04 February 2006

Dubai: Motorists in Dubai are spending a fortune on traffic fines and the situation is not likely to get any better.

Motorists spent at least Dh150 million on radar violations last year, according to a recent Gulf News report. Radar devices caught 754,111 offending vehicles last year compared to 554,900 in 2004, an increase in nearly 36 per cent, police said. According to police, the traffic department of Dubai Police has already identified locations that need more radars, in order to monitor motorists exceeding the speed limit.

Are radars suitable to control speeding motorists, or are they used in vain? Is it possible to change driver's habits by fines?

Gulf News went to find out what residents in Dubai think of radar fines, and whether it can make a difference and curb speeding.

Mohammad Al Babbili, 35, a marketing manager from Syria, said no matter how many radars are installed or how many fines are paid, people will continue to speed. "These people have it inside themselves. If they want to drive fast and dangerous, nothing can stop them," he said.

Al Babbili never received any fines except a parking ticket two years ago, as he tries to abide by the rules.

Osama Hattini, a 40-year-old architect of Arab origin, has a different point of view and that fines should be doubled, or tripled, in order to have an impact at all. "Fines cannot put a price on a person's leg, or on a life, that are lost because of accidents caused by speeding," he said. Hattini, who has never paid a speeding fine, always stays within the limit as instructed on the roads. "If I do it, why can't they."

But not all motorists are compliant with the law as Al Babbili and Hattini, and continue to drive fast and pay hefty fines on account of their driving habits.

Twenty nine year old Ali Obaid, a UAE national businessman, paid Dh3,000 in fines last year, and is certain he will not change his driving habits because of radars. "I don't care about radars, and I'll continue to speed anyway," he said.

The purpose of radars is to make people drive slow but there are many ways to fool the system. "I see people drive very fast, and slow down when they see a radar. But when they pass it, they speed again," said Obaid. Even though drivers are affected by fines they can receive from speeding, it does not curb the overall way in how they drive. "Radar fines don't make any difference," he added.

Iranian Sahar Assadi, 24, a real estate sales agent, paid Dh5,000 in fines last year because of speeding. "I did not get any fine so far this month because now I know where they are situated, so I slow down," she said. If more radars are placed in the city, she will probably get caught, she said, but will learn the locations so as not to get caught the next time. "A friend of mine had to pay fines that reached Dh11,000, and she continues to drive the same."

Her colleague, Elahe Pasandideh, 32, said: "There is a radar right behind a trash container in Salah Al Deen Road in Deira. Tell me, is this the sort of place to put it?"

Technical adviser Peter Meroi, 30, finds the Dubai roads a nightmare and said speeding is not one of his main concerns. The majority of accidents happen because people are inexperienced. "Many truck drivers do not indicate when they change lanes and throw themselves around the roads," alleged Meroi. Driving licenses should be harder to get, he felt.

Voicing Meroi's concerns, Prakash Krishna Moorthi, 41, from India, said the issue of driving slow on the fast lane should also be a concern. "Speeding does not cause accidents but bad driving does," said the sales manager. Having paid his last fine for speeding of Dh400 two years ago, Moorthi has not driven past the speed limit since.

Commuters using taxis, who are constantly scared that they might be involved in an accident because of recklessness of others, have a positive outlook on the effect of radar fines.

Filipina Agnes Lalimarmo, 27, works as a sales assistant, thinks radars are doing a good job, especially on highways and more could be put on city's inner streets.

Roshini Nayanathara, 23, a Sri Lankan operation executive, believes if fines are raised, people will abide by the traffic laws. "Fines make them think twice before speeding."

By Mariam M Al Serkal

Gulf News 2006. All rights reserved.