I went and picked up my temporary drivers’ license the day before yesterday. So yesterday me and Mark went out for a little drive so that I can take my car out and get to know my way around the streets of Kuwait. Since it was a Thursday there was alot of traffic which made things difficult for me since I don’t know my way around Kuwait yet and I am still trying to get used to all these driving rules. It’s harder driving in Kuwait then Lebanon because in Lebanon there are no rules basically, its free for all and there is very little if any law enforcement anywhere.

So yesterday I was standing at an intersection waiting for the traffic light to turn green but when it finally did, traffic started moving really slowly. Just before I got to the light it turned yellow. I still thought I could make it since I was just 2 cars behind. As I got to the light it turned red but I continued to cross since I didn’t want to wait till it turned green again. Once we crossed Mark started telling me that in Kuwait its a really big deal running a red light and that I should never do it, he was telling me how next time when the traffic turns orange to count to 4 when I heard sirens behind us.

I look behind me and see a cop on a motorbike approching my car. At first I didn’t realise he was going after me but then it hit me, he drove next to me and signaled me to pull over, I was like that’s it I’m fucked, it’s my second day driving and I’m getting a fine already. As we were pulling over Mark started telling me that whatever the cop says not to admit I had run a red light but that when I crossed it was still yellow. We stopped the car and the cop came and asked me why I had run a red light, I innocently told him it was still yellow when I was passing. Then he asked for my driver’s license. After briefly checking it out, he asked if I was Lebanese, I told him yeah I was… he was like oh… we can’t give a Lebanese a fine, just watch out for next time and don’t run a red light again.

Me and Mark were really relieved. I could say I’m very lucky or that this is the nicest cop I’ve ever met so far.