25 May 2008
Local news round-up: TAG, RTA, etc
TAG Heuer just signed up local hero Mohammed Bin Sulayem to endorse their watches in print ads. The interesting bit is that Sulayem said he will donate all the money he makes from the deal to charity.
Around town, unregulated diesel prices have gone up to Dhs 17 per gallon in Dubai, and expected to go higher. Meanwhile, ADNOC in Abu Dhabi continues to sell diesel at Dhs 8.6 per gallon.
In other news, in an attempt to appear commuter-friendly, Dubai’s RTA has announced that they will “allow” people to carry passengers to work or wherever, provided they apply on the RTA website for a certificate registering the names of a maximum of four people that they want to carry in their cars. If you are caught without such a certificate, and the passengers are not your frigging relatives, you’ll be fined Dhs 5000.
And now, some more entertainment, courtesy of Dubai taxi drivers. A taxi driver became so angry when his female passenger asked him to go in a different direction during the journey that he stopped, dragged her from his cab, hit her and stole her mobile phone. Apparently he was going the long way round and the Filipina asked him to take a certain shorter route. When she tried to call the police, he took her phone and drove off. The loser cabbie is now in court, but many say this is becoming a common occurence in Dubai.
In a bit of news off the street, Dubai police patrols are now hanging around some areas issuing fines for various offences. Mustang owners have been fined for having dealer-installed racing stripes while not having a “two-colour” permission from the RTA or the CID or whoever. And Lancer Evolution owners have been fined for, unbelievably, having their front number plate stuck on the left side of the bumper instead of the centre (as designed by the factory), since officers claimed it’s an illegal modification. All this, among the usual fines for having any sort of sticker on your car. And you thought speeders were a priority.
The moral of today’s story is to buy your own personal sticker-free non-diesel car to avoid all sorts of fines and fights, and continue to whine about traffic and taxis.
by thatsit(mohamad), on May 25 2008 @ 11:40 pm
hahahahhahaha….the taxi story is so funny…i think she deserved that…
and about the stickers…we can buy car with modifications in the engine from the factory without fines???am i right???? or its also included as the stickers!!!!
by Zao, on May 26 2008 @ 12:45 am
lol dubai police is the most profit making organisation in dubai i guess…..their turnover must be better than those real estate companies in dubai……
by Zao, on May 26 2008 @ 12:47 am
holy shit! we need a dubai police permission to take someone in our car….god knows when do we need permission to take our family in our car….
by Zao, on May 26 2008 @ 12:47 am
thank god i am living in abu dhabi and auh police is bit more sensible i guess…..
by Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury, on May 26 2008 @ 2:04 am
Actually, you need RTA permission to carry unrelated people in the car. You need CID permission to put stickers on your car. Highly tuned factory cars are not considered “modified” of course. Otherwise my BMW would’ve been illegal.
by cb, on May 26 2008 @ 7:04 am
you mean for eg. if me and my friends decide to go to a movie, we have to be in seperate cars??
by Zao, on May 26 2008 @ 1:12 pm
lol yeah CB ask them to come in seperate cars….or else get a permission by givin ur friends name to RTA….lol u wont find such brainless rules in any other country in this world….thank god now i dont need to take my collegues or friends for party or dinner…..moreover i should think about gettin a roadster or coupe soon…..
by deathberry, on May 26 2008 @ 5:50 pm
Will any 10.2 ltr. supercharged diesel car with stickers from every 3rd party manufacturer possible on top racing strips still be fined by Dubai police if the car is registered in any other emirate (eg. UAQ/ Fujeirah)? Especially if the guy who just happened to not be my relative is in the passenger seat admiring the front plate on the side of the bumper?!
Please lawd, say it ain’t so!
by Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury, on May 26 2008 @ 7:19 pm
I for sure know stickered cars get fined in Sharjah. They really need the money, so show your support!
by Zao, on May 26 2008 @ 7:49 pm
lol yeah donate money to dubai & shaj police by putin stickers on ur car and takin ur friends in ur car….hey mash i have a doubt….do they consider cool air intake as illegal extra?
by Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury, on May 26 2008 @ 7:53 pm
Things like cold air intake are normally not caught. Also, expensive cars will probably not be caught for carlifting.
by Ace, on May 27 2008 @ 12:27 am
Carlifting is usually aimed at suspicious corollas and sunnys I guess..
And why is modification not allowed ?
Its not as if aftermarket parts are made in afghanistan.
Most automobile companies have a racing division. Like Mercedes races in F1, DTM, GTR. Like Bmw races in F1, GT etc…Toyota races in rally, f1 and so forth..and they bring development into production cars.
So if you’re using these parts whats the hassle ?
Im not convinced that curbing speed is the real motive.
by deathberry, on May 27 2008 @ 9:34 am
The real motive is to feed the families of the police officers.
On a different note, I’m not sure what exactly they test during a car’s registration process, but let’s say that apart from a cold air intake, you also modify the suspension and exhaust (granted it doesn’t fart) will the car still be passed?
by Zao, on May 27 2008 @ 1:28 pm
since long time modifying exhaust systems in considered illegal in uae…..they say that such modifications are main cause for fire…..by the way Mash waht about ECU modifications like those done by companies like digitec?