(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) An Emirati man who was driving a US style vintage police car along Jumeirah Street in Dubai, with the overhead lights flashing, was cautioned recently for violating traffic rules.
Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police Major-General Mohammed Saif Al Zafin on Monday said the seized car looked like a police vehicle used in the United States. "The car is (a) vintage Chevrolet Impala SS model in black and white colour."
The car, he said, was seized when the Emirati man turned on the red and blue lights fixed on the roof of the car, resembling a local patrol car. He was seen by a traffic policeman who was off duty. The officer immediately called the nearest patrolling police car, which proceeded to track down the suspected driver, before intercepting him and impounding the car.
Maj-Gen Al Zafin did not elaborate on how long the car would be kept in the impoundment yard of Dubai Traffic Police.
The driver, H.M.A., was later summoned to Al Barsha Traffic Department for further questioning.
Maj-Gen Al Zafin said when the man showed up at the department, he produced a permit issued by the Department of Tourism of Sharjah which had given approval to register the car. Furthermore, the man showed another permit issued by the Sharjah Old Cars Club, as he claimed he is using the car in auto races outside the country.
It was revealed that the permit issued by the Department of Tourism did not include approval for installing police-like overhead lights nor the black and white colour of the vehicle, which were said to have been modified after purchase by the Emirati motorist. The latter modifications were an infringement of the traffic rules and laws applicable in the country.
Maj-Gen Al Zafin stated that two traffic violations have been registered. The first violation is for making modifications on a motor vehicle, while the other is driving a car that resembles a police car.
"The car was taken to the impoundment yard," he said, affirming that the UAE traffic laws ban installing police-like overhead lights, as well as sirens, on cars: "Whoever commits such a violation shall risk being booked for several traffic infringements, as per the law."
"The car has not yet been released from the police's impoundment yard until it serves the legal seizure term," Al Zafin said.
By Salah Al Deberky
