Abu Dhabi: It is that time of the year when UAE residents wear their patriotism on their sleeves – and some on their cars.
As the country gears up to celebrate National Day on December 2, it is not just the streets and government buildings that are getting decked up in national colours. Residents, both nationals and expats, are getting their cars spruced up in the colours of the UAE flag – red, green, black and white – and emblazoned with larger than life portraits of national leaders as they prepare to celebrate the big day. While UAE nationals readily splurge on their cars to parade their national pride on wheels, expats aren’t lagging behind either in paying their tributes the country.
Ahmad Al Qubaisi, a 29-year-old Emirati, said he and his friends compete among themselves to see who has the best decorated car.
“We love our country. And the National Day is an occasion to flaunt our patriotism and we go the full length,” said Al Qubaisi, who works for a government company in Abu Dhabi.
This year Qubaisi is planning to spray-paint his car with the UAE national emblem, flag, picture of Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque and portraits of leaders. “Everybody decorates their cars using stickers. I want to do something different,” said the Emirati.
“Painting the car is definitely more expensive than using stickers. It will cost me about Dh15,000 and more. But I want my car to stand out when I take it out on the streets on December 2,” said Qubaisi.
The National Day fervour is not confined to Emiratis alone. Indian expatriate Jerome Johnson, 39, said he has decked up his car for every National Day in the past five years. “It is just a way of expressing our gratitude to the country that has given us everything. If I and my family lead a peaceful and prosperous life, it is because we are in the UAE,” said Johnson, who works as a chief accountant in a semi-government company.
Brisk business
He will be taking his car to Mussafah next week to have it decorated with flags and other accessories worth Dh2,500.
With just over a week left before the big day, car accessory shops in Abu Dhabi have also stocked up on stickers and accessories to meet the surging demand. Many shops said they do business worth Dh100,000 and more in just one week.
“We are already booked for the last week of November. On an average, we are hoping to take in 14 to 15 cars a day for decoration,” said Hamza Elouarak from Quatro Car Accessories in Mussafah.
Elouarak from Morocco said he charges around Dh1,000 to cover the entire body of a four-wheel drive with stickers. “It takes us about three hours to decorate a car. We do not do painting as it takes more time and costs more,” he said.
Some shop owners said their business has been affected after they moved out of Salam Street two years ago.
“We lost out on our female customers as they are hesitant to come to this industrial area. Most of our business for National Day now comes from men,” said Anjum Hamza, a shopkeeper from Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Police have issued guidelines on car decorations through online brochures. Covering the windscreen with decorations is forbidden, and drivers have been warned that those who flout the regulations will be fined.