HOW many times have you been told to go past Crazy roundabout, past Sofitel Hotel, and through to the Arab Bank roundabout?
These monuments have long been demolished, redesigned or renamed, but residents of Qatar continue to refer to them, in the absence of a strong street-name network.
There are indeed thousands of street signs in Qatar, both in English and Arabic, however, they are less often used to get a sense of direction.
“The number one factor is that they have come to be seen as less reliable over the years, because of their poor maintenance,” says a long-time Doha resident.
A quick look around the burgeoning Doha metro indeed shows signs that are blocking the vision of a driver, that are uprooted, or pointing in the wrong direction.
“Remember 2007’s hurricane in Oman that destroyed road networks and street signs. Qatar never really faces weather-related damage to property. Why then, the poor state of road and traffic signs?” questions another commuter.
Street and traffic signs are an essential part of the urban setting. They should be placed as necessary for safety and proper regulation of traffic, says The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, a standard published by the US Federal Highway Administration.
“However, the use of too many signs in a given location may reduce the effectiveness of all the signs at that location, it adds.
Other road signs in Doha have been found to be poorly placed, distracting or totally missing.
“Also a good reason for lack of usage of street names is that they are difficult to pronounce – let alone remember – for non-Arab expatriates, resulting in them using landmarks for directions,” an expatriate said.
Then there is the case of Industrial Area, where commuters have long been complaining of total lack of street names or signs, resulting in them moving haphazardly in the grid-like area for hours in order to reach the destination.
MUTCD also says that signs, like any other traffic control devices, must meet five fundamental requirements: fulfil a need, command attention, convey a clear/simple meaning, command respect from travellers and give adequate time for proper response.
It is also common sight to see rows of vehicles parked right next to a No Parking sign in Qatar.
“Signs that are unwarranted or ineffective may distract road users from more important traffic signs, may breed disrespect for all signs in the area, and are often a waste of valuable resources,” another resident added.
GT
My advice? Asghal or Planning can give certain 'zones' to the responsibility of different heads. If a zone is run down, we know who to blame!
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