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With the recent rain there is no doubt that some people will have had their cars flooded but what should you do? Here are some simple things you can do to lessen the consequences The most important thing is not to start the car. Water may have contaminated the engine and transmission oil and fuel and if you start the engine, this water will be circulated around and cause all sorts of damage. Another possible consequence of starting a flooded engine is hydrolocking. This is when the cylinders fill with water. Water doesn't compress like air so when you turn the engine, the water can't compress so the extra strain goes on the connecting rods which can bend or snap and in turn punch a hole in the block. This is why a mechanic will first remove the spark plugs and turn the engine by hand to see what is going on. If possible, remove the positive battery lead. Touch the lead to the negative terminal on the battery. This will discharge all the capacitors and help to minimise damage to electronic components. The next step is to get the car out of the water and start the drying process as soon as possible. If you can, open a window while waiting for recovery and put some towels or old blankets or sheets on the floor. Once the car gets wet, mouldy starts to set in immediately so this is why you need to get the car dried quickly. Not only does mould smell bad but it is very bad for your lungs. There are many ways to dry your car including dehumidifiers but the best is to get the seats, carpets and sound deadening out and into the sun to dry. Flood water is nasty stuff, not just because it's wet but because it contains mud and silt which can get into components and grind away at them. It is important to ensure that not only has the car been dried but that mud has been washed from underside components like suspension, bushings, driveshafts, cv joints etc. Despite what many people say, all flood damage is repairable but sometimes it comes down to the repair costs costing much more than the car is worth. This is something your insurance will advise you on. Finally, prevention is better than the cure. If you know from the weather forecast that it is going to rain heavily, park your car on high ground or a well drained area so the water won't get to it.

New set of RTA fines for all UAE emirates gonna be implemented soon and they seem to be very strict this time with heavy monetary fines, impounding vehicles and black points. All passengers seat belt is mandatory or fine for 400 dhs - VERY NICE Drunk driving - license bye bye for 1 year - AMAZING Best is reckless driving now 3000 dhs fine with 23 black points and 60 days vehicle impounding. WOW EXCELLENT I can see some great and really thoughtful thinking in authorities head before coming up with such nice penalties for road users here. It's really much needed considering the everyday traffic madness. Good job RTA and Police

Thanks @Gaurav bhai and @manums bhai for such excellent pics. The are was not an easy one and we have done this before, but this Friday was a totally different story. It was easy due to the hard sand on the surface, but dig in 2 - 3 inches and the sand was melting soft. So that challenge was to enjoy ourselves on a hard surface that did not challenge us so much, but at the same time one wrong move would mean danger lurking whenever we crossed over a ridge or from top of one dune to another. I must praise all drivers for sticking closely on my tracks, as in some spots a little left or a little right and there were some very awful pockets which could have done a lot of harm. My salute to Dipak, Basil and Mujtaba for managing the dunes so well, my hats of to Manu and Shariff for being good riders and getting such awesome pics. The highlight of the drive for me was the sighting of the Gazelles just after a quick round of rain had subsided and giving them a little chase. Even more amazing was that after that quick little chase the rest of the convoy was right behind me although I felt I could have lost them on any one of the many ridge crossings. It was my first time to give the Gazelles a chase and they are so agile running through the desert sands and its amazing how high they can jump to clear a ridge so easily, this is one of their tricks to get us stuck on the ridge. It was a good idea to cancel the BBQ for different reasons, but the amazing fruits from Dipak and sandwiches from Gaurav Bhai just gave us enough energy to exit in high spirits and drive back home. Thank you to Mujtaba bhai who has taken being second lead as a natural progression and managed so well in different situations. My suggestion would be to give someone else the chance as a second lead for the next drive and keep him in the sweep duty as part of a sweep team, either Gaurav Bhai or myself in the sweep can help him understand the sweep duties and help him grow in that direction as well. Thank you Gaurav Bhai for posting and giving me the opportunity to lead such a wonderful drive in a brilliant area and I would like to apologize to all for my delay and the change of BBQ plans.

Cant wait!!! I am amazed the amount of children I see sitting on parcel shelf....5 in the back seat.....Nannies with Babies on there knee with a seat belt wrapped around both! I have 4 children and the car does not move until they are in and belted up! Stay Safe Greg