It really is true..

Author
Discussion

Aused

Original Poster:

293 posts

175 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
having just arrived in country (Abu Dhabi at the moment), I am having a number of things I have read here or heard elsewhere confirmed which is a bit funny

what is with drivers from the subcontinent accelerating then getting off, accelerate - get off, accelerate - get off, repeat until you reach destination. it was making me sick after 20mins (i am still jetlagged though)

driving craziness, seems to be the rule of the wild, road markings count for very little it seems, barely advisory in nature. My driver today said that the margin between the speed limit and the point of getting a fine was a 'gift' from the government and they take it away from you if you go 1kph over. i.e. 120 in a 100 zone is ok as the 20 is a 'gift', do 121 though and your gift is taken away and you get a fine. Interesting way of looking at it, I didn't want to mention speedometer error allowances. another one "you mean i have to park BETWEEN the lines??, i thought occupying the general vicinity was acceptable..."

bureaucracy, needed to get some medical stuff done for visa purposes, enter medical centre after free for all in car park to be confronted by 200+ people looking at the sign for their ticket number. (lucklily as I am working for a government authority and had a well connected escort, what would normally take 2-6 hours for poor joe public from india/Pakistan took me 15 mins, (i felt a bit bad about it actually)

it really is true...

shirt

23,226 posts

207 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
and those are just the obvious 2!

welcome aboard smile


i notice some taxis have a rating thing on the back of the passenger seat. you can even rate the taxi for cleanliness and [most importantly] smell.

anything official is best done accompanied by your PRO. i have to go get my emirates ID card on my own this week, not looking forward to the queue.


Chilli

17,320 posts

242 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
Excellent, welcome!!!

Shirt, get a chick to do it for you! Mrs C arranged my appoinment for me and it took her 5 minutes, as there's a seperate queue for the ladies, and there's never anyone there! When I went back to have the details taken, I was seen within 5 minutes of my appointment and that was that!

Tip of the Day: Avoid all the centres where the labourers/housemaids can get to, as you'll be there all day. There is a centre in the back streets of Rashadiya where it is pretty much quiet all the time.

Asterix

24,438 posts

234 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
Hi there - your journey into UAE madness has only just begun.

Best of luck hehe

Anything we can help with, just shout.

DubaiJohn

371 posts

192 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
Shirt we did our ID cards at the centre close to the Carrefour on airport road in Abu Dhabi 15 mins and all done. Also could try Al Ain as they are pretty quiet.

K50 DEL

9,333 posts

234 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
I did my Emirates ID card at the main centre here, no queue at all.. in fact they were calling my name before I had a chance to walk from the reception through into the main room.


thb

303 posts

180 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
Anyone actually found a use for the Emirates ID yet?

Did the transfer of my car the other week and the buyer was told that they don't accept the Emirates ID, need to have the good ol' passport and visa copy

shirt

23,226 posts

207 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
i was told i can have my e-gate card added to it, which is a use as i haven't got either yet.

best reason for having one seems to be avoiding the 20AED/day fine for not having one.

Gentleman Geoff

1,058 posts

218 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
shirt said:
not looking forward to the queue.
It's actually pretty quick and painless, compared to the usual stuff. The hardest part was finding the office in Rashidiya.

IanUAE

2,938 posts

170 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
and so another victim arrives in the UAE..... Don't worry it only gets worse.

All jokes aside welcome, come and join the fun.

dxbtiger

4,427 posts

179 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
re the EIDA cards, the deadline for Dubai expats is now June 2012 so no great rush to get it sorted.

shirt

23,226 posts

207 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
I'll get it sorted this week as I need E-gate anyway.

dxbtiger

4,427 posts

179 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
I got e-gate in July without one

Asterix

24,438 posts

234 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
The Emirates ID card is nothing more than a tool to employ a few thousand Emiraties and keep them off the streets, so to speak.

6th Gear

3,565 posts

200 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
Where do you apply for an e-gate card? Is the procedure straight forward?

Thanks

S1MMA

2,426 posts

225 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
6th Gear said:
Where do you apply for an e-gate card? Is the procedure straight forward?

Thanks
Get one at the airport, if you fly in to the non emirates terminal (1?) then it's just before passport control. Little desk on the right. Give a passport photo and hand over cash and thats it, took me 10 mins.

One of the best things I ever did here, no more ques when flying in late at night, just E gate and go! Get one asap if you don't have it already, really is a life saver....

K50 DEL

9,333 posts

234 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
Or you can go to the desk on the mezzanine floor of the Dnata travel building on SZR... there was no queue when I went there and they were very helpful.

Don't forget that if you have a Gold Skywards card then the Emirates desk in the Dnata travel building can add e-gate to that card for free.

dxbtiger

4,427 posts

179 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
S1MMA said:
Get one at the airport, if you fly in to the non emirates terminal (1?) then it's just before passport control. Little desk on the right. Give a passport photo and hand over cash and thats it, took me 10 mins.

One of the best things I ever did here, no more ques when flying in late at night, just E gate and go! Get one asap if you don't have it already, really is a life saver....
S1MMA was your GT3 parked at the Lakes club last night?

I got my e-gate at the office upstairs in Terminal 1, on way out, dead easy, took 10 mins as above.

S1MMA

2,426 posts

225 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
dxbtiger said:
S1MMA was your GT3 parked at the Lakes club last night?

I got my e-gate at the office upstairs in Terminal 1, on way out, dead easy, took 10 mins as above.
Nope, wasn't me.

I've had my wheels redone in grey, it's the only one done in that colour that I know of (colour is a specific Porsche dark Grey called Meteor), see pic:



smile

dxbtiger

4,427 posts

179 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
S1MMA said:
Nope, wasn't me.

I've had my wheels redone in grey, it's the only one done in that colour that I know of (colour is a specific Porsche dark Grey called Meteor), see pic:



smile
Ahh ok, his wheel were different anyway, the multi spoke ones with black spokes and a silver rim.

plate was 99744