A Night Out

Last Thursday we spent the night in Abu Dhabi. We hooked up with a friend at Trader Vic's.

The first weird thing of the night was seeing a bar fight. Not so unusual? Well, that's the first bar fight I have seen in the UAE. I wondered what happens to people that are turned into the police starting a bar fight in the UAE, but we didn't get that chance. The bar staff was quick to react once the fighters knocked over glasses on a nearby table. They managed to push the fighters and their friends out the front door. The group was outside and as bar patrons looked on the fight moved back into the doorway. Eventually the whole thing was broke up and we moved on. How curious?!?

Later on in the night we were driving home. A line of cars were going through a green light when the light began to flash (an indication that the light will quickly turn yellow). The taxi in front of me thought it was a good time to stop, but half-way along the crosswalk (and Abu Dhabi gives tickets to cars over the line). I was far enough back from the taxi, so I knew he had enough room to move back. He put on his reverse lights and kept reversing, even while I was honking my horn (as a warning that he was too close) and then backed right into me! He sat in his car and did not even realize for a good 5 seconds that he had hit me, but then pulled forward a bit. I got out of the car to check for damage and he just quietly sat inside his car and watched me. Of course he was not going too fast so there was no damage, but there was no reaction from him, I couldn't believe it! I got back into the car and the driver finally leaned out of his car a little with his hands raised! What an idiot! He may be new to the country and maybe that was his second day driving, so hopefully he figures out how far back he can go next time! Grrrrrr....