Dubai is growing at an amazing pace and is actually considered to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. In Dubai, in 1968 there were only 13 registered vehicles there. However, that small number has grown quite a bit since then.
The traffic in Dubai is so intense these days. Due to construction and development, the roads can become quite congested. Not to mention foot traffic isn’t that common due to the high temperatures Dubai reaches. Amazingly, double-decker roads have been built in Dubai to help ease the traffic issues that arise in Dubai.
Premarital Sex is Illegal in Dubai
Having intimate relations before marriage in Dubai is a serious offense. Engaging in this activity before legal marriage can end up in jail sentences or deportation. Further, public displays of affection are seriously discouraged and frowned upon in the Muslim city of Dubai. If you travel there, it is strongly suggested that you refrain from any sort of PDA from holding hands, to kissing.
In the past, there have been numerous instances of ex-pats being put in jail after the discovery of premarital sex. Unfortunately, in these instances, things are pretty primitive and the man’s word is given much more credence than the woman’s. Distressingly, several foreign women have been thrown in jail after making an attempt to report that they were assaulted by local authorities.
Hands Off
Though there is a great deal of leniency when it comes to tolerating Western culture in Dubai, there are certain cultural lines that cannot be crossed. The UAE is more conservative than many Western countries and many ways of interacting on a day-to-day basis differ between the two cultures. In Dubai, it is not tolerable to display public affection, and engaging in such acts can have legal repercussions.
Married couples are permitted to hold hands while out in public, but this is the extent of permissible PDA in Dubai. There is absolutely no kissing allowed and any physical contact between members of the opposite sex is publicly shameful. It is important to be very mindful. Shaking hands of a woman should not occur unless she initiates the contact, for example. Keep your hands to yourself and you should be all right.
Women Empowerment
The city of Dubai’s police department employs an elite force made up entirely of female officers. This special all-female police force was originally founded in order to deal with issues relating to fraud and theft in Dubai. However, this force also has the important task of handling issues that arise with city dwellers relating to gender that are otherwise considered to be inappropriate for male officers to handle.
The officers in this police force are selected from the UAE’s entire population of female police officers. These women have experience working in police stations, surveying criminals, providing bodyguard protection for important people, and using weaponry. Every member of the police force must have the ability to speak Arabic as well as English. Though members of the force say that it is sometimes difficult to get male members of society to listen to their authority, the special force is still lauded for its progressiveness.
Luxury Cars are Often Abandoned in Dubai
Amazingly, there is a huge amount of luxury car abandonment in Dubai. If you tour the parking lots of Dubai, you will find thousands of BMWs, Mercedes, Ferraris, and Porsches, completely abandoned. In fact, the BBC reported that a Ferrari Enzo, which is worth $1 million, was found completely abandoned in the Dubai airport parking lot.
You’re probably wondering why this is occurring. Though there isn’t one reason, in particular, it is speculated that the Sharia Law could be to blame. This law states that if you stop making car payments, or fall behind, you will have to go to prison. For this reason, these cars are potentially the property of people who have fled the country in order to avoid going to jail.