Indecent hand gestures while driving in Dubai

[shawarma]

Making any sort of hand gesture while driving in Dubai could land you in hot water as this example reported in the Gulf News 22 December 2006 illustrates (and it's not the first case, there have been several others during 2006)...

Pastor acquitted of indecent gesture
By Bassam Za'za', Staff Reporter

Dubai: A court has acquitted an American pastor of flashing his middle finger to a driver in a road rage incident for uncorroborated evidence.

The Dubai Court of First Instance acquitted the 64-year-old American pastor, identified as J.H., after he was found innocent of committing an indecent gesture in public, as charged by the Public Prosecution.

The Emirati driver, identified as H.A., reported to the police that the incident happened when he was driving on the Dubai-Al Ain highway.

The plaintiff was in his car with his cousin when he reached Al Ruwayyah Area where the suspect was driving in the left fast lane.

The Emirati said the American was driving at about 100km/hr when the lane's legal speed was 120km/hr. A truck was driving on the right hand of the suspect's vehicle, the police were told.

The suspect refused to yield to the plaintiff even though he gave him the high beam to do so. H.A. told the police that J.H. flashed his middle finger as soon as his car came near the suspect's vehicle.

The victim then reported the incident to the police after taking down the car plate number. Later the police summoned the suspect who denied the charge. He said he did not flash his finger. The court acquitted him for lack of strong evidence. The plaintiff may still appeal this verdict.