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* Abu Dhabi road maze confuses drivers

Anyone who wants to see the mysterious 'Bermuda Triangle' no longer needs to travel to the Atlantic Ocean - they just have to sit in their car and drive to the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.

While some drivers call the area's road network the mysterious road maze, others have dubbed it the spider web. Many also call it the 'Bermuda Triangle'.

Although no car, ship or aircraft has gone missing here, many motorists heading out of the capital towards Dubai or the airport lose their way.

"It is really confusing and reminds me of the Bermuda Triangle. Even though I am familiar with the road, I still lose my way," said Talal Al Jishi, an Abu Dhabi resident.

"The other day, I was heading for Dubai and found myself driving back into the capital. On another night, I ended up in Musaffah industrial area."

Motorists blame flawed planning by the traffic authorities for the confusion when leaving Abu Dhabi.

The triangle in Abu Dhabi is just at the end of the Eastern Ring Road next to the newly-built Khalifa Park, nearly three kilometres north of the city. Expanding road projects have added to the drivers' confusion because motorists are caught off guard by signs when they approach the area.

The 'Abu Dhabi Bermuda Triangle' consists of four main roads, and each leads to a different destination. The road to Dubai is described as the most difficult to find because it is the narrowest and is one of the two middle roads.

The road to the left leads to Musaffah and other northern areas, while the adjoining road leads to the Zayed Mosque, which is under construction and is one of the biggest mosques in the Middle East.

The third road goes under a tunnel towards the airport, Dubai and Al Ain and the fourth road heads back into Abu Dhabi.

What makes it confusing is that the roads are so close together and the signs are extremely close to the exits that most drivers do not have enough time to read the signs and then get into the correct lane.

Motorists flashing their hazards and backing up to try again to get into the correct lane are a daily occurrence.
"One night, I was driving towards Abu Dhabi Airport and I was really confused because it was a bit dark," Mohammad Hariri said. "I kept hesitating between two roads because I was in a hurry and then ended up on a patch of grass."

Abu Dhabi Traffic police insist there is no problem with the area because they said drivers simply need to slow down and give themselves more time to find which lane they need to take.

"If they just slow down and take more care, then I don't see any problem" said a traffic police officer, who asked not to be named. "That road layout has been there for a long time and it's about time people understood it."

Drivers see a serious flaw in the management of these roads because they are too close together and there is no physical barrier separating them.
"How can you explain that I still lose my way sometimes when I go to Dubai three times a week?" Abdullah Al Khaja said.

"It is not only me, every time I go through that area, I see some cars parked on the other road with hazard lights flashing as the drivers have realised they have taken the wrong road. It really is another 'Bermuda Triangle'."

As part of the road expansion plans, the area will be changed, but this will take time because projects are still in their early stages. With many such projects underway, drivers complain the area looks more dangerous and disorganised.

After spending the weekend with relatives in Abu Dhabi, Ali Hamdi of Dubai headed back home in the evening. He took the wrong road and kept wandering through a maze of new roads before ending up back on the corniche in Abu Dhabi.
"That mistake cost me more than one hour," he said. "When I returned to that area, I was about to make the same mistake again, but I was lucky."
(Source: Gulf News)