Drinking and driving in Doha? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Drinking and driving in Doha?

331
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 08:32

We were in Doha last week and decided to go for a glass of wine at the Ramada, so we left our hire car at our (dry) hotel and caught a taxi there and back - standard procedure here in UAE. Taxi was very cheap!
But the point is, we were told by someone living in Doha that there was no need to do that - they were quite tolerant of a glass of wine before driving.
Is this true???

206
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 July 2011 - 12:52
Drinking and driving in Qatar for me is a clear no-no. It's just not worth to risk get deported for a glass (or bottle :)) of wine...
121
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 July 2011 - 12:44
We were in Doha last week and decided to go for a glass of wine at the Ramada, so we left our hire car at our (dry) hotel and caught a taxi there and back - standard procedure here in UAE. Taxi was very cheap! But the point is, we were told by someone living in Doha that there was no need to do that - they were quite tolerant of a glass of wine before driving. Is this true??? DH's colleague was just sentenced to a month in prison for a drink driving offence so... no, it isn't true!
445
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 10 July 2011 - 09:28
Cornish Girl -- I had never heard anything about drs not treated alcohol related issues... What do you mean by that? If you are drunk in your own house, then fall and hit your head, would they not care for you? Or is it that they won't give alchoholics a new liver?
112
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 16:39
I know someone ([u'>know[/u'> her, not "know of" her) who went out in her pajamas to pick up her husband late at night after he had finished working - neither had been drinking. She was pulled over and hassled for a LONG time because he could smell the toothpaste on her breath, which he insisted was alcohol. The policeman wanted to arrest her for driving while drunk and wouldn't entertain her (logical) request for a breathalyzer test. Ironically, not having her license with her was what saved her because he didn't want to be bothered with whatever was entailed with that bit. . .so he let her go. Be careful out there. . .things aren't like they are back "home". . .
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 15:43
Yep it is illegal to drive with any amount in your system, not hat they random breath test, but if you are in an accident, even if not to blame you will be in major trouble. A lot of people do drink and drive here its true.
31
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 10:38
A young guy who worked for my husband was in an accident and had been drink driving - he was jailed, passport conviscated, taken to court and had a huge fine to pay and was then deported - so yes they do take it seriously!!!
331
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 09:46
OK, so that sounds about right to us - I'm all in favour of zero tolerance. The expat who told us it was OK obviously skates on thin ice. I thought it sounded strange, especially in a Moslem country!
75
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 09:32
There is zero tolerance for drinking and driving here, but lots of people do take the risk. If you have an accident and there is even the slightest amount of alcohol in your blood then you could be in big trouble. Bear in mind also that it is illegal for doctors to treat anyone with alcohol related issues.
619
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EW GURU
Latest post on 09 July 2011 - 09:11
Tolerant or not, I would have a very heavy conscience if I did and something happened, especially to someone else. My parents were in Brunei for 10 years. Brunei is dry but every weekend, expats would go over the border to stock up on b00ze and they could take their own bottles to the yacht club and to other people's houses for dinner parties etc. There, as long as you don't make an a$$ of yourself and you keep things hush hush, it's OK. BUT people habitually drove drunk, and sure enough, there were about 3 fatalities per year of drinking and driving expats.