A year of car ownership has sped by almost as fast as some of the drivers on the roads in Doha.

The time had come around to renew the annual car registration. That means a trip to the new Traffic Department building on Khalifa Street. Although this imposing building faces the main road, access to parking is around the back.

My first visit a week ago was unsuccessful. Although I had the correct documents, that is the car registration card and insurance document, there was only three weeks left on the insurance and it had to the for the next twelve months.

I renewed my insurance a few days later and went back again. It’s the standard deli counter ticketing system, but there were few people in the centre and a huge number of desks.

I was in and out in 15 minutes, although they start the registration from the day you re-register, not following on from the expiry of the previous one.