People in Oman warned against racing cars in wadis

Muscat: Residents in Oman have been warned not to race their vehicles across wadis (valleys) that have been filled with rainwater, after a video showing people race their four-wheel drives across a flooded wadi went viral across social media.
In the video, some drivers are seen racing their 4x4s and pick-up trucks across the wadi, paying little heed to the fast-flowing rainwater under their vehicles.
The video has drawn much criticism from online users, and Ali Al Barwani, the head of Oman’s Road Safety Association, says those who engage in such reckless acts do not know the dangers they are putting their lives into.
“A lot of the times, the flow of water in these wadis is very unpredictable, because you don’t know how the rainwater will flow,” he told the Times of Oman. “One moment, it could be flowing a certain way, and then all of a sudden, it changes course, and the next thing you know, you or your vehicle are stuck in the water with no way to get out.”
“It’s bad enough for the driver in this situation, but it’s even worse if you have a passenger, because you are putting his life in danger for no reason at all,” added Al Barwani. “I would advise everyone to not do such things.”
Al Barwani also explained why people engaged in such dangerous activities.
“Most of the times, it is a question of ego,” he revealed. “These ideas normally take shape when people are just standing around and talking and one of them challenges the other to commit such unpredictable behaviour. People don’t want to look like cowards in front of their friends, so they decide to proceed with this, but the sensible thing to do would be not to engage in such activities.”
“It might sound a bit strange, but it is the best thing to do,” added Al Barwani. “Also, some people think they know the water so well because they have plenty of experience driving, but the truth is that no one knows how the water will flow, and that is the reality. Therefore, before there is serious damage and loss of life, it is best not to drive across flooded wadis.”
Times of Oman also reached out to the Sultanate’s Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) and they were quick to respond with a warning.
“The Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance calls on everyone to take caution during rainfall and to not risk crossing the wadis,” said PACDA. “When it comes to reckless people, the concerned authorities will take legal action against them.”
Despite repeated warnings, wadi rescues by PACDA and the Royal Oman Police (ROP) do occur frequently across the nation. In January of this year, six people had to be rescued after heavy rainfall left them stranded near a wadi. Last year, 55 separate wadi rescue attempts were initiated by the country’s emergency response teams.