Qatarshire Amusements

The Qatari government has been automating services recently, where you can do quite a few things online. Where this becomes important is traffic violations. If you try to exit Qatar, and you have any outstanding traffic tickets, you can't leave the country until you've paid your fines. I think they've set up a kiosk at the airport so you can comply, but I've not seen it before.

So today we were talking about traffic tickets, and I decided, on a whim, to check my plate.

It's interesting how the Arabic and English don't translate right. According to the English translation, I had:


But the Arabic reads as:


I asked my colleague Robeen to tell me if the Arabic and English match up, and sure enough they don't. The Arabic reads as a simple speeding fine, not as a dangerous vehicle overloading.

Flexibility and a sense of humor are key assets to have in Qatarshire.