Nurse who was jailed and deported after showing middle finger to driver urges expats to obey the law
An Australian nurse who was deported for showing his middle finger to a motorist has warned expats to be extra careful how they behave. “I want people to be aware of the law because I don’t want anyone to go through what my wife and I have been through,” Darren O’Mullane said.
Darren spoke to 7DAYS less than a week after he was deported for showing his middle finger to an Emirati driver on Sheikh Zayed Road. He was deported after spending 24 days in Dubai Central Jail, while his English wife, Marie, had to give up their apartment, cars and family pet and uproot to start a new life in Australia.
“It has been very, very stressful,” said Marie. “Darren’s a very honest person. He admitted what he did and he paid the price,” she said.
The couple are now living at Darren’s parents home in New South Wales while he looks for a job in Sydney.
Darren admits he was wrong but recalls he had just completed a 13-hour shift in the intensive care unit of Dubai’s American Hospital late last year. He says he was in a bad mood because a patient suffering from alcohol withdrawal had attacked him and he had to rush to stop a schizophrenic woman from harming herself. “I was stressed and tired and in a bad mood and just wanted to get home,” he said. He encountered a motorist weaving between lanes and said the driver’s vehicle nearly crashed into his.
Darren lifted his middle finger in anger as he passed the car and kept driving toward his home in Dubai Marina.
“The guy in the car started following me. He was right up behind me flashing his lights. I went around one roundabout eight times but he stayed on me. I drove past my home many times but he kept following, even when I made it home,” he said. When the man got out of the car, Darren saw that he was in his early 20s. “I said ‘leave me alone’ and went into the house.”
Police called him later that night to say they had received a complaint. He went to the police station and admitted what he had done. A police officer said that he wanted to let Darren go, but said the driver, who was an officer in the UAE armed forces, was insisting on lodging a complaint.
“I didn’t think the consequences of telling the truth would be so harsh,” Darren said. “I’d like other people to be very careful. You’re in a different country and the laws are not always the same.”
Just another story gone bad. The story tells itself of this 20 year+ guy that followed this man on the roundabout 8 times, flashed his lights, weaving in and out and nearly crashed into the man's car. Sound familiar. This is the usual driving around here and the guest living here will get punished for it.
Hi Darren,
I pity you for experiencing such a thing. I am also driving and don't have that much patience on the road most especially with such people who drive others crazy on the road. I once read a similar story before when the expat got deported because of showing the middle finger to another driver while they are on a road rage.
When it seems it is really the fault of the other guy, everytime I become angry on the road because of them being reckless, I just stay away from them and just swear to myself instead because I dont want to face the consequence of being punished even if it is not my fault and they are just the ones who is provoking you to do it. You are right we should be extra careful since we are in a different country. This is their country and we should abide by their laws and even if we are abiding by their laws still we are the culprits. Had too much experience in encountering with them, WE ARE NEVER THE WINNERS.
I was once a victim of road rage myself with the driver, who was driving recklessly on the road and had almost hit me like yours, I open my window and told him what are you doing? If you want to kill yourself do not include me, then I called up the police to complain about him and guess what the story was turned upside down, I become the culprit because the other guy filed a complaint after me (they let us both sign a paper which indicates we are not going to drive fast) The worst part was the driver was a teenage guy who didn't have a license on him and only his passport!!!
The 2nd time, I was hit by another and I was given a pink copy and a fine of 250 Dhs. The police informed me that it was my fault. Is it really my fault when the driver was on his phone without headset and not knowing when people are signalign indicators while changing lanes??? Guess what? He only carried a Health Card which they accepted when we were in the Police Station!
I know even though you were being deported you and your family not to mention your children will for sure live a happy life just think that this is a new beginning for you and for sure a better one!!! Goodluck to you and to your family. All the Best!!!
O.K., I totally get that the "finger" is inappropriate. But is not the behavior of the other party not equally inappropriate. As a former "military" person from a western country, I know for one, I would be severely reprimanded if I behaved in the manner that this "military" personnel behaved. I applaud the honesty of Darren, and I believe that Allah will reward you. However I think laws should punish everyone fairly. Do you think that we expats just run around unprovoked flipping up our fingers?? I have seen far worse offensive behavior than that done to my daughters in their school (they're only 7) and it is an arab school that they attend. This is unbelievable to me.
In the UAE, all people are equal but some are more equal than others. Its always the young ones exercising their superiority that do this. Its happened to me as well. Driving right on my bumper flashing their lights at 140kph trying to get me to stop because HIS driving attitude caused me to nearly crash to I zapped him - he made pursuit on the SZR.
Fortunately I had a very large yank 4x4 so I just jumped on the brakes to scare him. Sent the little critter skidding across six lanes and into the sand so it did. Never saw him again. If I had my time again I'd have pulled over, ripped his phone off him before he could 'call police' and rammed it up his....exhaust pipe. Insufferable little oik that he was.
The cat is out of the bag globally now about many issues and the clock is ticking. You reap what you sow. The one rule for one and another for the other system is crumbling fast. Global legitimacy - pull the other one.