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Old 26th November 2018, 10:28   #31
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by Hayek View Post
Agree fully with this. Have never driven in Dubai but have spent some time there on work trips, including a couple of drives between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Frankly I found virtually everybody tail-gating and saw a couple of accidents, which is something you don’t expect in a country with tough driving tests and draconian punishments for offenses. (I don’t know if this rule still holds, but a close friend’s younger brother was killed in a car accident in the 1980s, when an Indian mechanic without a license rammed into their family car. I understand that the UAE would have executed the man if my friend’s parents had not pardoned him).

Don’t think we should fuss too much about testing Indians - given our terrible driving culture, anyone would want to be careful.
While the rules for both the DL and discipline on the road look very stringent in UAE, their adherence actually vary from Nationality to Nationality

DL: If you have a 1st world passport (read: US, UK, even Australia), you can just swap your existing DL with a UAE DL (no TEST required). While the driving standards in all those countries are way better than India's, they are no way as good as UAE's and you will find a lot of expats honking and cutting across lanes.

On road fines: For a second think of yourself as someone who is very well aware about the location of speed cameras. Or someone who earns / makes more than 6 digits of dirhams a month. Would you care about a AED 600 (and more) overspeeding fine on your sports car? I am aware about people who's monthly traffic fines exceed >10k AED a month

That said, driving in UAE in general is so much peaceful, is extremely safe (much much better compared to our home land) and you can thoroughly enjoy beautiful roads, low traffic and highly cooperative traffic cops. Also, we Indians are very scared of huge traffic fines (multiply everything by 18.x), are scared of the news of being deported and are generally risk averse. You would probably find Indians as among the most disciplined lot of drivers in UAE (and sometimes painful as they are very very slow on the road). Again, as is the case with India, driving experience will differ from state to state with Dubai being the best one (IMO).

I thoroughly miss that place after relocating back to India. Here is the pic of the 280+bhp beast that i owned for 2 years. Kept it like a new one till we parted ways this year (the pic here is from the last day). Was too lazy to post its ownership review
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Last edited by kanishka88 : 26th November 2018 at 10:47.
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Old 26th November 2018, 11:48   #32
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by RJK View Post
Nice. How were they? Did they conduct classes in Al Quoz or around JLT area only? I have to start process for my wife & was considering Galadari since its close, next Cluster to where I stay.
Congratulations on your car too! Presumably you're also in JLT, we could get together sometime
Cheers
Thanks! I took night classes primarily. They encourage you to take 2 hour sessions so you can get picked up and then have enough time to drive to Al Quoz and practice there. The 2 lane roads where the initial practice is done is all in Al Quoz. Plus, it's better if you practice there as the final test will be in those roads. For parking classes and tests, I had to go to their Al Quoz office. I had chosen Galadari because they gave me a good deal and were ready to pick me up for my classes from home. But an issue I found with them was that it took ages (4-5 working days) for me to get a slot for tests etc. This may have been because it was the cheapest and a lot of people chose this. So if EDI, say offers similar convenience and not too much more money, then I suggest you go with that (wouldn't hurt to check with someone who has gone with EDI on the slot allocation timing). Another consideration point - Galadari and few others have an internal and an automated Parking test while EDI still only has only the RTA parking test. It reduces one test in the whole process. Last I heard, EDI was also moving to internal + automated soon, if not already done - so can check about that too. In terms of quality of classes, I have no issues, all instructors I got were nice and taught me well.
Sure! can go on a drive sometime, I understand there are others nearby as well who get together regularly. I'm in Cluster D.

