo: Fatima AL Marzooqi / The National
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The initiative to get more people using public transport (UAE must target younger generation for public transport to succeed, July 16) is a good idea, but I don't think it would be very applicable yet due to the weather here.

Personally, I believe investing in public transportation has to be done before attempting to change people’s lifestyles.

My country faces challenges in terms of sustainability because of its unique environment. We still need to work on the issues of fuel subsidies, renewable energy sources (which are affected by efficiency issues because of dust and other particles related to the UAE environment), recycling, smart communities and energy-efficient technologies etc.

We still have a lot to do. We must all work to achieve initiatives such as a low-carbon economy so that we leave a better world for the next generation.

Muna Al Otaiba, Abu Dhabi

What about facilitating car pooling and allowing Dubai taxis to pick up passengers from Sharjah and vice versa?

Rent increases in Dubai have been forcing people to move further away, involving a longer commute. Allowing car pooling and shared taxis would offset the need for more cars on the roads.

Shakankiri Marie Ange, Dubai

I prefer not to drive but I have no alternative. If the metro was extended to Abu Dhabi, it would reduce my stress because I could rest, read papers or do work online during my commute.

There would also be less traffic, a reduced likelihood of accidents, a lower carbon footprint and less wear and tear on the roads.

How do we balance cheap fuel and having fewer cars on the road? If the issue is fewer cars then it’s about ensuring there is easy access to enhanced public transport at affordable prices.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

Israel is not acting in self defence

There will be some ill-informed people who read about the attacks on Gaza (Israel warns 100,000 Gazans to leave homes, July 16) and might think that Israel is acting in self-defence.

This might be valid if the Israelis were not the occupying oppressors who initiated the campaign, or if the response was proportional and, by today’s standards, responsible – if there is such a thing.

The perplexing issue is that it has become acceptable to see scores of dead Arabs while people cry foul at the sight of an injured Israeli.

I yearn for the day when Israel and its allies will have the decency to think about their atrocities towards a helpless population who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ziad Aoudi, Abu Dhabi

For decades the Jews lived peacefully with the Arabs and fought alongside each other, but it all went wrong when there was a partition that favoured one side over the other, inevitably causing tensions.

The Arab League was never in favour of the partition of Palestine but the British insisted on their grand plan, causing this mess.

Name withheld by request

A dog park would solve the problem

There seem to be two issues raised by your story (Dog owners furious at Emaar for banning pets on Dubai Marina promenade, July 16).

The first is that Emaar chose not to consult any of the hundreds of dog owners in the area before imposing the ban.

The second is that Emaar has not offered any solution, effectively leaving hundreds of people with no options at all.

Emaar needs to designate and fence dog-friendly areas on the walk. The solution is as simple as creating special areas under bridges.

Kieran Galvin, Dubai

The number of stray dogs in the UAE is a big concern, with more and more supposed dog lovers having abandoned their beloved pets. My street has a mad feral dog that barks at anyone who tries to walk down the footpath.

We expatriates are here temporarily as guests in an Arabic country. In my opinion it’s cruel to bring a dog to this country because of the climate and because it is a society that does not welcome dogs.

Rhoda Chaouk, Abu Dhabi

Dogs can be kept to guard a private house, where it can walk and play, but they should not be kept in multistorey buildings in a megalopolis where the poor animals cannot live like animals.

Muna Hussein, Kazakhstan

Deaths highlight safety perception

Your story, Indian film producer and family found dead in Dubai flat (July 16), is tragic. The UAE used to be one of the safest places on Earth but it doesn't seem safe any more.

Mihaela Soar, New Zealand

The UAE still has a significantly lower crime rate than elsewhere. I’ve never felt safer than here.

Samina H-Bakhsh, Abu Dhabi