Try not to have an accident in Qatar! |
Mother of bureaucracy
Piak! Something hit my car. And it was loud!Mother of bureaucracy
I looked around and could not see any damage. The next day, I saw a teeny scratch on my windscreen. One day after, it grew into a crack. And on the next, the crack grew to a good 10 inches and continue to grow. Time to change the windscreen. And welcome to bureaucracy land.
- Call up insurance company - Sorry, please go make a Police report
- Drove over to main Traffic Police station at Medinat Kalifa - Sorry, go to your municipal Police
- Google for the nearest municipal office and visit the municipal Police - Sorry, go to the main traffic Police
(XXX, didn't I just came from there? A passerby said... try the traffic Police located at a side building) - Went over to the traffic Police building. Bingo... take a number
- Took a number. Went over to the counter. Sorry, we don't speak English
- Waited for an interpreter to come over to understand why I need to make a report
- Okay, we'll make a report for you. But it'll take 5 days because we need to investigate the cause of the accident
(XXX, are you going to catch the flying stone that caused the crack!) - I can't wait that long. My car is up for permit renewal? Can you expedite?
- Sure, go see the Captain over there.
- Went over to the Captain. Told me to wait while he entertained his friend one after another
- Finally, it was my turn. Yah... pay QR100. We'll give you a letter straightaway.
(XXX... A one minute task but I had to wait 20 mins for him to greet and kiss all his buddies) - Call insurance company. Call the car repair shop. We have no windscreen stock. Please wait 10 days.
- Will insurance cover for substitute car?
- Yes, insurance will pay for substitute car but you have to make your own arrangements
- After 10 days, call up workshop. How many days will I need to have a rental car?
- We don't know. We're still waiting for the windscreen to arrive
(Wait a minute.... didn't some-one called me from the workshop to say it has arrived?) - Apparently no one knows for sure. Why don't you arrange the rental car as long as possible?
- Workshop make a few calls and finally realised windscreen had indeed arrived but shipped to wrong workshop.
- Call up AA. Can you send the car for repair? Sure we can.
- AA picked up the car. Send to workshop. Workshop called back. Where's your Police report?
- Didn't AA have a copy? Yes, but we need the original.
- Drove to workshop. Pass over the original Police report.
- Workshop starts work. Bill estimate came. Call up insurance company.
- Okay, insurance will pay half.
(XXX... What do you mean... our insurance is comprehensive. Yes but this is Qatar, we only pay for half the part cost.) - Alright, alright, please start the replacement. How long does it take? I'm still on rental car.
- 3 days but we need to call to confirm again.
- Waited 3 days but no calls from the workshop. Call up workshop. Please come tomorrow.
- Went to workshop and car is ready.
- Drove to return rental car.
- Call up insurance company. Can you reimburse the car rental? Sure, please go to XXX building in another part of town. Can't you do a bank transfer or cheque? Sorry, we can't.
- Went to the building. Spend 1/2 hr to submit paperwork. Spend another 10 mins at the cashier to collect the cash
- Finally, all done. Drove super cautiously. Don't want another round of bureaucracy!