This is the second article that addresses our experience in Doha Qatar during a 6-month visit as a Fulbright scholar. The trip only takes 30 minutes. I tried to familiarize myself with the trail by following a map, but it was hard to find the trail names. Later I found out that street names were not used much in Doha. People will use land marks to describe the way to a place instead of road names. There were many roads that did not have names or signs, including the one where our apartment complex is located. One more thing I noticed is the large number of roundabouts.
It looks like a mess. Drivers race to enter the roundabout and any hesitation will be punished with a few honks to encourage you to jump. I was surprised that I wasn’t actually that eager to drive, I guess it will be like going back to Cairo. Later I came to enjoy driving roundabouts. It offers some kind of entertainment in the quiet city of Doha! I have to find a permanent method of transportation around the city to regain my freedom. Doha is not a city with a great public transport system. I have seen buses running sparsely, but it seems to be mainly for non-professionals. So the other transportation options in Doha are Karwa taxis and renting or buying a car. I wanted to weigh my options, so I started making a few calls to rental companies from the phone book. I was in for a surprise.
I wanted to rent a car for 6 months and therefore felt I could get a good deal, but the least expensive rental car I could find was the most basic Mitsubishi Lancer. The lease was for just over $500 per month for the 6 month period. “Maybe I should consider buying a used car and selling it in 6 months,” I thought. One of QU’s instructors offered to help me find a used car and I gladly accepted his offer. We began our search for a used car. He took me around the city in his personal car. I’m still not sure the direction we’re moving in. These roundabouts can really spoil the sense of direction for newcomers to Doha. We visit a few dealerships, but the prices are not cheap. A decent car was in the 20-30K range. I am not willing to spend that much on a car to sell in 6 months. Let’s go home I asked Mohamed and he suddenly makes a U-turn to return to the complex, but in the middle of the turn, we are shaken by the impact of another car; my first accident in Qatar within 48 hours of arrival.
A quick check and the humans are fine, so we turn our attention to property damage. The damage is moderate, but the drivers have to wait for the police. No car can be repaired in Doha without a police report. In less than two hours a policeman arrives, asks the drivers a few questions, fills out the paperwork, and leaves in 10 minutes. Drivers will then have to go to the police station to pick up the complaint and find out whose fault it is. My colleague insists that it is the other driver’s fault; he should have avoided it while he made the U-turn. I secretly smile at myself, but say nothing. I decide to call Avis and rent the car, at least I’ll have some control over my destiny while on the streets of Doha. The next day, I am the proud lessee of a white Mitsubishi Lancer. A color that is popular enough in Doha to make finding the car a challenge every time I park it in the University parking lot.
