.

Ruling the road
What better place to learn to drive a Porsche than in Abu Dhabi. Unfamiliar city, unfamiliar car, unfamiliar roads, right hand drive, and few apparent road rules, but Marty did it and survived. That is, aside from almost getting lost on what really is a simple grid pattern of streets. Jade’s Porsche is beautiful not only to look at but also to drive and has sufficient power for both getting in and out of traffic trouble, so it is irresistable, even to us.
The main streets here are wide and expansive, generally four lanes in either direction and lined by palm trees. The urban speed limit is 80kph though, like the open road, the speed limit seems to be irrelevant. Speed is controlled on the side streets by humps every 50 metres or so, designed to rip the innards out of even the most sturdy 4 x 4 if negotiated in haste.
Irrelevant too are pedestrian lights. Yesterday, on our way to the bus stop we waited patiently and obediently observed the crossing rules. Then, as we started to cross with the green pedestrian light, one of those huge 4 wheel drive beasts that mothers in Christchurch insist on using to take their children to school took aim and, at about 100 kph, missed us by mere inches. For a moment Kaelene dreamed of blood money, but on reflection thought Marty’s death may have been inconvenient at this stage of the journey.
That probably sums up the driving; it seems the key is anticipation. For example, rather than using indicators to signal intended lane changes, drivers veer slightly, straighten and then lurch until they achieve the intended change, or something close to it. The other art is overtaking where, once completed, a driver will dart suddenly in front of the overtaken vehicle to secure a just-spotted parking place. Not usually a designated parking space, but an untaken corner out of the stream of traffic. On reflection, it is quite like home.
Abu Dhabi is the wealthiest of the emirates, just not as flashy as Dubai and many cars are as ordinary as ours, but there is a quite tasty array of Bentleys, Jaguars, Lexus, Aston Martins and Mercedes nevertheless. So many orders are there here for the new Ferrari that there is a four years waiting list.