Traffic congestion is often blamed on crowded roads, too many vehicles and long queues. But sometimes, the way drivers behave on the road can also determine whether traffic keeps moving or comes to a complete standstill. Indian man living in Dubai has shared a video showing what he described as an example of simple civic sense on the city’s roads. In the clip, he pointed out how drivers waiting to turn were deliberately stopping before an intersection instead of moving forward and blocking the junction. The man, identified as Abhishek on Instagram (imabhi), said the approach allowed vehicles travelling in other directions to continue moving even while a long line of cars waited to make a turn. The video was shared with the caption, “Dubai ka civic sense, Delhi people can learn,” and has prompted social media users to discuss how small changes in driving behaviour can make a difference during busy hours.
‘People are not blocking it’
In the video, Abhishek filmed a long line of vehicles waiting near an intersection. At first, the queue could look like a conventional traffic jam, but he explained that the drivers were actually waiting for enough space to become available on the road they wanted to enter. “Look, this entire line that you see here, this isn’t a traffic jam. All of them need to turn. And in order to turn, look, the road here, people are not blocking it,” he said. He then pointed out that a Dubai Police vehicle was also able to pass through the area because drivers had not filled the intersection unnecessarily. “Even a Dubai Police car just passed through, but only as many cars will move up to there as can fit without blocking the path,” Abhishek said.According to his explanation, vehicles that needed to turn were waiting because the road ahead was already congested. Instead of moving into the intersection and stopping there, drivers stayed behind the line until there was enough room to proceed. “Whether they need to turn or take a U-turn, they can decide that for themselves, but the ones who actually need to turn are waiting because, on this side where they need to turn, there is a jam,” he added.
Why waiting can keep traffic moving
Abhishek’s observation focused on a simple principle: entering an intersection without enough space can prevent vehicles travelling in other directions from moving. He explained that drivers on one side were not moving forward simply because there was space immediately in front of them. They were waiting for the congested section ahead to clear. “So, until this road clears up, no one from that side is coming over here and blocking the middle,” he said. He suggested that this behaviour helped keep traffic moving in both directions rather than allowing one queue to spill into the junction and create a larger blockage.“Because of that, traffic in this lane is moving along smoothly, and over on that side as well, traffic is flowing completely,” Abhishek said. He described the behaviour as a basic example of how following a simple road principle can have a wider impact. “Such simple common sense, but look what a great solution it is,” he added. The clip does not establish that this behaviour is followed by every driver in Dubai or that traffic congestion is absent from the city. Instead, it shows one traffic situation that Abhishek found noteworthy and used to make a broader point about road discipline.
Social media users discuss civic sense
The video quickly attracted reactions from people who agreed with Abhishek’s observation. Several users focused on the idea that traffic discipline does not always require complicated solutions. One person wrote, “This is what real traffic discipline looks like.” Another commented, “Simple rules can make such a huge difference.” A third user said, “This is how traffic keeps moving even during rush hour,” while another added, “No unnecessary chaos, just proper road discipline.” The discussion reflects a familiar frustration for motorists in crowded cities, where intersections can become blocked when vehicles move forward without enough space on the other side. Abhishek’s video suggests that simply waiting for space before entering a junction can help prevent one queue from blocking another. His caption, “Dubai ka civic sense, Delhi people can learn,” also turned the traffic observation into a comparison that resonated with viewers familiar with Delhi’s busy roads.