Muscat: Even after repeated warnings on not to cross wadis continued on Tuesday, some vehicles ran into trouble and wadi crossing continues to be a challenge for authorities as they had to respond to calls.
People are still in shock of the news of three young children being washed away in the wadi while playing as their house is near a wadi and the other individuals who lost lives while being stranded in wadis.
Khalid al Yaqoubi, a concerned citizen said that if a punishment is applied that will serve as an example to others, such phenomenon will decrease and perhaps disappear. "There is a need to act tough because many precious lives are lost as a result of recklessness and lack of management on the part of the head of the family,” he said.
For Khalid al Adawi, a journalist based in Muscat, people who dare to cross the wadis do not realise the danger of doing so as well as the legal aspect of it. “Some people look at this action as a hobby and as a macho, masculine behaviour. And they are proud of it. Some trust their luxurious 4x4 vehicles and want to prove themselves by crossing the wadi," he said.
"But sometimes the strength of the wadi is stronger than we can bear. To make things worse, at times children are also in the vehicle. So, the solution could be more awareness and until then the only solution is monitoring and fining,” he added.
So what is the psychology behind driving through a wadi even after repeated warnings? The Observer spoke to a leading Senior Psychiatrist Dr Hamed al Sinawi, who explained that people having an urge to drive through wadis have some similarities to those who are into adventurous sports, some of which can be dangerous to perform.
According to him, there are several psychological theories to explain such behaviour and one of them is based on adrenaline rush because people who perform dangerous acts have their brain release a hormone known as adrenaline, which creates a state of excitement in the form of increased heart rate in addition to the feeling of power while escaping the eminent danger that is caused by the flooding.
“Another psychological explanation could be related to the impact of being watched by others especially when we see that most of the time the driving is videotaped by people surrounding them. They might even be cheered by others, which makes the driver enjoy some form of encouragement and feels heroic,” Dr Hamed said.
However he noted that there are people who lack the judgement and underestimate the power of wadis especially when it is flooded beyond expectations.
“Some people might expect that they would be able to swim in a wadi just like they do in the sea or swimming pool, which is not correct because the law of physics does not apply here as the amount of water and force involved exceeds the person’s capacity and ability to swim,” he pointed out.
Dr Hamed added that what is disturbing and something to consider about is that despite repeated warnings about the dangers of crossing wadis, people continue to put themselves and others around them in dangerous situation.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
