There is no respite from drag racers

A reader expresses frustration over Dubai's noisy and unruly car drivers. Other topics: drug addiction, tipping, Sri Lanka, religion and culture, ISIL

A reader expresses frustration over reckless driving by young men in Dubai’s neighbourhoods. Delores Johnson / The National

Thank you for the report Night-time drag racers infuriate residents (February 6). This is a problem in Dubai as well. Tenants of Scala Tower and Hamilton Residency in Business Bay experience this menace every night. People cannot relax

even at Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard as they have to put up with the unbearable noise.

Alex Pohle, Dubai

Love is medicine for drug addicts

It is a fact that the majority of those who abuse drugs either come from troubled family backgrounds or have been neglected in childhood (Addiction: look for telltale signs, February 5).

In addition to this, peer pressure and the desire to experiment with things are some other factors that lead an individual into addiction.

If parents are watchful towards their children and are well-informed about their friends, many such cases can be prevented. The support from one’s family is very important to overcome any sort of addiction. With proper care and help from one’s loved ones, drug addiction can also be treated.

Name withheld by request

Will Sri Lanka see better times?

Is something like South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission possible in Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka's brave new beginning, February 6)? The answer is no. That is because there is no Sri Lankan equivalent of Desmond Tutu.

The result of last month’s election is not so much about Maithripala Sirisena’s victory but about Mahinda Rajapaksa’s defeat. Mr Rajapaksa trusted only his relatives. He surrounded himself with sycophants and astrologers, and pampered the armed forces and the judiciary. This led to corruption, nepotism and the breakdown of law and order. He punished dissidents, irrespective of their ethnicity. The UN should have investigated the war crimes committed before, during and after the civil war. If this is deferred it would, in a way, be a victory for Mr Rajapaksa.

The 7 per cent growth that the country experienced during Mr Rajapaksa’s rule is a bit of a paradox.

More than a million Sri Lankans work in the Middle East alone, because they cannot find suitable employment in their country.

K Pillai, Dubai

Respect others to keep harmony

No one has the right to insult others in the name of free speech (After Charlie Hebdo: is religion dividing or uniting the world? February 6). For example, I will not tolerate it if someone makes a cartoon of me.

With freedom comes great responsibility. Have you ever thought why it is that Muslims never insult others? That’s because we are taught not to do so.

Mohd Nawas, Abu Dhabi

Religion has always caused more trouble than any other reason and always will. People will also hide behind it as an excuse for violence.

Brett Pearson, Dubai

Target ISIL’s oxygen suppliers

I refer to Rashmee Roshan Lall's opinion article Deprive ISIL's death cult of the oxygen of publicity (February 5). It's frustrating that despite so many anti-ISIL efforts, these ruthless terrorists continue to expand their influence. Surely, more effort is needed to curb this menace.

It’s necessary to identify individuals, groups and states that fund this group so as to reach the root of this problem. Doing that, I think, is necessary to deprive them of the “oxygen” Roshan Lall has mentioned.

Ramachandran Nair, Oman

The question is when to tip

I'll tip when the service warrants it (Where to tip, what to tip and what about that service charge? January 31). I hate being forced to pay a service fee when the service has been appalling. This should be a customer's choice and not enforced.

Emma B, Abu Dhabi

I waited tables all through university and half of my wage had to be earned through tips. The service had to be completely awful for me not to get any tips.

Mandy Lancaster, Dubai