the name of the blog is secret dubai

On several occasions I have come to blows over drivers who spit out of their car windows or if they are on bikes, over their shoulders without bothering to look behind.

I know exactly what you mean–except for the coming to blows part. This is what happened to me. If ever there was a time I wanted to borrow Vinod’s gun (I’m assuming he has one, since he’s a happy NRA member).

Spitting is so disgusting. I don’t know why people feel entitled to do it in public. shudder

I’m trying to imagine what it would be like if Major League Baseball players in the US were to take a to Paan rather than tobacco…in high-definition…hmmm…

i know i have tons of male relatives working as laborers there, and from where we are from (pakistan’s potohar region), paan is not very popular. on my visits there, what i was struck by was how their particular style of dress, the salwar kameez, seemed to identify them to others, particularly those that looked down on them (arabs and professional class south asians)…. my own father, a mild mannered working professional in canada, was kicked out of a restaurant for wearing one.

Conrad Sorry, I misread your earlier post. I thought you were talking about paan, with or without spitting.

No problem, actually I really like paan. I think it is a great alternative to dessert after a massive meal. Usually when I go to my friends’ houses in Lucknow I am too stuffed after the main course; and with the spicy food, having some paan is a great way to clear the mouth while chomping on something sweet. I tend to prefer the edible variety though, which doesn’t require spitting. There might be some etiquette involved though I wouldn’t be able to tell you exactly what it would be. Neverthelss we don’t tend to chew paan in front of the older generation or in front of the women of the household where we are guests, but this is probably considered old fashioned these days.

Spitting isn’t really a problem in the countryside and small town; it is in the cities where lack of space and crowding make it more of a nuisance.

No it is not. Italians don’t go around spitting their espresso all over the place.

maybe paan spitting is just gross

You bet it is. On several occasions I have come to blows over drivers who spit out of their car windows or if they are on bikes, over their shoulders without bothering to look behind.

People who use the world as their spittoon should be shot.

that’s actually not true. i wish people would stop repeating that, as a lot of legislation has to do with morality (e.g., laws against fraud, libel, murder, rape, etc.).

I agree alot of legislation does have to do with morality like bigamy laws. Although, I think laws against fraud, murder and rape have valid public policy reasons in addition to moral underpinnings. Libel is not a criminal offense. This one is neither about morals or public policy.

“On the other hand, maybe paan spitting is just gross and Dubai’s officials really are trying to clean up the place.”

Why not punish everyone spitting paan? The punishment is deportation not a civil fine or criminal penalty. Citizens who spit paan will not be punished. If their concern was cutting down on paan spitting then punish everyone. It’s fairly obvious that they are targeting a particular group not a racial conspiracy. I’m fairly certain that Dubai has a law punishing spitting or public urination or indecency with a fine.

that’s actually not true. i wish people would stop repeating that, as a lot of legislation has to do with morality (e.g., laws against fraud, libel, murder, rape, etc.).