This is a tale of two cities, and my recent entanglement with the law in each. Nothing dramatic, but it has prompted me to question whether common sense could have sparked a different outcome.
Both incidents involved parking, one in Abu Dhabi and one in Dubai. In Abu Dhabi, I parked on a patch of open sand opposite a building I was visiting. Other cars were also parked there and I had previously used the same spot. Convenient, off the road and causing no problems. Since the building I was visiting has insufficient parking of its own, it made sense to use the sand.
Mawaqif, Abu Dhabi's parking body, decided some months ago to erect a small sign saying that it is now against the law to park on the sand there. I didn't see the sign, didn't realise and got the fine, which I paid.
After a bit of an awkward start, the rolling-out of the new system overseen by Mawaqif has made major improvements to parking in Abu Dhabi. There is still scope to sort a few things out, but, by and large, good progress has been made.
I completely fail to understand, however, why empty patches of sand cannot be used for parking until they are fully developed. The rule seems a little redundant and is not always applied with the same meticulousness, depending on where you park. On other sand patches in the city – including one I used without any problems outside a police station – dozens of cars are parked but no tickets are issued, despite the same Mawaqif sign being present.
The incident in Dubai involves a more complex tale.
Four months ago, I was surprised to receive notification of a Dh1,000 penalty from Dubai traffic police for parking in a downtown area one Saturday afternoon. On that day, I had been in my office in Abu Dhabi, with my car parked outside.
After emails back and forth and unsuccessful attempts to navigate the online system to appeal against the penalty, it became apparent that a visit to Dubai was required. My wife and I spent several hours going from one police station to another, eventually arriving at the one where the policeman who had issued the ticket was stationed. He was not on duty but a helpful sergeant helped us to fill in a form to appeal against the penalty. There must have been some mistake in writing down my car number, we said. If a photograph of the offending vehicle was examined, it would be evident that it was not mine.
We were told, though, that no photographs are taken in such cases. I would simply have to lodge the appeal and go to court.
Ten weeks later, I received notification of the date of the court hearing. Another trip to Dubai would be required and I had an important meeting in Abu Dhabi that morning. Despite numerous phone calls, however, we couldn’t find anyone in Dubai Police who could give us an email address to which we could write requesting a delay in the hearing. I thought of simply paying the fine, rather than going to the court, just to get rid of the problem. That seemed a bit risky though.
So I went. The judge asked me whether I could prove that my car and I had been in Abu Dhabi. I answered that it was, surely, for the authorities to prove my guilt, rather than for me to prove my innocence. I offered to pay a sum equivalent to the penalty to any nominated charity if any evidence was produced of my car being anywhere in Dubai on the day in question. In the event, after a long wait, I was informed that the ticket was cancelled.
Others in the courtroom that day told me of similar incidents. One couple had been in Indonesia when their car received a penalty. Another person had been in Bahrain.
I assume that in my case, the individual who recorded the alleged violation made a mistake in entering the car number on the system. That might explain other cases, too.
Perhaps there could be a rule that in parking cases where no paper ticket is issued and placed on a car’s windscreen, a photograph must be taken to provide evidence of the violation. That would resolve a lot of these disputes and save a lot of time.
Such a change of procedures could be implemented easily and help make parking in the city fairer for everyone.
Peter Hellyer is a consultant specialising in the UAE’s history and culture
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
