Sharjah: Car mechanics who modify engines to produce a louder and meaner sound are squaring off with police who are looking to enforce a new law aimed at silencing motorists who break the sound barrier with their noisy car exhaust.
Shop owners say police are permanently confiscating cars and quad bikes belonging to motorists from their garages. Senior police officials, however, deny the claim.
The showdown stems from a decision taken recently by authorities to close down any workshop in Sharjah found to involved in modifying exhaust systems of cars or fixing other fittings which enhance the sound of the vehicle's engine.
Owners of garages claim that Sharjah Police are closing down workshops which modify cars or add accessories, even when those workshops are not involved in modifying exhaust systems.
Brigadier Abdullah Mubark Al Dukhan, Deputy Director of Sharjah Police told Gulf News that police are not confiscating modified vehicles inside workshops.
However, he confirmed that any workshop found modifying cars or quad bikes will be closed down.
"We will have zero tolerance for those who modify cars because they put lives in danger such as adding oversized tyres, higher percentage tinted windows or any other kind of car modification," he said.
"You need expert technicians to carry out modifications on cars. A vehicle is under risk of exploding if the work is carried out by unqualified technicians," he said
He said police have already confiscated large numbers of modified cars and quad bikes, whose engines were modified since the issuance of the new decision. "Confiscated vehicles will not be returned to owners under any circumstances."
‘Doors are open'
Brig Al Dukhan said any workshop owner who feels that police were unfair "can come to us and our doors are open," he said.
Meanwhile, automobile workshops' owners have told Gulf News that they have shut down their workshop.
Ahmad Mohammad Abdul Hamid, an Emirati from Khor Fakkan, said he took a bank loan of Dh700,000 to establish his workshop. "I abide by the law," he said.
The owner said if his workshop is closed he will not be able to pay his debt and he could end up in jail. He said modifying cars is legal in the country. There are large number of clubs, he said, for modified cars and quad bikes. There are even car races and shows held for such vehicles, he added.
"Driving such cars on the roads is not permitted.However, if some motorists break the law, is it the fault of the workshop owners?" he asked.
Another Sharjah workshop owner named Faisal said he is facing financial ruin. "We and our workers have families to support and banning us from doing this business could ruin our lives," he said.
