Baffled By Traffic

I just read this piece in Gulf News today: it's about increasing the use of radars to catch speeders and red-light jumpers. Yes, ok, it's a start, but it won't deter the worst culprits because the fines are meaningless to them, as is the ultimate confiscation of a vehicle. He has a go at pedestrians who get themselves killed running across major highways:

He said: "We have a shortage in road crossings, but highways are not designed for pedestrians, they are only for motorists."

Well, yes, but you completely miss the point: pedestrians need ways to cross over these huge expanses of tarmac to get to the other side, and this aspect of road design is almost totally ignored.

Reading further, I am completely baffled by this statement from the Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department.

"In downtown and arterial roads such as Al Ghusais, we have to provide pedestrian crossings because they are not only for motorists. Pedestrians have a 50 per cent right and motorists have a 50 per cent right."
He said on Jumeirah Road, however, pedestrians have a 70 per cent right because it is a commercial and residential area."

I have no idea what this concept of 'rights' means. Sounds a bit like gambling odds to me.

"On Jumairah Road there are pedestrian crossings every 500 metres, (and) 50 radars..."

Are we talking about the same Jumeirah / Jumairah Road? 50 radars? Pedestrian crossings every 500 metres? No, I thought not. I wonder where the other one is?