Well, as predicted, the papers were indeed filled with Salik yesterday. Every front page bar one had the story of the clear roads by the toll gates and the chaos everywhere else. Gulf News dared to be different and didn't put the Salik story on its front page at all, which was a nice change. And Emirates Today splashed with 'Salik Chaos' which was an even nicer change, although the tone of the story, perhaps rather predictably, didn't quite follow through from the headline.
Nobody's got a confirmation SMS. Nobody quite knows what's happening about that (although I refer you to my earlier mathematical sleight of hand) yet. Today's papers are still rumbling and grumbling but life is settling down back to its regular rhythm.
Wait 'till they try and sneak the next set of toll gates in, though. Look out for announcements regarding the success of the Salik pilot scheme and how that success has led to a review and subsequent decision to expand it to cover other routes...
My money's on Jebel Ali, Qusais and Business Bay. Because that's where there are 'Salik 2km' signs today, put up by someone who rather jumped the gun...
4 comments:
Ah yes, the first week of Salik. But what the papers DIDN'T say is that SZR was clear in places because loads of folk left it to the last minute to buy their stickers, and found the forward-thinking RTA hadn't printed and distributed enough of them. And what about those of us who don't go near a toll gate, but have to use the cross roads to get to and from work? We got stuck with the Salik dodgers. And does anyone other me think that they launched the program right after half the city left on their summer holidays jsut to make themselves look good?
I wish they'd just tax us and leave our commutes alone.
I've been watching this Salik situation go down even though i'm not currently in Dubai. I pretty much think its a good idea, although the way it was pushed out looks like it wasn't fully thought through (not enough tags, alternate routes not completed etc). And I guess I feel your pain; A step forward I guess, but not without casualties!
Salik will definitely be expanded and RTA said that since the first announcement. There will definitely be one on the road coming from Sharjah near Mulla Plaza and another on Maktoum Bridge sometime in the future.
The "Salik 2km" signs refer to points of sale of the tags rather than the actual gates.
I started to think that about the signs, but I agree that the original announcements were all about a much expanded scheme and that we can expect more gates.
It's all settled down quite nicely now, although I do notice it's made life difficult for anyone wanting to get to Dubai airport from Ittihad road because everyone takes that filter to get to Maktoum...
That's traffic for you: you plug one gap, the water just finds somewhere else to flow!!!
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