Good morning dear and honorable readers. I am back with a new column from my 'Only in Kuwait' series after a brief halt, because there are many issues that must be addressed. When I address such negative issues in the Kuwaiti society, I do not mean to mock certain people, but to pinpoint the wrongdoings in such practices and ask authorities to thoroughly address and find solutions to them.

Only in Kuwait you enter a public clinic or hospital, and there you see the male or female doctors are more interested in attending to their smartphones than you.

Only in Kuwait that policemen stationed on the highways, both with cars or motorcycles attend more to their smartphones rather than keep an eye for maniac drivers. I have never seen one of those police vehicles chasing a maniac driver or pulling him over; but instead they become interested in playing games or chatting.

Only in Kuwait you find two or three friends driving along the main road and blocking it while talking with each other, leaving tens of stranded vehicles behind them. And when you honk at them out of frustration, you better 'accept the consequences.'

Only in Kuwait holidays are more than the actual work days. If in case a holiday approaches, many people mysteriously become sick three or four days before the holiday starts, and become fine soon right after it is finished.

Only in Kuwait the Interior Ministry impounds old vehicles then releases them a week later, not taking into consideration why they were impounded and the owners were fined in the first place. In my opinion, they were impounded for violating traffic or safety regulations. A week later, they are released without even taking commitment from owners to rectify such violations.

Only in Kuwait that when you are driving and politely give a signal to pass someone, that said person transforms into the rudest person in universe and tries to step on his or her car's pedal, not letting you pass him or her.

Only in Kuwait the safety lane which you are permitted to use with a speed no more than 45 km/h can get you in trouble, as so many rude drivers nag you and flash their high beam, wanting you to open up and let them go. I personally witnessed an incident last week in which an expat was pulled over by a maniac driver, who beat him up severely just because that expat was abiding by the traffic law. My suggestion is to increase the speed limit till at least 65 km/h, as there are many reckless, rude and conceited drivers who do not accept the state's regulations, and those who wish to take the law into their owns hands.

Only in Kuwait you get fined for tinting your car's windows according to the set traffic law which is 30 percent. Does the policeman have the right tool at the inspection scene to tell if the tinting was 30 percent or more? I advise all to buy a convertible car.

Till the next article insha Allah

By Talal Al-Ghannam

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