Drive carefully near schools

Well, everyone by now would have heard or even personally experienced what happens when an American president visits a very little place on earth called Bahrain. I'm just teasing by the way!

My main aim this week is to share with all my readers an experience I had when I was on my way to my school in Juffair.

I was on my bus seat when all the cars leading up to the traffic light near Mina Salman were diverted. There were police cars everywhere sending people in other directions, so you can recognise how frustrated we were. Apparently, US President Bush was making his way to the American base which is very close to the school I go to.

However, my concerns were nothing like the magnitude of stress suffered by my twin, Abdulrahman, who had to give his IB English presentation in half an hour when all this was happening.

The bus driver had no choice but to head back home. All the youngest ones were up for it (it's never surprising how motivated young kids are these days at the thought of skipping school but that is another story) but I was not happy - I really had to be at school since I had tonnes of work to get on with.

After some discussion, the bus driver decided to drop us in Umm Al Hhassam where I walked all the way to school.

I did not mind walking in the rain, yes I was soaking wet all the while, but what really bothered me was the way drivers were oblivious to the safety of the kids who were walking to school. There were many children and parents on the pavement opposite the school. A man had to stand in the middle of the road and stop traffic for the students.

I hope motorists can change the way in which they drive near schools and the way they pay attention to students crossing the road. This can start with all the drivers who read the GulfWeekly, hopefully others will follow so that next time a US president (hopefully Hilary Clinton) visits we don't have to go through another bad morning!