Driving
From Alhannah
It is scarier to be a passenger than a driver. Drivers are aggressive and fast, but the roundabouts have their own rhythm, and they do work. You need to watch out for and avoid the cars in front of you. Don't worry so much about the ones behind you, they in turn are watching out for you (hopefully!). Friday mornings are good times to practice driving, and get used to the city. Always carry a map in your car (HR will provide you with one when you arrive) and be very defensive. Other drivers are likely to change lanes or stop in front of you without warning.
If you get into an accident, call 999 and wait for the police to arrive; you will need an accident report to get your car repaired. Many police do not speak much english, so you may need to call someone to translate. HR can help with this.
It used to be true that if you were involved in an accident you were to leave the car where it was, even if it was blocking traffic and the accident was minor. This is no longer true. Now, drivers involved in minor fender-benders should move their vehicles off the street especially if the cars are blocking traffic. Theoretically, if the accident is minor and the car is not moved, you can be fined for obstructing traffic, though it's not clear that this provision of the new law is being enforced.
There are several intersections with traffic signals. Before the light changes to yellow (amber) the green light blinks twice. You should stop when you see the blinking green light because the amber cycle is VERY short and you will probably not make it through the intersection before the light turns red. Some intersections are equipped with cameras and take pictures of cars that run red lights. If you are caught, the fine is large, and you may not know you have a violation until you try to leave the country (you will not be allowed to leave until the fine is paid.) You can check online at Qatar E-Government by entering your Qatari ID number.
Soon after your arrival in Doha, CMU-Q and Qatar Foundation will schedule a time for you to go apply for your Qatar driver's license. If you have a valid US license you will only need to pass a fairly minimal eye exam. Be sure to have 2 passport photos with you (Kim will give them to you from the set you had taken when you first arrived). If you wear glasses to drive, your photo must show you wearing them. You will receive a temporary license for 150QR (~$42), and a few weeks later it will be converted to a permanent license for 155QR. The costs are reimbursable through the university.
Speed limits are given in KPH, and your car speedometer will probably be in Km, so there is no need to convert, but you can convert quickly and easily by multiplying KPH by 6 and moving the decimal left one place.
