Driving in Oman

Oman is a car-friendly destination. We already knew about the new highways of the United Arab Emirates but didn’t know that Oman had also an equally impressive road system.

For those of us living in winterland, mangled roads and potholes are an inescapable reality. Speeding on any roads in April before potholes are covered is a sure way to pay a visit to a mechanic.

Oman doesn’t have this problem. Highways are in flawless condition with wide lanes and ample space for everybody. What our friend Mohammed calls “heavy traffic” is a mere 20 minutes distraction in downtown Muscat; Montreal drivers would cry tears of joy at the prospect of such traffic.

Not all is pretty on Oman’s road though. Speeding is an issue that needs addressing. The speed limit is set to 120 kph on highways, but locals simply do not abide by the rules. Not by a mile. It happened quite a few times that I drove at 120 kph on the right lane only to see angry drivers push me to accelerate. Some cars overtook me at such speed that I felt as if I was going 60 on a highway in Canada. They must have been going north of 170 kph. Driving in Oman can be hazardous no doubt.

Also Indian and Pakistani workers crossing highways on foot adds another concern to the driver. As you can imagine the risk to these fellows is extreme and the possibility of them being turned into hamburger is real. I had to hit the brakes emergency style when a group of workers decided to cross the highway about 70 meters ahead of me. Overpasses for pedestrians are urgently needed.

Also a word of caution: do not drive a 2wd in the Jebel Shams region. We’ve tried it and we can report that driving a 2wd in this region can seriously wreck your saloon car (it is “saloon” and not “sedan” over here). We got stuck on a terrible road deep in the mountains and had to rearrange the road to remove all the big rocks that could destroy the underbody of the car. It took us 90 minutes to clear 200 meters of the road. You don’t want to do this kind of physical exercise in 45 degrees heat. High clearance is a must.

The standard, free roadmap offered in Oman is not of stellar quality. You should not rely on it too much to make your decisions., as we got lost for a few hours in the Jebel Shams region for doing so. The fact that we lost so much time meant more to us than the fuel we burned for nothing. That’s understandable because the price of fuel is – hold your breath – a measly 28 cents Canadian per liter. :)