48 hours in the clink for speeding, Omani bagpipes and dead bodies.

I was reading the Muscat Daily yesterday and was rather interested in an article on Page 3 i think it was. Here is the link to the online version of the story. In the story, a Major Zaid al Hosni announced that drivers caught violating speed limits monitored by radar face 48 hours in prison and a penalty of RO 50.

The article then goes on to state that between January and May 2011, 799,975 tickets had been issued to speeding motorists (an average of 159,995 a month). Assuming that each fine is RO 10 (and some are not, they range between 10 and 50) that is RO 8,000,000 in speeding fines revenue (a little factoid the Daily didnt publish!). The article goes on to state that in 2009 the total number of fines issued was 1,778,614 (an average of 148,218 a month) and that speeding fines are up. Well, given that the ROP are now using the sneaky cameras on the 18th Nov Street and Muscat Expressway, and that there are generally more people driving now than in 2009 (increase in driving age population), and that a new Fast and the Furious movie came out, I think that the increase in fines given is actually less per 1000 drivers than it was in 2009. I might be wrong, I can't be bothered to figure it out.

Now it's confusing, because the article does not indicate whether all speeding offenders will do a tour of the Bowsher police station, or only those going really fast. Anyway, you might want to check this handy ROP website before going in to renew your Mulkia - it's an online speeding fine check (and payment) thing. If anyone can clarify the situation, please do share with the rest of us.

Next up, also on the news. Today's Muscat Daily had a rather macabre picture of a dead guy that had hung himself on a construction site in Wadi Kabir. Really? Do we need to see the guy's dead body hanging like that? Next up, we could have an enterprising marketing company placing adverts on the dead guy. I wont publish the picture here because I think it was poor taste from the journo. But thats just me. Poor guy, I hope it was quick.

And finally, "traditional" Omani bagpipes. Confused? Because I certainly am! I am, unfortunately, a degenerate Pinkberry addict, and so last night I decided to go and get some overpriced yoghurt. And on my pilgrimage walk to Pinkberry, I came across a dude playing the bagpipes in full traditional Omani dress, along with a bunch of other guys banging on drums and some ladies dancing with more guys too. I thought it was pretty cool, but was a little confused about the guy playing what seemed to me like Scottish tunes on a bagpipe. I did manage to snap one picture below:

But my question is.... are bagpipes something of a tradition here in Oman? How on earth did they get here, and when?!

le fin.