Where the streets have no name

[qatarperegrine]

This morning we were referred to an organization located on a certain street in Doha. We made several attempts to figure out where the street was, but no one we asked knew, and Google was (of course) no help. We called to ask for directions, but the directions they gave ("it's next to the petrol station") weren't quite enough.

Finally, we looked on a map and discovered... it's the street we live on.

That's what Doha's lack of signposts will do to you. I don't even know the name of my own street.

Comments

[roach2600.livejournal.com]

If you look at UAE from a distance on Google Maps, it looks like it might show some highways. Then you zoom in, and the highways disappear. Lame.

[qatar.livejournal.com]

Similar things happen here; I think they take the low-res satellite pictures a lot more frequently than the high-res ones. Makes sense, I guess.

[roach2600.livejournal.com]

sorry, I meant the map view, not the sat view

[qatar.livejournal.com]

Ooh, the UAE has a map view? Jealous!

When I said I consulted Google I actually mean I Googled the street name. Google maps is entirely unhelpful here, though the satellite view can be handy for giving someone else directions to someplace you already know.

[kartiksg.livejournal.com]

I had a similar experience -- US Visa application --


Please fill out in BOLD using black ink only--
First Name ... <*snip*>
Your permanent address (NO post box number): ...


Hmmm.... well... I could give you an address after a lot of search but it will be entirely useless in any sort of way -- you can probably reach me faster using my post box number... but no... you don't want a post box number... sure... here you go... random strings of arabic words and names that is of no use... btw if you really want to know its near that xyz cinema.

The US Consulate guys loved that:-P

[qatar.livejournal.com]

Ask a stupid question....

I mean, do they not realize that not everywhere in the world HAS addresses?

[kartiksg.livejournal.com]

The guys at the consulate knew it well and when I nervously queried them about it -- they pretty much told me to not worry and put both the random address and the P.O.Box. Sadly, the genius in Congress/(Bush/Clinton/Bush) government who wrote the form didn't (must be one of those Ted Stevens variants).

[cmucheer.livejournal.com]

What, my response "Oh I know I've seen a sign for that somewhere" wasn't helpful??

[(Anonymous)]

No street numbers or names. Wow. :-D.

So I guess the phone book just gives...well...phone numbers, huh? :)
What's the rationale for that anyway?

Ann
http://mobaydp.blogspot.com/

[qatar.livejournal.com]

Phone book? What's that? :-)

The rationale is easy: Western countries developed a systematic address system in order to allow mail delivery, and here there is no home mail delivery.

Lots of streets do have names, but people rarely use them. Directions are usually given by roundabouts, not streets. (I won't tell you my current address, but to give directions to my former compound, I would have said "From school, turn left at Sloped, and then make a U-turn at the second roundabout after Stone Roundabout; it's the pink compound right there on the right." That street definitely has a name -- Al Khafji, I think? -- but nobody would have a clue what I meant if I told them that.

Doha maps

[(Anonymous)]

check this site next time. it is so easy
http://www.gisqatar.org.qa/new/all.html