I was forwarded this story via email. It follows a bit of a pattern. When someone does something you would not ordinarily worry too much about elsewhere, but when it happens in the UAE they have paid a terrible price. I’m not sure all of the others I’ve received are totally true, this one on the other hand looks authentic.

7DAYS – Road rage ruined me

“I didn’t think the consequences of telling the truth would be so harsh,” Darren said. “I’d like other people to be very careful. You’re in a different country and the laws are not always the same.”

The humble car horn is not the perfect substitute for giving the finger, but it sure beats going to jail.  It’s interesting how the two things don’t nearly have the same effect here.  In Brisbane I’d consider using the horn and giving the finger exactly the same except one is louder. I guess Australians generally use the horn as a swear word.  Here it’s really more of a conversation. And it’s a bit of a worry, but sometimes it’s even a two-way conversation.

Addendum
The story’s been confirmed in the Australian press:

Aussie jailed for flipping the bird at driver in Dubai | The Courier-Mail (2 May 2009)

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25412733-953,00.html

http://snipurl.com/h7zgw