I have no idea whats going on with the emergency lane situation in Kuwait but there seriously seems to be some major confusion. The other day an article in the Arab Times said the following:
Jail, 3-Mth Vehicle Seizure For Emergency Lane Violators
Director of Public Relations and Moral Guidance Department and Acting Director of Security Media Department, Brigadier Adel Al-Hashash has announced the activation of a traffic law which punishes motorists who use the emergency lanes, reports Al-Shahed daily.Al-Hashash explained those who drive in the emergency lanes will be detained at police stations for between 24 and 48 hours and the Al-Anba daily added their vehicles will be impounded for three months. He denied motorists were allowed to use the emergency lanes because of traffic congestion. He added, the Interior Ministry’s media department had earlier issued a statement in this regard. He said the law was activated on May 19 and the security authorities will implement this law in its strict sense.[Source]
First of all it seems no one gives a crap about that new law because over the weekend during heavy traffic on the Fahaheel Expressway not only were people using both the left and right emergency lanes, they were using it even when there was a police car in front of them (pictured above). No one was afraid of getting stopped, fined or punished. But then again, I’ve seen people run red lights in front of cops with no reaction from the cops so don’t know why I was surprised by this.
If that wasn’t bad enough, today there is another article in the Arab Times but this one contradicts the statement I highlighted in bold and italics in the article above. I’ve copy pasted this new article below:
Move To Reduce Congestion
Ministry of Interior has permitted the use of safety lanes on certain roads at specific times to reduce congestion.In a statement, the ministry indicated roads specified for this purpose include King Faisal Expressway from the Sixth Ring Road, King Abdul-Aziz Road from the Sixth Ring Road to First Ring Road, and Al- Maghrib Highway from King Fahad Road to the First Ring Road.
The permitted timings are 6:00am-9:00am and 12:30pm-3:30pm, noting the times specified are the busiest in the country because Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti employees and students leave and return from the schools, institutes and universities during the period.
The statement added the decision was based on directives from the Interior Minister and Acting Minister of Awqaf Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and the Undersecretary Lieutenant General Suleiman Fahad Al-Fahad.
The road users can only use the safety lanes during the specific period and at specified locations to follow regulations, reiterating the lane is originally for ambulances, fire engines, police cars and civil defense but other vehicles can use it now, as instructed, and the speed limit is 45 km/h. [Source]
So a few days after one person issues a statement saying that no one is allowed to use the emergency lane not even during rush hour, another person releases another statement contradicting the the first person. Talk about lack of communication and confusion on this subject.
25 replies on “The Emergency Lane Confusion”
It is on the MOI website. Frankly i read the whole thing and couldn’t figure if they want us to use it or not. And when it is allowed to use it?!!! I think this decision was done too hastely and it shows in that MOI announcement that even the writer is confused !
This is insane! I think the emergency lane should be deported for creating this confusion.
Bring along those nasty pebbles that break windshields too!
My dear,drivers in Kuwait do not respect and do not follow any traffic low. They are horrible drivers,don’t care at all. Even if they make any traffic violence,because everyone have someone in police,from relatives or friends,they escape
punishment. And nothing can be done,ever!!!
expats are the problem
lol ..
on a serious note, expats seem sensible in US
Expats are definitely the problem.
Please respect our traffic rules.
So these so called expats that are driving the Lexus version Land Cruisers, Nissan Patrols, tricked out mustangs, crown victorias, Caprices, Land Cruiser pick ups and SUV’s, and other mid to high price cars that aren’t company cars using the safety lanes are the problem huh? OK!!!!
And that’s Kuwait for you….
I guess you have to take public statements with a grain of salt, so to speak, otherwise you might be held responsible for spreading false info. Good luck
They just filled in those ridges in the emergency lane so people can use them for rush hour when the yellow lights are flashing….now they contradict themselves with deportation threats when people use it? Someone obviously didn’t get the memo.
Dear Mark, to provide you with some insight on the subject. By law no one is supposed to use the emergency lane but emergency vehicles. But in the road sections mentioned in the article above, those lanes are open to the public for a specified amount of time to relief congestion and waiting time only when the flashers in the median are on. Once they are off you are not allowed and “surely you will punished” if you use it. I doubt any punishment will be impose on anyone. And from my humble opinion in those few years working in traffic, this solution will not do much of an improvement if not create a bottle neck effect at the end of the road section when the emergency lane is no more, and then create another traffic congestion problem. The only way to fix this problem is to cancel one of the emergency lanes which you can find on both sides of the road and make it as normal lane and used with normal speeds, and at a distance of 2km or more install warning signs for drivers to shift back to the road as it will be narrower as they get close to 1st Ring Road, and maybe then some of the congestion will be alleviated.
Hey, yes I am aware of that but as I mentioned in the post, one person last week denied that people are allowed to use the emergency lanes because of traffic congestion while another person this week said people are allowed.
In Houston, the Katy Freeway(one of the sections is 8 lanes each side) has no safety lane on the left side. Just you and the wall that is about 6 inches from your car.
I don’t find it that confusing:
just use the emergency lane in the specific roads at the designated times during rush hour at 45km/hr. Do not use the emergency lanes during all other times and roads.
whether this is a good idea or not, I can’t say. I need to see it in action, in Kuwait.
It’s confusing because the Director of Public Relations and Moral Guidance Department and Acting Director of Security Media Department said you can’t use the emergency lane, not during designated times, not during rush hour, not ever.
Aha now that’s confusing lol
In that case just stay off the emergency lane at all times
Are you not paying attention or something? The PR Director and Lt. General are in a bitter power struggle after PR decided to side with the Lannisters and Lt. General gave weapons to the rebel forces without officially siding with either
Most stupid thing/rule (allowing use of the emergency lane) I have heard in a very long time!
Ha…now talk about expats being the problem. People pretty much know who exactly uses the emergency lanes be it during the designated hours or not. We also do know about who those who drive rashly and have no respect for the law. Back to the point – using the emergency lanes during peak traffic or not is a strict no-no!
I have been hit twice by Kuwaiti drivers driving in the emergency lane at speed over 120km. I have been to the police twice the police just don’t care cant be bothered.
Kuwaiti drivers need their wasta level posted on their license plates so the police will know if they can stop a car for a violation.
Furthermore every time I see someone driving in the emergency lane it is a Kuwaiti nuf said!
I’ve seen plenty of both Expats and Kuwaitis. It’s just the law isn’t respected and it’s effective. If any of these people is actually a human and has morals, they wouldn’t risk their and others’ lives…
SNAFU…what do you expect, this is Kuwait for gosh sake.
Can we drive over the dividers, in case the emergency lane is full?
I have seen Kuwait’s finest breaking laws left and right wearing their uniform while driving their private car. In Fahaheel I seen this one cop, on more than one occassion, sitting so low in his seat(and I think he is short on top of that) driving around talking on his phone(using his left ear) in the patrol car. Really smart and safe!