So after nearly nine months i finally made it onto the Metro last night. I had to show my fiancee how to use it, and so having nothing particular to do, we decided to take a ride from Dubai Internet City (station just opened), to Union Station, Deira.
Everythign went (fairly) smoothly buying the cards, then we went through the topping up procedure, to ensure enough creidt for the foreseeable future, and then we boarded the train. Had to stand all the way, but no drama, as i am used to it having used the tube in London for years, and she has never been on a train and so knows no better.
So we pop out at Union, get a drink, have a cigarette, then do the same journey in reverse. I spotted a couple of seats on the return journey, and so we sat down. I then noticed that above my seat, was a sign saying for Women and Children only, or similar. Now let's get this straight, it was above the seat, and referred to the seat.
Not wanting to take any chances, i got up, and stood next to my fiancee. After a couple of minutes, the train stopped and two guys sitting nearby got off. I beckoned my fiancee to come, and we sat on the seats they had been sitting on, and continued the journey.
Eventually, we got to Mall of the Emirates station, where an Indian guy got on and sat opposite us. Next thing, he was tapping me on the arm and pointing out of the carriage. As the train began pulling away, there was a policeman on the platform, furiously pointing at me and waving to move. I asked the indian guy what it was about, and he said "women only carriage".
So we moved, albeit for only a couple of minutes before we got off the train, and i talked a little more with the indian guy. We boith agreed, there is no sign in that area of the carriage to say women only, nothing on the doors, nothing on the platform doors, or the platform itself, and nothing else in plain view to say that the area of the cariiage we were in was women only. In fact, having a sign above certain seats, and not all, stating that the seats were for women only would seem to suggest that those seats, and not the entire area of the carriage, were for women only.
So two things that stick with me: ONE - how are you supposed to know if an area is "Women only" when there arer no signs whatsoever, and TWO - Where the hell do policemen get off by shouting at fare-paying passengers and waving like a lunatic for them to move. They should have some effing respect.