There are few places where the UAE’s mixture of 200 or so cultures is more apparent than on the Dubai Metro. Passengers bring with them their own public transport traditions, whether it is the anarchic free-for-all of the subcontinent or the Japanese tradition, with white-gloved “packers” who politely help cram more people on board at rush hour.
As The National reported yesterday, five years after the Metro began service, efforts are still being made to instil in the millions of commuters a shared sense of etiquette so that passengers can live alongside each other as harmoniously as they do in other aspects of UAE life.
This effort remains what might be most tactfully described as a work in progress. The main problem identified was the strange habit of passengers rushing onto the train rather than waiting for exiting passengers to get off. One woman said she stopped using the Metro after she missed her station because incomers shoved her back into the carriage. However a pregnant woman said she repeatedly had people give up seats for her.
As in other aspects of UAE life, the solution to commuter conflict will be found in a mix of tolerance and common sense, including adopting the RTA’s etiquette tips. Commuters on the London Underground are advised to mind the gap. In Dubai, we should remember the gap can be cultural.
