Rules of the Truck Road

The "truck road" as we, and I think just about everyone else in the UAE, calls it, is a road that goes through the Emirates, connecting the Emirates Road to the road that goes through the north eastern section of the Hajar Mountains. Whenever we drive from Dibba, Oman to Dubai, we take the mountain road to the truck road and then get on the Emirates Road to go into Dubai. We are all accustomed to the road, familiar with its customs and unspoken rules. Once on a particularly busy day, it occurred to me how terrifying the road would be to say, and American riding down it in a taxi. Without any understanding of the rules, the road seems reckless and lawless.

There are no posted, enforced rules, but there is definitely a culture to the truck road. Here is what I've learned from driving on it so far-

-The speed limit is however fast you want to drive
-The road is two lanes with giant shoulders on each side
-Flash your brights if you're going to overtake
-If you're being overtaken, move onto the shoulder to make room
-If an oncoming car is overtaking, move onto the shoulder to give them more room
-Keep your hazards on if you're going over 140kph or under 100kph