Penalty for dozing off train more severe than carrying weapons
By mariahhh
@mariahhh (1328)
United Arab Emirates
November 21, 2011 12:35am CST
I read a news yesterday that someone from my current place (Dubai, UAE) was fined around $80 for dozing off on a train. It was listed in the newspaper that the fine for dozing off was around $80 and the fine for carrying weapons was only around $50. 
That was a bizarre rule, and there are other rules here that is just unacceptable. I saw one foreigner that was on the train. He came from the airport terminal so it was obvious that he was new in Dubai. He didn't know the rule that if you have silver card, you can only seat in the silver cabin not the gold cabin. He was given a $140 fine for seating in the gold cabin. Other crews are just horrible. For others, they will ask the passenger to move to the silver cabin, but the others will give you fine.
There's also a fine if they caught you eating or chewing a gum. But the crew were the ones who's always chewing something. 
Is there also some weird, unacceptable rules in your country?
P.S. Saying some negative comments about my country can get me in trouble. If I don't reply, consider me dead lol 
That was a bizarre rule, and there are other rules here that is just unacceptable. I saw one foreigner that was on the train. He came from the airport terminal so it was obvious that he was new in Dubai. He didn't know the rule that if you have silver card, you can only seat in the silver cabin not the gold cabin. He was given a $140 fine for seating in the gold cabin. Other crews are just horrible. For others, they will ask the passenger to move to the silver cabin, but the others will give you fine.
There's also a fine if they caught you eating or chewing a gum. But the crew were the ones who's always chewing something.
Is there also some weird, unacceptable rules in your country?
P.S. Saying some negative comments about my country can get me in trouble. If I don't reply, consider me dead lol 3 people like this
6 responses
@enelym001 (8322)
• Philippines
21 Nov 11
Dubai will always have a bizarre rule. Most Middle East countries, actually. I don't find anything wrong when you sleep in the train. Sometimes you get so tired from work and normally some people would take a nap. That's why there are ushers/usherettes inside the train so they can check on people.
Are they still checking every passengers' card if it was swiped? I find that also funny. They shouldn't check it as those passengers wont be able to enter the train unless they don't have cards or swiped it on entrance. Plus they can't validate cards of every passengers in the train, there are so many passengers compared to those who were checking.
1 person likes this
@mariahhh (1328)
• United Arab Emirates
21 Nov 11
Yes, I don't get why they should fine passengers who's taking a nap. It's normal that passengers might be tired from work and needs to rest.
They are only checking the cards of the passengers in gold cabin. They are checking to see if someone is holding a silver card, so they can fine them lol. But they don't do it that often unlike before. 
They are only checking the cards of the passengers in gold cabin. They are checking to see if someone is holding a silver card, so they can fine them lol. But they don't do it that often unlike before. 1 person likes this
@enelym001 (8322)
• Philippines
21 Nov 11
Oh I can understand why they do, because some people sits on the Gold cabin even if they only own a silver card. But for a first time tourist who have no idea about it - they should have at least spared him upon confirming from his passport that he's still new in the country!
But for a first time tourist who have no idea about it - they should have at least spared him upon confirming from his passport that he's still new in the country!@mariahhh (1328)
• United Arab Emirates
21 Nov 11
I agree. Good thing there are still some good crews that will just ask the passenger to transfer to the silver cabin, instead of giving them a fine. I really felt sorry for the tourist, only half an hour in Dubai and he already lost a couple bucks.
How about you? Are there any bizarre rules in your country?
1 person likes this
@dellessimon45 (710)
• United States
21 Nov 11
The world we live in is crazy! If anything insane ever happened like that in the US, there would be an explosion of media and news reports on the violation of one's individual rights!
What kind of rule is that? Every human sleeps and if someone is exhausted after a long, strenuous day of work, they're not allowed to snooze for w couple of minutes before exiting the train?
That's too hardcore! Now people see literally fighting their natural instincts, to sleep, just because they want to avoid losing some of their finance. Thats incredibly silly! Why should someone be penalized for sleeping, which such a heavy fine too! $80 is a ridiculous amount to pay and what you're doing isn't harmful or hazardous to any ofnthe other passengers on board.
1 person likes this
@mariahhh (1328)
• United Arab Emirates
22 Nov 11
Yes, everyone in this country was shocked, too. But it was not our first time hearing a bizarre rule like that, it's quite common here to have several rules where they will fine you even for small things. Lots of people commented on an article in the internet about this, but they can't do anything more than that. And here I thought that Dubai is the most open country in Mid East.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
16 Dec 11
Wow!! You would think especially if it was obvious that a person was not from around there, especially if they have a lot of luggage with them, that they are not from around there, and do not know all the rules and customs. To me this sounds a little harsh, and a Bad way to greet someone. Overall, I have heard of some Stupid rules and such but I think these overtake them all.
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
22 Nov 11
I am sure the people making all these rules have good intentions and some reasoning behind their methods. However, I would advise them to make as few rules as possible. You can guide people without fining them. Not everyone is out to break the rules. Someone should work on that.
@shaggin (71670)
• United States
21 Nov 11
Wow that is really terrible that if you are exhausted and happen to fall asleep on the train that you are giving an $80 fine and if you bring weapons on you are only charged $50. Wow thats like hey go ahead and bring weapons but if you fall asleep your in bigger trouble. What kind of sense does that make. The poor person who was fined $140 for sitting in the wrong section should hae just gotten a warning and asked to move.
.
You are right, they should warn people first. But I guess that's their tactic to accumulate money easily. 
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
22 Nov 11
That is really outrageous, chewing gum is totally harmless!! I think it's more of a ploy for the workers to get more money than what they're paid for anyway. Craziness.
Personally, I think the weapons fine should be higher than $50, carrying a concealed weapon here in Canada is serious, you get arrested and weapon confiscated.
Not sure about any frivolous rules, though, we're pretty good here.
@mariahhh (1328)
• United Arab Emirates
22 Nov 11
I don't understand it either. The first time I rode the train, I did not know about this rule. I was chewing a gum, and I noticed that all other passengers are looking at me. That was when I knew that it was against the rules. Good thing the crew did not see me. 