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Originally Posted by rav11stars View Post
Thanks! It'd take a thread to write my buying experience here. In short, I went from STI -> Focus ST -> Mazda6
Considering a number of factors I settled down for the 6. My online gripe right now is probably I should've dug around and gone for a nice pre-owned ride.
Yeh, I too didn't see many STIs here.
That's quite a journey already! Which do you like the best?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Habanero City View Post
Congratulation for getting DL in Dubai.
What kind of tests are done for the Eye test?
Does it include test for color blindness and how is this considered in Dubai or any other Countries.
Thanks! Yes, the eye test includes a color blindness test and basic vision test. Did not fully get your second question.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ninjatalli View Post
Interesting write-up! For a city having such a tough process, the large number of accidents that keep happening out there is quite surprising! Usually, there's a strong correlation between both; and one always confirms the other.
And Dubai (and the sister city of Abu Dhabi) do have a large number of accidents! When I asked the localites, they always pointed it towards the tourists/sub-continent drivers and the taxi drivers. But most of the accidents I saw on the roads had no such pattern.
But then this is OT, so apologies.
Haven't been here too long, so can't comment. But what I did notice is that there is a definite mismatch between traffic sense / following rules and the difficulty of the process. I also noticed a lot of tail gating, especially during peak hours on freeways - very fast acceleration coupled with hard braking. I try to keep a safe distance ahead of me to smoothen out my braking lest someone come and rear end me (always a constant worry!).
OT - The discrimination extends to corporate compensation too!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hayek View Post
Agree fully with this. Have never driven in Dubai but have spent some time there on work trips, including a couple of drives between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Frankly I found virtually everybody tail-gating and saw a couple of accidents, which is something you don’t expect in a country with tough driving tests and draconian punishments for offenses.
Don’t think we should fuss too much about testing Indians - given our terrible driving culture, anyone would want to be careful.
I agree with the tail-gating part for sure. Wrt testing Indians, Pakistanis etc., I feel it is required as driving rules and scenarios are vastly different from India. For ex, there are very few places in urban India where you will be driving at constant speeds of 100 kpmh with significant traffic around you.

Quote:
Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
The Galadari family also owns the Khaleej Times newspaper, as well as the Ford and Mazda dealerships, in addition to various other businesses from what I remember from my childhood.
Thanks for confirming. I re-read the link that was provided earlier, and saw how they have cleverly added in that clause
Anyway, my point was not to detract the thread, but more to bring awareness to people who may imagine the Gulf to be countries where the streets are lined with gold, and all you need to do is get there to claim your share. Just wanted to add that I was born in Dubai, lived there for 18 years of my life, and I've realised that as much as the world evolves, the discriminatory practices there never change.
Yeah, I was mistaken earlier. Got confused because an Indian in my team had converted his UK license and on checking, he has a British passport. What I've found is that Dubai is quite welcoming towards expats and personally have not faced any discriminatory issue as such except for ones that are rules and procedures like you mentioned. From my limited travels, the only place I've seen which treats Indians warmly is the Philippines - but this is a discussion for another day I guess.

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Originally Posted by kanishka88 View Post
On road fines: For a second think of yourself as someone who is very well aware about the location of speed cameras. Or someone who earns / makes more than 6 digits of dirhams a month. Would you care about a AED 600 (and more) overspeeding fine on your sports car? I am aware about people who's monthly traffic fines exceed >10k AED a month
That said, driving in UAE in general is so much peaceful, is extremely safe (much much better compared to our home land) and you can thoroughly enjoy beautiful roads, low traffic and highly cooperative traffic cops.
I thoroughly miss that place after relocating back to India. Here is the pic of the 280+bhp beast that i owned for 2 years. Kept it like a new one till we parted ways this year (the pic here is from the last day). Was too lazy to post its ownership review
I was surprised at the absolute value of fines as well when I first got here. I knew that it was actually quite a lot and serious when my credit card guy told me I can convert my car fines to easy interest free installments
I was very close to getting the S3 - perfect balance of practicality, power and value, but in the end the heart won out. Not that getting the S3 wouldn't have appeased the heart . I think it has 296 hp! I'd test driven the car - it's a monster, will probably get that next!
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Old 26th November 2018, 12:01   #33
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by aditya9567 View Post

I was surprised at the absolute value of fines as well when I first got here. I knew that it was actually quite a lot and serious when my credit card guy told me I can convert my car fines to easy interest free installments
I was very close to getting the S3 - perfect balance of practicality, power and value, but in the end the heart won out. Not that getting the S3 wouldn't have appeased the heart . I think it has 296 hp! I'd test driven the car - it's a monster, will probably get that next!
Haha that's true. This one is a pure hidden gem. Absolute fun was beating roaring Mustang's, Camaro's and even entry level Boxter's on red light drags (strictly upto legal speed limits!) when they were expecting the least. And the best part is the sound. You can actually live with that exhaust. It is as silent as a Honda in sedate driving and gets as burpy as a hippo in the tunnels / MOE's inclines . Have a great time with your beauty, was planning on it but then marriage happened
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Old 26th November 2018, 13:28   #34
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
I've realised that as much as the world evolves, the discriminatory practices there never change.
Absolutely true, things are however changing but not always for the good.

