Rattlesnake Ridge      

 
      BFF

“Riders of the Dubai metro were surprised to see the vice president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum among them as he was heading to the house of a leading citizen of the city. What was interesting is that Shaikh Mohammed did not have any assistants or aides or guards with him. He stood all alone throughout the trip………”

It probably was a surprise alright. It doesn’t say if it was a pleasant or an unpleasant surprise. But I am not sure if it was a pleasant surprise. What do you think (he probably does smile occasionally)?
Ruler of Dubai
More seriously, it was a good move on his part to encourage people to ride the metro. He wanted the citizens to start using the expensive metro, a good cause. Gulf GCC citizens, and I should know, are notorious for eschewing any form of public transport; thinking it is beneath them to share public transport with lowly Asian and Arab laborers who are a majority of the population anyway. Once during rush hour I recall riding one of those smoky tuk-tuks in Southeast Asia and had it drive me to the door of our IMF-World Bank conference hotel. Shocked the hell out of the Gulf potentates.
The metro may become the exception if the potentates keep on riding it. Besides, Gulfies have no problem riding public transport in Europe. See? Stupidity, nay asininity, is thriving on the Gulf. Plenty of it on the shores of my Gulf.
Cheers
mhg


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