If someone can make sense of the following, you win the grand prize:
1. We have three gas station brands in Dobby--one owned by Dobby, one by Aboo, and one by the entire federation. Recently, the following notice was posted in the paper:
"Starting Saturday, credit cards will no longer be accepted at gas stations due to excessive fees charged by credit card companies. From Saturday on, only cash will be accepted."
What the f*#@*^? Buying gas with cash only? In a country that can't wait to help you charge your mall/hotel/entertainment purchases?
2. Dobby has recently instituted a road usage toll at certain points on major roads. It is only a few dirhams. However, unlike other toll systems, the ONLY way you can pay for this tax is with a special e-card placed on your windshield and purchased at local stores, that you must go into a store to recharge every time you need more credit on it (therefore, there is nothing "e" about it). You cannot pay in cash at the toll point, nor is there a store right by the toll point. If you pass through the sensors without an e-card, your car is photographed and you get a fine in the mail.
Niiiiccccceeeeeeee.........
3. Visiting government offices is a far too frequent experience in the expat life. While things here are well organized to handle people from many different countries, most essential services are provided directly by the government, requiring extra visits to government offices for electricity and water, phone-internet-cable, and of course residency/driving/alcohol/work-related reasons. As everyone in the world knows, rarely is a visit to any government office not accompanied by some type of fee--from reasonable to exorbitant. And here is the catch--some offices accept credit cards and cash. Some accept e-cards (above) and cash. Some accept e-cards only (the real buggers). And some cash only.
How the h*#^ are you supposed to keep up with all that?
Thursday, October 25, 2007
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3 comments:
1. Interest is illegal under Islamic law. It could be that some religious group in the gov't pushed for this. Lobbies in the U.S. screw over a lot of people. Lobbies in Islamic country make things like little dogs illegal for a short time. It's just weird.
lol..thats funny. i cant imagine life without plastic...and options to use diff forms of payment!!!
man, i hate caryying cash around and I hate paying any kind of bill if it aint online.
you would think with all the money in that country, they would find a way to seamlessly integrate the e-card thing so that you can buy/refill online. at least that would make it easier!!
and if its really the interest thing that made them cancel credit cards, then thats just stupid. all banks in the Arab world deal in interest, they just "rename" it so that it isnt called interest anymore, but a pretty non-haram name to fool the public.
plus, my whole entire life is paid for by credit cards and I dont pay a penny in interest. how? i live within my means and pay off the entire bill every month. its quite simple...if you want to avoid interest, you can,
The first bit is easy, Credit card charges are the only place in the entire chain (ground to pump) where an outside interest makes any money and since your stuck (IE. you have to buy gas) then why not close up that loophole and increase the bottom line. As far as tourism and such, a cash only policy would greatly dampen business. And hurt the bottomline. Of course that's damned inconvenient for you. :-)
I love your blog, by the way. Can you post pictures from/of Dubai?
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