As an example, new licenses are now only valid for 5 years and not 10 that they used to hand out again, only for expats.

As an individual, you certainly are discriminated against based on your citizenship/ origin and wealth. However things change when you are a business owner, licensing/ processing is a breeze out here and hence so many people prefer to set up companies here rather than anywhere else. Businessmen and women visiting government offices are seen to have preferential treatments and processes so as not to hamper their businesses.

For example: I had wanted to file an unknown damage (for my car) at the police station, which i reported and was required to wait 2-3 weeks. However if it is a company car rather than a self-owned one, they seemed to process the report quicker.
As and when i visited in the 3 week period, i was always asked, whether the car is a company owned one, if yes, they could process the report quicker than regular individual cases.
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Old 27th November 2018, 21:00   #35
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by aditya9567 View Post
That's quite a journey already! Which do you like the best?
I'm sorry that I didn't write that properly What I meant was I considered the STI first, then the ST and finally bought the Mazda6.
There's also another list of cars that I booked and cancelled in this process before settling for the Mazda.
It's sort of a well-rounded package for me. The power is sufficient (not thrilling enough) and practical with good interior space. The paddle shifters, the sports mode and particularly the handling bring that smile onto my face.
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Old 28th November 2018, 12:09   #36
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

5 Star thread.
I always wished to know what all hurdles people goes through during DL time. Have heard many Friends/Relatives going through years of hardships to get this prized plastic card
Clearly explains how we should do it. A must read for the expats who doesnt have DL and wanna be expats who wanna taste Dubai in future.
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Old 29th November 2018, 10:14   #37
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

Well UAE used to be a drivers paradise in the 90s, cheap fuel, cheap cars, cheap service and guess what no speed limits. It used to be like the german autobahns till the radars made an appearance in the mid 2000s. I own a RS6 and a Yamaha r1 here in the UAE.

Bored cruising at 120 kms to 140kms with bland scenery all around. Speed is something relative isn't it? Back in the 90s we used to do the Abu dhabi - Dubai commute in under an hour, minimal traffic, no radars :-) Plus the cost of living has also increased drastically, hence less disposable income for cars with regard to expats.

Last edited by Gannu_1 : 1st December 2018 at 13:37. Reason: Formatting. Please proof read your posts before submitting. Thanks.
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Old 29th November 2018, 18:44   #38
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

Congratulations of getting the Dubai DL and the hot wheels. I bought back my memories of getting the DL in Sharjah. I got the DL of Sharjah way back in 1999 with 5 attempts. I had shifted long back to India and neither kept track on the validity of that DL. Once i stumbled upon this thread i checked that my Sharjah DL was valid for 10 years only, so the question to the forum members is does anyone have any idea how to get that revalidated while your are not physically in UAE ?
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Old 1st December 2018, 13:26   #39
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

Renewing your UAE license when you are out of the country and when you do not have a valid residency visa is currently not possible. Sorry to tell you that.

Last edited by sreejith1830 : 1st December 2018 at 13:27. Reason: typographic error
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Old 28th December 2018, 15:43   #40
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by aditya9567 View Post

My parting advice would be to be mentally prepared to go through a long and laborious process to get a driving license in Dubai. Do not get disheartened if you do not clear any of the tests and take comfort in the fact that you are not the only one going through this. It can be a humbling experience. Keep sight of the end result – once you're done, it opens up ownership opportunities which you would never have got anywhere in the world.
Amazing write-up and covered everything which is needed for a getting the Sacred Driving License of UAE.
Don't want to brag but even I got the UAE DL in the first attempt in 2015, for 10 years . Now they are giving the DL for 2 to 5 years specifically for Asians (Indians, Paksis, Bangladeshis & Srilankans primarily). There seems to be a study which revealed that number of accidents caused by Asians is more than that of any other country.

My Modest Civic (Mid option - Gen 12) which I kept for 3 years (65K Kms) before coming back to India.
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Old 30th December 2018, 12:26   #41
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by aditya9567 View Post
Well, what does the entire laborious time consuming expensive process result in? A piece of important plastic

Was it worth the effort? Hell Yeah!

Why? Because...

Ownership Review coming soon
Congratulations!

Even I was lucky to get the license in the first attempt. I got a rental on the same day (boring Nissan Sunny!) and then got my first car within 20 days!

