UAE | Traffic and Transport

Abandoned vehicles left to rot in Dubai

Tecom and The Greens are particularly affected according to residents, who complain that dirty, abandoned cars are taking up parking spaces.

By Alice Johnson, Staff Reporter
Published: 00:00 July 19, 2010

Image Credit: Syed Mohamm ad Sajl/Gulf News Reader
Abandoned cars are obvious once they become very dirty. Many have their number plates removed so that the owners are more difficult to trace.

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Dubai: The number of abandoned cars keeps on increasing just as the level of temperature this summer.

Tecom and The Greens are particularly affected according to residents, who complain that dirty, abandoned cars are taking up parking spaces.

Two abandoned cars are very evident in one car park that was recently dug up for redevelopment — the two cars have been left standing in their original spaces while the rest of the area has become a construction site.

See picture gallery: Abandoned cars around UAE

"It's quite crazy [the situation]", Prince Thomas, 30, Indian marketing executive and resident of Tecom told Gulf News. "I hope the police pick up these cars as soon as possible. The more the cars keep lying here, the more people will do it," the Dubai resident of four years said.

In Thomas' residential road, eight abandoned cars take up 16 per cent of the roadside parking spaces.

Comments (17)

Added 18:54 July 19, 2010

I am working in Al Rais Center from past 5 months. To get parking in front of my office is like to win a war. Even in this situation there is 1 car occupying a parking space may be more than 7 months with RTA sticker already on it but no one cares about it.

Zakir Hussain, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 18:32 July 19, 2010

My second post on this issue! Thank your for the assistance of help Binu, but this is a commercial idea, it is estimated that there are well over 45,000 dumped cars in sharjah and dubai, if you only made Dhs 1000 profit per car !thats DHS 45 MILLION !!!(and there are Porsche and Mercs sitting out there), I have a S55 AMG that has been "living" near me for nine months with no plates, if the owner does not want can I have it PLEASE!!!!!!

martin hoyle, sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Added 16:03 July 19, 2010

I have been in karama main area of lulu its very rushy area in front of mosque there were one car about in each parking lot through out my stay in that area of one year. by the way its area in front of dubai muncipilty :) shud we call them to inform abondeoned cars in front of your office?

Adeel, dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 16:01 July 19, 2010

i have had and until this day have about 4 abandoned cars just on the street on my walk to work. this doesn't count the cars in the dirt lots that have been there since i moved in over 1.5 years ago and this is in barsha by the MOE. not to mention the singage they post on the vehicle, it might help for it to stick if they actually wiped the dust off the windshield before the futily attempt to stick it to the car. just saying. CJ

cory, dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 14:41 July 19, 2010

The comments about removal don't stack up with the presence of abandoned cars in public places. For example there is a Green BMW X3 that has been abandoned on the main road close to the Yacht Club in the Marina and has been there for almost 2 years. The cars are just left - there are many many more in car parks under apartment blocks and in the airport but there is little action in removing them. The idea suggested above about passing to private company is a good one - this will give some urgency to the issue.

David, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 14:08 July 19, 2010

I see abandoned cars in Al Warqa Area.. A BMW and a Pegeout.. both of them are here for more than a year.. These cars just dont take the parking space but also must be creating environmental issues..I'll call today to the relevant authority to remove these abandoned cars

Adnan Khan, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 13:58 July 19, 2010

Charging Drivers who need to collect their vehicles is not a good solution. It is great that the authoritys are bringing such issues as we see a lot of abandond cars that are parked for months. For instance every friday near my church there is a 4 wheel parked in the muddy area since months and inspite of the Slip placed by the municpality the vehicle is not towed. but i just wanted to know . what if the driver who owns the vehicles gone on long leave and there is no one to take care of the vehicle. we have reached a stage where you cant believe any one these days so many of us do not intentionally park our vehicles for so long. Of course i have heard that when the challenges started there was a place where most of the drivers had just dumped their cars and vanished as most of them lost their job. in order to solve this issue the owner of the vehicle can contact the RTA dept prior to leaving their vehicle and get an approval or even if that doesnt work the best solution is to auctioned the car off as there are a lot of people who would like to drive especially in this scroaching heat. even if that doenst work then the authorities has to Sell it off.

Mathew Litty, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 13:16 July 19, 2010

100% agree with Martin Hoyle and martin iam also willing to do some social service if contacted

Binu, Dubai, India

Added 13:06 July 19, 2010

There is a stunning Antique Cadillac opposite Aster medical center in Gardens, lying around for over a year in the same parking spot. The tires are completely deflated and the rims are practically on the ground. This one could be a prized possession for any collector of antique cars. However, at the moment it just seems abandoned to me. Who know's the owner of the car may not even be living at Gardens any more, or may have left UAE for good, or just a careless owner who dosen't care about the car at all.

latif, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 13:01 July 19, 2010

Dear Friends, We have so many Abandoned vehicles .This vehicle can be used our fortunate people of country other than GCC . In GCC car may be fashion statement but in some place it really serious thing. I suggest Gov of UAE should come forwarded and make use of this Cars. I hope this Point will go to into waste,

Mohammed Sarfaraz, Dubai, India