Dubai may ban car parades

Motorists may be banned from celebratory road parades if a suggestion by Dubai Police finds approval.

The suggestion was made by Dubai Police in view of the hazardous behavior of some of the participants who ignore rules in the name of celebrations.

Major General Mohammed Saif al Zaffin, Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police told a press conference on Tuesday that he would be making a formal request to the police chief in this regard. Such celebrations, he said, was doing more harm than good as seen during the recent National Day celebrations when some motorists engaged in dangerous driving.

The police had issued 661 fines, some of them in absentia, during the National Day celebrations. He said all the fines were issued on December 2 and 3 between 10pm and 4am on the Jumeirah, Al Mamzar and Al Dhiyafah roads where much of the parading were done.

Police records show that 145 of the fines issued on these two days were for obstructing traffic, 108 for causing noise, 91 for decorating vehicles beyond limits, 124 for reckless driving that could endanger peoples’ lives, and 37 for littering in the areas where the parades were held. Police impounded 147 vehicles for dangerous driving and decorating beyond reasonable limits.

He said a ban on such parades is being proposed due to several reasons including the havoc they cause on roads, air and noise pollution, the large scale littering that these events leave, and endangering lives of people.

Stressing that he is not against celebrations, Zaffin said it should be done in a civil manner without causing disturbances to people around and by following all the laws.

He said some residents even pack from their homes in areas where such noisy celebrations are held and move to hotels to avoid the disturbance.

According to traffic rules, cars with significant changes in their appearance – even  if they are done in celebration – will be impounded for 30 days besides a fine of Dh500 slapped on their owners. Noisy cars are also dealt with in the same manner. Driving dangerously attract a fine of Dh2,000 besides 12 black points.
 

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