Car confiscation for speeding in Dubai

Car confiscation for speeding in Dubai

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Hitch78

Original Poster:

6,117 posts

201 months

Monday 15th February 2010
quotequote all
I have a friend who may or may not have been witnessed by the Dubai Fun Police doing 'a fair whack' above the speed limit in on his commute home this afternoon.

Given that this specific, 'whack', may have been >60kmhs above the speed limit my friend is a little concerned that he may soon recieve a 1000 dirham fine and have his car confiscated for 30 days.

Now this would be no great pain, he tells me, as he has a second car. But he's also worried that if they confiscate his car they'll also take his license which will of course result in a month of taxis and may be a pain in the arse.

Does anyone know if this is the case? I'd like to put his fears at ease.


Mattt

16,663 posts

225 months

Monday 15th February 2010
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In AUH, a friend had to send hers to Car Jail - she just borrowed another car and drove that around - therefore I assume there's no license issues. Unless they tot you up on black points at the same time?

85Carrera

3,503 posts

244 months

Monday 15th February 2010
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Guy at work was going to have his car confiscated. He just paid a higher fine instead. Not sure how much extra he had to pay, though.

Hitch78

Original Poster:

6,117 posts

201 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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Sounds promising, I couldn't find anything about surrendering your license last night either.

I'll erm, pass the good news on....

Chilli

17,320 posts

243 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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Hitch78 said:
I'll erm, pass the good news on....
Yes....Yes, make sure you tell him!
Big fine and no worries. Couldn't you, I mean your friend have offered a little "compensation" by the roadside to settle the matter...or is this not the done thing here?

ymwoods

2,186 posts

184 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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From reading a development blog a while back, I was under the impression you did not get points over there? It was just a fine and if you were taking the piss then they take the car for so long.

thb

303 posts

181 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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You can get points on your licence in the UAE - up to a maximum of 24 a year! These then get taken off once the fines are cleared at the end of the year. If you rack up more than 24 in a year, you may lose your licence for a short period of time - or should you have enough Dirhams or Wasta, you may get away with it.

It's only the big speeding tickets that land you with points. I've been stung about 10 times in the past 3 years and have never had a point added to my licence, though I've had plenty of Dirhams taken from my wallet!

jezzaaa

1,890 posts

266 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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85Carrera said:
Guy at work was going to have his car confiscated. He just paid a higher fine instead. Not sure how much extra he had to pay, though.
Just been through this. I got a 1000 dirham fine and 12 black points for 126kph in a 60 limit! Must've been a temporary limit in road works between Al Ain and Dubai I think as I'm never knowingly exceeding that much in residential areas etc.

Anyway, you can't pay the fine online like with others, so you have to go to the police station. There, you pay the 1000 fine and they confiscate your car for 30 days. You can stop the latter by paying a further 3000 (300 per day). So 4000 dirhams lighter...but no loss of car and no worries!

J.

Hitch78

Original Poster:

6,117 posts

201 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
quotequote all
jezzaaa said:
85Carrera said:
Guy at work was going to have his car confiscated. He just paid a higher fine instead. Not sure how much extra he had to pay, though.
Just been through this. I got a 1000 dirham fine and 12 black points for 126kph in a 60 limit! Must've been a temporary limit in road works between Al Ain and Dubai I think as I'm never knowingly exceeding that much in residential areas etc.

Anyway, you can't pay the fine online like with others, so you have to go to the police station. There, you pay the 1000 fine and they confiscate your car for 30 days. You can stop the latter by paying a further 3000 (300 per day). So 4000 dirhams lighter...but no loss of car and no worries!

J.
Interesting, though 4k is a HEFTY fine. Do they specify the exact car that they expect you to attend the station in?

sinizter

3,348 posts

193 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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700 pounds. Wouldn't mind the option of paying that much rather than be banned for going over twice the speed limit.

Harris_I

3,237 posts

266 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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Chilli said:
Couldn't you, I mean your friend have offered a little "compensation" by the roadside to settle the matter...or is this not the done thing here?
Go straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect 200 dirhams.

I would love a bit of honest corruption to be honest, that way at least you could beat the tedious bureaucracy out here, but no, absolutely under no circumstances should you ever offer a government employee any form of inducement or your feet won't touch the ground.


Chilli

17,320 posts

243 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
quotequote all
Harris_I said:
Chilli said:
Couldn't you, I mean your friend have offered a little "compensation" by the roadside to settle the matter...or is this not the done thing here?
Go straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect 200 dirhams.

I would love a bit of honest corruption to be honest, that way at least you could beat the tedious bureaucracy out here, but no, absolutely under no circumstances should you ever offer a government employee any form of inducement or your feet won't touch the ground.
Hmmm, wise words. I doubt I'd ever have the front to try TBH.

Asterix

24,438 posts

235 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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I've got to get my car registered again soon.

I paid off all the fines (don't ask) except one in Ajman that can't be paid off and says I have to contact the police department to sort.

I'll let you know what happens!

Chilli

17,320 posts

243 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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A mate was telling me last night about this couple who had an almighty row, and decided to split. She was so mad, she took his motor, and drove consistantly up and down the SZR, resulting in 27,000 dirhams in fines.

sinizter

3,348 posts

193 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
quotequote all
Chilli said:
A mate was telling me last night about this couple who had an almighty row, and decided to split. She was so mad, she took his motor, and drove consistantly up and down the SZR, resulting in 27,000 dirhams in fines.
Almost as bad as selling the car for £100.

PapaHett

2,124 posts

182 months

Thursday 18th February 2010
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I just dropped by here.. Car jail? Does that actually exist.. That's amazing!

Hitch78

Original Poster:

6,117 posts

201 months

Friday 19th February 2010
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Much better than 'sweating in a box in the desert and cosying up to Mohammed jail' in my mind...

bob1179

14,115 posts

216 months

Friday 19th February 2010
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Uncivilised bloody country.

Here in sunny Russia, should the local constabulary pull you for any motoring offence (other than drink driving, they have actually started taking that seriously as it is still a bit of a sport here) you pay the nice large hatted gentleman a 1000 rouble (20 pounds) 'on the spot' fine and all paperwork and issues seem to disappear.

The bizzies get their salary 'uplift' and I can continue on my merry way.

If you have a 'local' in the car, the fine usually drops to 500 roubles...

smile

Hitch78

Original Poster:

6,117 posts

201 months

Thursday 25th February 2010
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Ten days and counting and still no news - all previous speeding tickets have been notified in a week.

Is this a good sign?


Chilli

17,320 posts

243 months

Thursday 25th February 2010
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Hitch78 said:
Ten days and counting and still no news - all previous speeding tickets have been notified in a week.

Is this a good sign?
Probably, but don't get your hopes up....They can only go one way after that!