Reading about the tragic death of the rising Emirati football star (Thayeb Awana dies in car accident near Abu Dhabi, September 26) it's clear that, yes, he was probably not paying attention to the road and when on his Blackberry.
But it saddens me to say that the lorry parked in the middle of the road should not have been there, and if it was there for some maintenance reasons then the lane it occupied should have been closed for a few kilometres before.
The motorists on a dark road, even if not speeding, won't have time to stop or brake if suddenly a lorry emerges in the middle of the road from nowhere.
To avoid sudden braking, panicked lane change and fatal accidents, the RTA must block the lanes under repair or works and must have more signs to indicate that road works are taking place, with visible and prominent hazards indicators.
It happened to me a few times as well, and I had to abruptly change the lane as there was no warning signs. I was lucky but how many times will I get enough margin to change the lane?
Zahra Khan, Dubai
Jobs: great leader and human being
The passing away of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, is a great loss to his family, his company and to fans like me (Apple founder Steve Jobs dies, October 6).
He founded a company that became renowned for innovation and gave us top-class, elegant products to use like the iPhone and iPad.
Above all, Mr Jobs taught us to battle hard in life. He fought an epic battle with cancer and took some career breaks, but continued innovating and delighting consumers with new product offerings. He changed market paradigms with his products.
His commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005 urging graduates to follow their hearts will always be remembered as one of the finest speeches in the corporate world. He ended it by advising the students to "stay hungry, stay foolish".
Steve Jobs was also a great speaker and presenter. He held audiences spellbound with his oratory at the Apple meetings, dressed in a simple black T-shirt, or turtle neck and jeans.
He was an innovator, entrepreneur, leader, but above all he was a very fine and sensitive human being who did not let adversities blunt his enthusiasm and drive for achievement.
Rajendra K Aneja, Dubai
Sublime cricket will live in memory
I refer to your article Over and out: last ball bowled on hotel pitch (October 6).
The Emirates Palace Cricket Ground was so sublime that Henry Blofeld once dubbed it the "Journey's End" to correctly suggest that anyone watching or participating in the sport there would attain a form of cricketing Enlightenment.
This ground was a sanctuary where the spirit of cricket was so tangible you could practically reach out and shake it by the hand, and as such a place to inspire our young cricketers to the sport's real nature, a nature these days often obscured by commercialism.
I am not sure who ordered the suspension of play at the Emirates Palace, or what their reasons were, but it is a truly terrible thing to have done to both a uniquely beautiful cricket ground and an iconic Abu Dhabi hotel. For the amateur cricketers, school children and hotel staff who played there, and for the families who enjoyed a day out in the shade of a palm tree on a grassy bank, the ground will always conjure special memories.
However, it is immensely sad and ironic that the Journey's End seems to have reached the end of its own journey so soon after it began.
Dorian Digby-Johns, Abu Dhabi
Education starts at home, not school
The article Poor quality education 'failing our children' (October 5) calls for "the full support of families in educating their children."
Only when a majority of parents embrace the fact that they, and not the teachers or the ministry of education, are the major stakeholders in their child's education will there be a significant improvement. If only parents would realise how influential they can be.
Not only does education not start and end at the school door; some of the most important lessons are learned at home.
However, until parents adopt this overall attitude, reflected by their active role in their child's education, no revision in curriculum will be of much effect.
Rebecca Lavallee, Abu Dhabi
Don't forget the property owners
This is in response to the article Second year of profit for Nakheel (September 27).
You have to ask where is the compensation to buyers of properties delayed for years and years?
Rob Charlton, Dubai
