For many Dubai residents, the daily drive is more than just getting from one place to another, it's about dodging traffic jams and avoiding paying extra at Salik toll gates during peak hours.

Dubai's peak-hour Salik rates can add up fast, especially for those crossing multiple gates. It now costs Dh6 per crossing during peak times (6am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm from Monday to Saturday). Three peak crossings a day can cost Dh18, about Dh360 a month, not counting fuel and parking. Commuters are thus finding creative ways to save money and time.

Off-peak hours are cheaper at Dh4, and between 1am and 6am, there's no charge at all. By shifting their schedules, some residents are saving money, avoiding long waits in traffic, and making better use of their time.

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When the clock hits 5pm, most office workers in Al Quoz brace for the slow crawl home. Not Emaad Hassan, a 32-year-old interior designer.

“I leave my office at 5pm, take Al Khail Road and the Infinity Bridge towards Al Mamzar. Traffic builds only after 5.30pm, so by 5.45 I am there without paying extra Salik,” he said.

He stops for a light snack, prays Asr, and starts his gym session at 6.30pm.“By avoiding Salik and traffic, I finish my workout at 8pm, get home by around 8.20 in Al Nahda, Sharjah, shower, spend time with my family, have dinner, and relax before bed,” he said.

Mohammed Shareef, who works at an automobile firm on Sheikh Zayed Road, changed his routine after calculating that peak-hour Salik was costing him over Dh250 a month.

“I asked to start at 7am and finish at 4pm, and my manager agreed,” he said. Now, he leaves just as the evening peak begins but takes a route that avoids the worst of it.“I am home early, I spend time with my wife and kids, and I still have time to go out. Before, I would get home exhausted after 7.30pm.”

Faiz (name changed), who lives in Latifa Tower, Al Nahda, has a Salik gate right outside his building.“I can skip the Al Mamzar gate, but I still pay Dh6 for Al Garhoud Bridge,” said the finance executive in Business Bay.

However, on his way back, he avoids both peak traffic and tolls by meeting friends at a coffee shop near Dubai Airport around 6.30pm.“We are starting a small business, so we talk for a couple of hours. By the time I leave, it's after 8pm, and the roads are clear.”

For Ahmed Al Dwari, a marketing executive, the beach is his escape. He leaves his office on Sheikh Zayed Road at 6.15pm and heads straight to Al Mamzar Beach.

“I jog for an hour or walk along the shore. By the time I leave, it's well past 8pm, so there's no Salik,” said Ahmed, who lives in Al Nuf, Sharjah.“I have lost weight, I feel healthier, and I am not wasting my evening sitting in traffic.”

Ahmed's brother, Husam Al Dwari, prefers a morning fitness routine. He leaves home at 5.30am, crosses the Salik gate for free, and jogs at Kite Beach before reaching his Al Quoz office by 7.30am.

By starting early, he finishes work at 3.30pm, gets home for a short rest, and then takes his and his brother's children to the mosque for Islamic studies.“It's a balanced day, work, fitness, and family,” said Husam.

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