Welcome to the UAE

November 13, 2007 7:20 PM

From Dubai: Go around twice if you’re happy (YT): Vincent Fichard and Matthew Jones put up fake construction signs around town to test the response of passing motorists
posted by growabrain (37 comments total)

Hahaha, I loved this. Brillant.
posted by patr1ck at 7:36 PM on November 13, 2007

awesome
posted by dontoine at 7:43 PM on November 13, 2007

beautiful
posted by garethspor at 7:49 PM on November 13, 2007

This is funny!

Go Around Twice If You Want Representative Democracy

Honk If You Want Basic Safety Regulations For Foreign Construction Laborers
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:50 PM on November 13, 2007 [6 favorites]

I wonder what the Arabic translation of "... if you're feeling it" would be. Seems rather idiomatic.
posted by delmoi at 7:54 PM on November 13, 2007

That was just nice.
posted by facetious at 8:07 PM on November 13, 2007

That was adorable. I especially liked the music.
posted by spec80 at 8:13 PM on November 13, 2007

I love Mack The Knife!
posted by hortense at 8:14 PM on November 13, 2007

I wonder what the Arabic translation of "... if you're feeling it" would be. Seems rather idiomatic.

I think it says "If all things are peaceful..."
posted by The White Hat at 8:14 PM on November 13, 2007

Wonderful
posted by zeoslap at 8:19 PM on November 13, 2007

I loved it. But at the end, as the scooter went around the very last time I expected him to get mowed down by oncoming vehicles.

Man, I'm so cynical...
posted by miss lynnster at 8:21 PM on November 13, 2007

I'm amused that both the taxi cab driver and the driver of the tractor (probably not the right description of the machinery) went around at least twice. I wondered if maybe they just wanted another chance to read the sign - but that seems pretty intentional.

I hate roundabouts. I wouldn't drive around one twice if I was getting blown by Angelina Jolie*


*this statement might be exaggerated
posted by revmitcz at 8:21 PM on November 13, 2007

Honk If You Want Basic Safety Regulations For Foreign Construction Laborers
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:50 PM on November 13 [+] [!]

go on! This is a perfect thread for it. I keep meaning to hook up with a friend in Muscat (grr.. not enough vacation time..) and the politics of the emirates are fascinating.

i just sensed a little passive aggressiveness? and it seems like theres a lot of room for real passion here..
posted by xorry at 8:26 PM on November 13, 2007

I wouldn't drive around one twice if I was getting blown by Angelina Jolie

Why drive at all?
posted by hjo3 at 8:33 PM on November 13, 2007 [1 favorite]

That was great. I needed some happy today.
posted by brain cloud at 8:37 PM on November 13, 2007

I like rotaries! And I'm from Boston so I call them that!
posted by aubilenon at 8:47 PM on November 13, 2007

I love Mack The Knife!

Indeed, I can't help wondering if there wasn't a bit of Ernie Kovacs influence here. He used to use a recording of the German version (can't find a suitable Kovacs segment on youtube, but it sounded not entirely unlike the one performed here) as music over absurdist silent sketches.
posted by George_Spiggott at 8:58 PM on November 13, 2007

Far better than it should have been. The music definitely helped. Any clues on the performer?
posted by rouftop at 9:00 PM on November 13, 2007

I don't have anything to add except that this was excellent.
posted by spiderskull at 9:10 PM on November 13, 2007

Wow. I liked it very much. Thank you.

lights
posted by geekyguy at 9:31 PM on November 13, 2007

And I'm from Boston so I call them that!

Boston Rotary: Bangin' two U-ies in a row.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:35 PM on November 13, 2007

Fantastic! What a great idea.
posted by Salmonberry at 9:54 PM on November 13, 2007

Thank you. I needed that. :)
posted by dancinglamb at 9:56 PM on November 13, 2007

Harmless culture jamming^.
posted by hortense at 10:02 PM on November 13, 2007

You know, I liked this a lot. I really did.

But then I thought about what may happen if somebody tried this in the US and what the consequences might look like not just for the artists involved, but for every other driver in in the locale and I got kind of sad.

Wait. You say they hate our freedoms?
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:04 PM on November 13, 2007

beep beep
this thread is useless without sound
posted by Cranberry at 11:54 PM on November 13, 2007

Oh that was adorable. Absolutely adorable, and a wonderful break from calculus. Thanks for posting.
posted by Phire at 12:18 AM on November 14, 2007

I hate roundabouts.

I cut my eye teeth on roundabouts and rotaries in the northeast US. And I have to say I was pretty proud of myself during a trip in the UK where I did a good job driving them the opposite direction. Maybe it's because I'm left-handed.

And yes, I sometimes drive around twice!
posted by SteveInMaine at 2:19 AM on November 14, 2007

When you arrive by ferry in Zeebrugge in Belgium, and quite a few French channel ports, there's always a roundabout between the customs checkpoint and the open road. I assume they're there for British people to practice driving on the wrong side of the road because they serve no other purpose whatsoever.
posted by vbfg at 4:07 AM on November 14, 2007

"Go round twice if peak oil's a myth!"
posted by davemee at 5:42 AM on November 14, 2007 [2 favorites]

Hey look kids, there's Big Ben, and there's Parliament!
posted by inigo2 at 8:09 AM on November 14, 2007

Loved it! I kept waiting for two cars to read the signs on the roundabout and just chase each other round and round. Then the front loader and motorcycle did exactly that!
posted by ooga_booga at 11:45 AM on November 14, 2007

How could you not be happy driving a front end loader?

Just the thought of it brings a juvenile Tonka induced smile to my face.
posted by quin at 11:47 AM on November 14, 2007 [1 favorite]

I think the beauty of this piece lies in the contrast between it and the "culture jamming" we're used to. The problem with culture jamming, as in Adbusters or graf art, is that it ends up being like blog ranting -- a lot of negative energy with little effect, beyond generating more negative energy.

This piece, in contrast, makes an interruption in daily life with an apparent net increase of joy, and in fact positive emotion seems to be exactly the point of the piece. Reminds me of the efforts of You Are Beautiful and the Icelandic Love Corporation.
posted by fake at 12:28 PM on November 14, 2007

Awesome.
posted by Debaser626 at 2:22 PM on November 14, 2007

a breath of fresh air!
posted by petersn1 at 4:59 PM on November 14, 2007

bulldozer == awesome
posted by lonefrontranger at 7:26 PM on November 14, 2007