Take care, not chances

There are few things that make me really angry. Somewhere on the top of the chart are callous actions of people who put their own lives at risk. Even worse, are the actions of people who put others life at risk. But an event I witnessed over the weekend made me re-think about my whole definition of callousness.

Imagine a busy street, really busy street. All you can hear are the noises of buzzing cars and screeching tyres. While driving down that street, I notice a young mother swiftly manoeuvring her 4-wheeler through busy traffic. Only a slight problem though, that 4-wheeler happens to be a pram! What are Mom, Baby and a Pram doing on a busy road? Don't get me wrong, there is a neatly-laid, well-marked, pedestrian walkway running parallel to their flight-path.

As if these antics were not enough, I was appalled to see the toddler was not even strapped properly on to the buggy. Just when I thought I had seen it all, the duo (or trio should I say) makes an even more daring move. Weaving through a barrage of impatient SUVs and jumping the median, they somehow get to the other side. They then continue their journey - no, not through neatly-laid, well-marked, pedestrian walkway on the other side, but on the road.

The Mom looked in a hurry and the baby who was stretching herself out of the pram seemed to enjoy the ride. I am sure they had something very important to do, was running late and was in a rush to exit the busy road as fast as anyone could. But really, is it worth risking your life for saving a couple of minutes?

Jaywalking may come across as a harmless act of darting across the road. Here in Dubai, jaywalking is illegal and would burn a hole in your pocket should you get caught. But the real point is more straightforward - it is just not worth it! And remember, our big city is not really known for careful and considerate drivers. Take care, not chances.