Coffee-cup debate is trivial

A reader expresses doubts over the intention behind Starbucks' new holiday cups. Other topics: drink-driving, airlines, children

A reader raises questions over the intentions behind Starbucks’ new holiday cups. Carlo Allegri / Reuters

The so-called controversy over Starbucks' coffee cup might be fabricated (Storm in a coffee cup, November 12). So when a story is sold with the idea that so many people are upset about something so trivial, it actually creates the controversy by allowing people to provide commentary on how ridiculous and trivial it is.

April Garza-Tarman, Dubai

There are ways to tackle issue of drink-driving

There should be a zero tolerance towards drink-driving (Drink-drivers must be kept off roads, November 12). That's what is done elsewhere in the world. How can it be such a hard thing to get through in a country where there are restrictions on drinking?

We – my husband, our little son and I – are really lucky to have survived a drunk driver on the stretch between Ruwais and Abu Dhabi.

That was in the middle of the day. What about night-time, when these people get out on the road?

Ninja Lang, Dubai

I wonder who has the courage to drive drunk, with abysmal drivers that exist here on the road.

Valeriu Victor Stanciu-Crainic, AL Ain

Police do random breath testing everywhere else in the world. Why not here as well?

John Paravalos, Dubai

Hotel bars and restaurants should be held accountable for their part in these cases (Shocking drink-driving statistics on Dubai roads, November 11). They make up the majority of drinking establishments and they have an opportunity to reduce drink-driving by taking a firm stand on it.

The law should not only back them up on this, but punish them when customers are found in violation. They are making a profit on the sale of alcohol but not being held culpable when their customers are responsible for harming others.

A restaurant should never validate a valet ticket for someone drinking in their establishment unless they have a designated driver.

Offering overnight parking, free taxi rides or discounts on the next visit are all ways to quell a customer who might object.

Imagine if your own loved one were killed by a driver who was drinking at a particular hotel; wouldn’t you want to hold the hotel accountable for its part?

D Glass, Dubai

A possible deterrent to letting someone drink too much knowing they were going to drive would be to make the bar owner responsible for 50 per cent of the fiscal penalty or blood money payable. Nothing gets people’s attention more than having to pay a penalty from your own pocket.

Name withheld by request

Make a rule whereby anyone leaving a bar has to take a taxi. Also, make a rule whereby Dh100 will be added to every bill at a bar and the bar will pay it to the taxi driver. The cab will then charge as per the meter. This is doable.

Ajay Thombre, India

Airlines can be considerate

In reference to Brett Debritz's opinion article My dream flight is where nobody gets a bad seat (November 12), I think the question shouldn't be whether economy passengers are willing to pay more for a little more space; it's why they should have to. I think decent seating should be the bare minimum of service offered. If airlines can go all out to provide every conceivable luxury to first and business class passengers, is it really asking for too much that economy offers a slightly more comfortable seating arrangement? Airfares mostly aren't cheap to begin with.

Jerusha Sequeira, Dubai

Suffering of children is sad

The title of the article Half-Emirati children pay the price of feuding parents (November 12) is misleading and not in good taste. This is a case of a husband-wife feud. This has nothing to do with the wife being non-Emirati or the children being "half-Emirati" as mentioned.

Casey N Corley, Dubai

The children are the victims and that makes me sad, regardless of their nationality.

Siv Hartvigsen, Abu Dhabi