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Originally Posted by benbsb29 View Post
I really don't get why the employer has to issue a NOC for something as simple as a driving licence! The Gulf countries seriously need to get over this over dependence on the employer for seemingly simple activities.
It is a misconception actually. It is actually only needed for certain work profiles.

During my enrollment, I called RTA and they confirmed that I do not need a NOC. The driving institute still asked me for it but I insisted that they call RTA and confirm. The next day, I got a call that they have enrolled me without the NOC.

Quote:
Interesting to see there is a freeway based test in Dubai. More interesting is that Australia doesn't have one of those, and I can easily convert my Australian drivers licence to the one in Dubai.
I think it was introduced in 2014 after a lot of students/new drivers who have only learnt driving at 40~50 kmph panicked when they were suddenly forced to drive at 140 kmph.

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Originally Posted by ninjatalli View Post
Interesting write-up! For a city having such a tough process, the large number of accidents that keep happening out there is quite surprising! Usually, there's a strong correlation between both; and one always confirms the other.
Sadly, whatever is learnt in the classes is limited to the driving test.

Tailgating is the main reason for the accidents, coupled with high speed.

Also, some drivers wont move from the fast lane if you keep a safe distance and flash, forcing you to tailgate!

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Originally Posted by Hayek View Post
Don’t think we should fuss too much about testing Indians - given our terrible driving culture, anyone would want to be careful.
100% agree.
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Old 17th May 2022, 09:27   #42
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

Thank you, aditya9567, for this thread. This acted as a single point of reference for getting UAE DL for half a dozen friends of mine and me. I got mine in April 2021 on my second attempt at RTA road through GMDC. The used cars market here is very mature, and most of the well-maintained germans go very cheap here. After sweating out for weeks in Dubizzle, Facebook Market Place and other websites, I got a pre-owned Audi A4 1.8T. The vehicle registrations are valid only for a year in the UAE. You need to pass the Mulkiya vehicle test before renewal/transfer mandatorily. This makes the chances of getting a lemon vehicle in the used car market significantly less.

I was driving a Polo 1.2 MPI back in India, and this feels like a proper upgrade.

Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world-whatsapp-image-20220516-8.50.18-pm.jpeg
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Old 17th May 2022, 17:18   #43
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

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Originally Posted by srs_shetty87 View Post
As far as i know, it depends on your Nationality too, just having a driving license from one of the accepted countries does not mean you can get your license converted.
Exactly. Infact, when my parents moved from Saudi to Dubai, my dad had a Saudi license but still had to take all the tests (classes are waived). Really a racist rule to be honest, how does nationality matter when you have cleared the same tests?
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Old 18th May 2022, 06:18   #44
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Re: Dubai Driving License - Guide to procuring one of the toughest in the world

When I moved to Dubai in 1996, my previous License from Bahrain had just expired. I had stayed and driven in Bahrain for over 4 years.
Applying for DL in Dubai, the guy at the counter said "Expired License is no License". Discussed with his senior, who checked my Date of moving / leaving Bahrain, Date of Issue of DL and exempted me from Signals and Parking Tests leading me straight to Road Test. I even showed him my decades old Qatar DL too for which I did not seek any credit. Even the Road Test date was on priority.
Yes. I made it in my first attempt and got my License.
A month later, I bought a used car and went for Insurance.
"No, we don't issue Insurance to new DL holder" was their reply. I even advised them of my other DL. They did not budge.
Finally, I said "I am going to Newspapers with this story that you do not give insurance to new DL holder, wish the Driver to sit idle at home, forget driving and then you would be happy to provide insurance."
"Please show us your Bahrain License". Their stance changed immediately and all went smooth.
Till early 2000, there were Private Driving instructors. The reason why it took years was that the DL aspirants were at fault, partly. They would take some classes, just before Test. With little practice, they were bound to Fail the stringent Test. Next available date would be 2 months away. They would *Not Practice* and wait for last 2 days to take driving tuition. Fail again and continue with the vicious cycle.
Once authorities set up their own Driving Schools, getting DL became much easier. There were two options. Either pay for Tuition on Hourly rate or make a contract. If you made a contract, the school would see to it that you get the DL by the soonest. It was a known fact that the Testers were 'Hand in Glove' with the school.
No wonder, DL were issued in bunches. A senior official even commented that "getting DL is as easy as buying something from Supermarket."

Am not much aware of the present scenario having bid adieu to Dubai 12 years ago.

Last edited by vb-saan : 18th May 2022 at 06:42. Reason: typo
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