Parked on hard shoulder with hazard light on?

It is not okay to park your vehicle on hard shoulder even with hazard lights on – unless there is an emergency.

Many motorists may not be aware of the potential fines and black points that they can invite from the Dubai Traffic Police for traffic rule violations.

A Dubai press photographer recently discovered this hard shoulder rule the hard way – when he was fined Dh200 for stopping his vehicle on the hard shoulder on Emirates Road to click pictures of a burning truck. Within minutes, a Dubai Police patrol found the vehicle parked with hazard lights on, and the motorist was issued a fine of Dh200.

Like many drivers in Dubai, the fined driver too thought it is okay to park on the hard shoulder to make a phone call, eat or to just take a short break.

“I was under the impression that it is not a traffic rule violation to park a vehicle in the hard shoulder area (yellow line), but the Dubai Police official advised me to be vigilant because such parking is prohibited on the highways,” he said.

“Parking on the hard shoulder except in cases of emergency is a traffic rule violation and the fine for this violation is Dh200. No one is allowed to park on the hard shoulder. In case of an emergency like a technical problem in the vehicle, parking is allowed, but the motorist has to put the triangular hazard sign and switch the hazard lights on and then call the emergency number of Dubai Police. Parking in any other manner on the highways is prohibited,” a Dubai Police officer said.

In addition, overtaking on the hard shoulder can invite a fine of Dh600 and six black points, while driving a vehicle without a number plate can invite Dh1000 fine, 24 black points and 50 days’ vehicle confiscation.

Parking in prohibited areas, parking on pavements or abusing parking space can invite a fine of Dh200 and 3 black points each. Driving below the speed limit incurs a fine of Dh200 and stopping the vehicle on the road without any valid reason or using interior lights for no reason while driving can also invite an unnecessary traffic fine of Dh200 and Dh100.

Parking in fire hydrant places, space allocated for people with special needs and ambulance parking will invite a fine of Dh1,000 and 4 black points.

Those with less than 6/6 vision and driving without their prescribed spectacles or contact lenses may receive a fine of Dh100. Also be aware that opening the left side door of a taxi can invite you a fine of Dh100 and 3 black points, and pedestrians crossing from undesignated places get a fine of Dh200, according to Dubai Police.

Not giving way to pedestrians on pedestrian crossings invite a traffic fine of Dh500 and six black points, while throwing waste from vehicles onto the roads involve Dh 500 fine and 4 black points. Stopping vehicles on a pedestrian crossing incurs a fine of Dh500, according to Dubai Police.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.