The second half of our holiday was nothing but exciting and our return to Doha was even more, albeit for reasons arguably hard to guess.

The excitement from our vacation was primarily due to a couple of significant accomplishments we had, if they can be considered so. Aside from successfully indulging ourselves in pork and other native dishes and thus pushing our blood pressure to dizzying levels, we also managed finally to have a reunion with all of Sema's godparents and to close a deal for a parcel of land, after three years of trying, that is.

First of all, getting together with all of Sema's godparents - Vicky, Jeng and Rita, all officemates of Carol - was no mean feat considering not all live in the Philippines. We dropped by the office of Vicky and Rita and we had lunch with Jeng before our departure.

Naturally, Ninang Vicky was surprised to see how big and active Sema had become. Sema was only nine months old when Vicky and her husband, Paul, stayed with us in Wassenaar for a few days on their way to London for a course. Sema and I served as their tourist guides then. Of course, Sema slept most of the time in his stroller as Vicky and Paul checked out Madurodam and other attractions of Holland. This time, during our visit, Ninang Vicky simply couldn't believe the transformation, as Sema raided their office supplies and jumped from one table to another.

Ninong Jeng is currently based in the Netherlands though his work sends him flying to Russia most of the time. He and his family moved to Wassenaar just as we were moving out to Doha. He and Sema still had a chance to see each other then. Presently, he is also our "mailman." Our copies of Munting Nayon are sent to his house and he in turn mails them to Carol through their company's internal postal system. This takes only a month compared to the three or four months via commercial mail. It was again a happy coincidence that just as we were ending our vacation in Manila he and his family were starting theirs. Sema had a chance to have lunch and a meaningful conversation with him, and to ask for a laptop.

Absurd as it may seem, Ninang Rita and Sema had gone shopping together before but this was the first time they saw each other. Three years ago Rita was also our guest in Wassenaar for a few days before attending her course in Nordwijkerhout. Three days after she flew back to Manila, Sema was born. Unfortunately, during our subsequent holidays in Manila, Rita was unavailable because she was mostly in the hospital. She was diagnosed with a benign tumor in the brain and had to be operated upon in the USA. Luckily, the surgery was successful although the recovery was long. At the height of her illness, she lost control of her speech power and her right side was paralyzed. The words coming out of her mouth were not exactly the ones she wanted to say. Today though she is about ninety percent recovered. Her son, Anton, only six months older then Sema, keeps nagging her to see her therapist to "fix" the limp in her steps. After almost a couple of years of sick leave, she has gone back to work and can soon take over her old job.

Second, we successfully bought a lot for our future house in the Philippines. Previously, we never failed to take advantage of our vacations to scout for one. But, our one-month breaks were always too short to complete serious transactions of this kind. Our search was always interrupted by the need to pack our suitcases and fly back to work. This time, though, without even trying, we finally landed a deal. A week and a half before the end of our holiday, a lady agent of a real estate developer handed us at Festival Mall a leaflet of their project somewhere in Laguna. The place was quite attractive. It is close to Carol's office and there is an international school inside, ideal for Sema. And, its deferred-payments scheme at zero-interest for four years couldn't be better. A few questions and a tour afterwards, we found ourselves paying the reservation fee and a week after we signed all contracts and pertinent papers. This is one of the advantages of buying from a developer as opposed to individual sellers because the paperwork is a lot faster and safer.

Now, we can't help but be excited, imagining and even dreaming the kind of "world" we can build there.

This excitement did not end when we came back to Doha. The end of Ramadan, the start of pleasant weather, the celebration of Halloween, and the implementation of the new traffic law were new reasons for us to stay keyed up.

Nothing could be more thrilling than a return to normal life. With Ramadan over, we are back to our usual weekend routine of going shopping and taking lunch in public restaurants without having to rush back home and cook.

Summer has ended and the weather couldn't be more perfect for barbeques and evening walks. In fact, we have had outside barbeques every weekend so far and never failed to hike around the compound at dusk, joining the company of many others. Of course, Sema and Donna have their daily visits to the clubhouse for some games and ice cream.

Shortly after arrival, our compound celebrated its first Halloween. It was like a fiesta with a big number of children and families trick or treating in scary costumes. The basketful of chocolates and candies we prepared disappeared in a matter of minutes. Big enough to walk, Sema joined the festivity with Carol and me as escorts, leaving Donna behind to man the door. Although we didn't have the time to dress him for the occasion, he had a lot of fun nevertheless. It's hard to describe the joy in his face as the neighbors put candies into his box. We never finished all the houses though. After a couple of streets, he got tired. Fortunately, his box was already full when he demanded to ride his stroller back home where he immediately made an inventory of his loot.


