I refer to the article Accidents fall after cut in speed limit (April 23). I might dare to suggest that restricting the speeds of certain types of vehicles would serve to reduce the accident rate further.
All too often on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai road I see minibuses and light commercial vehicles being driven at speeds well in excess of their safe capabilities.
Heavy goods vehicles , where they are allowed on the road, are restricted to 80kph. Similar restrictions should apply to minibuses and light commercial vehicles, particularly the former that are often loaded or even overloaded with passengers not wearing seatbelts.
I don't know whether the police keep statistics on the types of vehicles involved in accidents, but suspect that these could be quite revealing.
Jeremy P Weeks, Abu Dhabi
There may be a reduction in the number of serious accidents, but I drive to Dubai regularly and the number of cars speeding way over 180km is unbelievable.
Tailgating does not seem to have reduced at all. There are of course those "VIPs" who drive on the hard shoulder too. Unfortunately the police seem to catch those who are going slower and not indicating rather than those posing fatal risks by the speeds they are going.
Something really needs to be done about those who speed, maybe forcing community service or jail time as well as being retrained to see the threat they pose on the road to others - to those who drive so recklessly, but this should be enforced for everyone (regardless of nationality or the connections they have).
This would ensure safer roads, I have noticed far more police cars on the road between Abu Dhabi and Dubai (on the Abu Dhabi side), but I still feel a blind eye is being turned towards certain drivers.
Marie, Abu Dhabi
Sour milk and Jack White's merits
You really can't think anyone's interested in this stuff (Great pretenders, April 23)? It's not exactly breaking news is it?
Jack White? You think Seven Nation Army is the best song he's ever written? Or are you becoming as clueless as the critics you challenge? Are you getting so full of yourself you think if you say it, people will believe it?
I don't care that you've insulted these musicians. I just want you to understand that everyone's cup of tea is different and it really ticks people off when you start saying milk is overrated because you're lactose intolerant.
Lorelei Fetch, Australia
Water should tie people together
I am Ethiopian and I follow the negotiations of the Nile with great interest as both Egypt and Ethiopia are correct in wanting to use the water (Ethiopia's giant dam muddies the waters downstream in Egypt, April 23).
The best solution is to use the problem to even strengthen the ties between the two countries.
There are good examples of water sharing deals between countries and I think this will have to force both countries to come clean and base a decision on the foundation of brotherhood and caring.
I have read the history of the Britain, France and Italy during the scramble for Africa.Their dealings were based on exploitation and the locals were non-existent in their view. They were busy amassing wealth for Europe.
But the relationships of countries today need not follow this suit.
Africans ought to have their own policies that can serve all.
Thank you for the article and I hope more journalists will write on a positive note on the opportunities that can be found in this tense times.
Konjit K, Ethiopia
Clarity needed on verbal-abuse case
I still cannot understand how a man's word alone can be taken into account when considering the life and livelihood of another person (Narrow rulings in verbal-abuse cases open to exploitation, March 20).
Without a picture of the "rude"act or an unbiased witness to corroborate the "crime", a person's very livelihood can be in question.
People can be torn from their families and placed in jail for something that did not happen. Does the judge take the character of the accuser into account or only their nationality? How do innocent people protect themselves from this?
If someone is endangering my life by tailgating at high speed, can I sue them? Of course I cannot sue them unless an accident happens and there is evidence that the act caused damage. However, it seems that a person's "honour" requires no physical evidence whatsoever to prove "damage".
Someone please explain to me how this makes sense.
Donald Glass, Abu Dhabi
