By Majorie van Leijen www.emirates247.com
It has long been a major bone of contention for regular users of Dubai Metro – what is the protocol for getting on and off the trains.
With people of different cultures and nationalities all travelling at peak hour – which is increasingly getting jam-packed – the different ‘queue philosophies’ have often led to some nasty arguments.
Simply put, the rush to get on before people have got off, is the heart of the matter.
Now, the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) has moved to clarify exactly what the etiquette to be followed is.
The RTA will have notices on all 14 glass doors on all 28 Metro stations. These are already up at Burjuman, Union and Al Rigga.
The notices clearly illustrate that people getting off have to leave from the centre of the door, while commuters getting on need to queue on either side of the door and after those getting off are done, can get on.
“There was some confusion and conflict before,” says Ramadan Abdullah, Director, Rail Operations, RTA.
While some would say it is not more than normal to let people disembark before boarding the train, there are others who have learnt how to fight for their space on the public transport; an art which they are willing to showcase in Dubai Metro.
But this is to come to an end, thinks Ramadan. More info