But what really excited us was verifying if the new traffic law promulgated during our absence had any remarkable effect at all. It is supposed to alter the reckless and dangerous driving habits of many motorists, a source of serious concern for many law-abiding citizens. Essentially, it is the same old one but equipped with a sharper and more powerful bite. Anybody in his right mind should be scared.

Under the new law, ordinary traffic violations like over speeding, tailgating, not wearing seatbelt, driving under the influence, etc. could get one a fine of QR10,000 to QR50,000 (roughly USD3,000 to USD15,000) and/or imprisonment of one month up to three years. Using a mobile phone while driving, for instance, has a minimum fine of QR3,000 and a maximum of QR10,000 and possible imprisonment of up to one year. Driving an automatic car and resting one's legs on the dash board or the side seat merits a QR10,000 fine and a jail term of a month to three years.

For the majority, the minimum fine could easily be the equivalent of a monthly salary so one should really think a million times before committing any imprudence. For others, even the maximum fine could be nothing but loose change in their wallets, and in theory they could keep on flouting the law without even denting their bank accounts. But, this is not the case because the new law also introduces a violation point system which would ultimately lead to the cancellation of a habitual offender's license. Each type of violation is assigned certain points. When the total violations reaches 14 points, the driver's license may be suspended for three months. The next 12 points deserve a suspension of six months, the next 10 points, nine months, the next 8 points, one year, and the next 6 points, cancellation of the driver's license. After cancellation, one cannot obtain a new license unless one passes a new driver's examination. For someone who owns seven SUV's, nothing could feel more like hell than being unable to drive them for three months, forget about cancellation.


To illustrate, jumping the red light is equivalent to seven points, driving under the influence of alcohol is six points, over speeding is four points, driving on the sidewalk is three points etc. This means cross the red light twice and your license is gone for three months, not to mention the minimum fine of QR12,000 you have to pay. Rich or poor, you are likely to regret in one way or another your temerity of taking the new law for granted.

Understandably, one may conclude this is worse than totalitarianism. The punishment is simply disproportionate to the crime. But, nothing could be farther from the truth. This is just a desperate measure the government had taken to remedy a desperate situation. Previous efforts to increase awareness and respect for the traffic laws had little effect. Consider last year's statistics. There were an average of 300 car accidents a day in Qatar. Mortality rate from vehicular accidents reached a record high of 26 per 100,000 of the population compared to 15 for European nations. There were 485,676 traffic violations reported not including the multitude that got away. For a nation that only has a population of one million, these figures clearly indicate a general mentality of disregard if not contempt for the law. Above all, they are catastrophic. According to some sources, one can hardly find a Qatari family here that does not have a member or a relative who died in a car accident. Some even joke that with many suicide drivers around who needs suicide bombers.

It is not surprising the majority rejoiced upon the introduction of the new law. Qatari nationals and expats alike were happy because they knew only draconian regulations like this can instill sanity into many senseless minds who simply do not get that rules are formulated to safeguard not to enslave. A Qatari mother, still grieving from the loss of her son who was run over by a land cruiser on the sidewalk, was all praise for the new declaration even if it came just a bit too late for her.


We indeed noticed a great improvement in the streets. It is now possible to drive relaxed in the fast lane without being intimidated by over speeding giants flashing their lights behind, bluffing to bump you off their way. And, it is now possible to drive in the slow lane without coming to a standstill because it is no longer inhabited by "snails" enjoying animated conversations or keying text messages on their mobile phones. At least, this is light years better than the streets of Manila where one dodges not only jeepneys, buses and dump tracks but also bullets and bombs.

"I missed Qatar," Sema commented on our way to City Center the day after our arrival. Nobody knows what made him say that or if he understood his words at all. But, after a month of experiencing the chaos and confusion of traffic in Manila, it is probable even he could sense the absolute ease I had with the steering wheel.

Indeed, we feel a lot safer than before. Of course, I still encounter each day one or two who still regard the street as a racetrack or treat driving as a video game. But these are the anonymous cowards who are brave only in the absence of radars and policemen, or the dregs who simply do not have sufficient IQ to realize the stupidity of their actions; luckily, they are decreasing in number.

A great void exists between an empty lot and a new house; the same is true between a remedial law and an orderly society. Ground breaking and earth moving are needed; deeply ingrained recklessness must be shattered and good driving habits acquired. Given the enormity of the task, time and patience are of the essence for a whole new and improved world to emerge.

 

 

Munting Nayon News Magazine