Faulty vending machines in different parts of the UAE are causing public misery as thirsty customers lose money when they try to buy a beverage. However, it has come to light that some technicians may be deliberately creating problems in the machines in order to make a fast buck.
According to sources, there are about 2,000 vending machines in Dubai that dispense mineral water, soft drinks and juices.
Many customers feel angry when they lose money in faulty machines and call the companies that installed them to complain.
But customers and traders who live and work near the machines believe that technicians are rigging them in order to take the money.
A few machines kept outside the Dubai Municipality Al Ghubaiba office have not been working properly for several months.
Ismail K Abdulla, a trader in Bur Dubai, said: "I once lost Dh3 that I inserted in a machine to buy a soft drink.
These machines take money and do not give back anything. I have seen many customers curse the company after losing money.
"We have [witnessed this over] the past six months. Now we warn people [not to] insert coins," he added.
Aziz M, another Dubai resident, said: "There are many faulty machines in Bur Dubai and Deira. Some machines work for two or three days and then stop. Technicians come and collect the coins accumulated in the machines.
They get a good amount of money without selling a bottle of soft drink.
"We put warning notices on the faulty machines. Even the red indicators to warn customers about faulty machines do not work. There is no way to get back these coins," he added.
"After I lost three coins, I called up a number displayed on the machine, and it did not work." However, machine companies have hit back at the accusations and blame the problem on the alleged misuse and vandalism of machines by customers.
One manager at a leading vending machine company said: "Some of our machines [do not work] because some customers abuse them.
"This year alone, our machines in Al Mamzar Park were damaged and replaced 22 times. We find cigarette butts, chewing gum, bottle caps and telephone cards inside that disrupt the machines. Tourists... [use] their own national coins [to] try to get water or juice. We found Iranian coins in faulty machines.
"Inside machines, there are small computer networks programmed to recognise UAE coins. Coins of other countries disrupt the machines.
"Some machines are [vandalized] to [rob them of] water and money. The problem is serious in Al Jazeera and other parks in Sharjah," he added.
Dubai Municipality said its responsibly is to ensure that the machines are kept in hygienic locations.
"When we give a licence to install vending machines, we make sure that they are not kept near garbage bins or other unhygienic locations.
"It is the company's responsibility to maintain the machines," said a municipality spokesman.
By VM Sathish
© Emirates Today 2006
