Qatar Traffic Violation Syndrome...

Guess what, I had an accident yesterday. First thing I did was get out of the car, take pictures from all possible angles. Went to police station, showed the pictures, called the other guy took the police report.

After seeing the pictures, the cops justified that it was the fault of other guy. I hardly had anything to speak. It all took less than 10 minutes in traffic department.

today morning I went to QIC, took the tocken number, waited for 5 minutes presented the report. in less than 10 minutes I was out with QIC agent takeing pictures and my job was done.

I hope I will have same experience now at Toyota service center.

The wise person has long ears and a short tongue.

Me neither.

tallg, would you be with me?...can't speak arabic.

Take a risk then getsevilla - go contest your violation at the traffic department.

@tallg, you can contest and I know people who did.

Turns out it's just a small error (which should not have happened in the first place)

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Mr. Q's Blog - A Qatari's view on Qatar.

Amoud, sometimes and most of the time, taking risk

is more commendable, worthtaking and rewarding...at least something different could happen...

tallg, im just wandering if no history of "unpenaltied"

"road violation", there's no point of this conversation.

Tallg I agree... and I was going to contest it on pricipal but after I heard what was involved I said forget it, hence my previous postings of "Stuff happens" and "could be worse". I cant blame anyone for my lack of ambition, was just a wee bit p-oed to be out in the situation.

I take your point Amoud, but some people will feel strongly enough to do that.

Either way, getsevilla knows he has the option to go to the traffic department and contest it, but he seems resigned to not bothering and just paying the fine instead. So I still don't understand why he posted his question if he was going to pay it all along.

Get.. it does happen, but if it is a camera picture then you are out of luck.

Tallg you can take it to court, but after you have either taken the time off work, paid a lawyer if you feel inclined and take all the other days off work to process the complaint, pick up the verdict etc. it just isnt worth it.

Go and tell the policemand it is their responsibility to prove you did something wrong and he will tell you to prove you didnt. He told me the policeman saw me, that was enough.

If you can't be bothered to go to the traffic department to contest it then yes, you will end up paying it. Why did you bother posting the question if you're not going to act on the advice given to you?

Maybe I guess I will be ended up paying this

"mysterious" penalty as well...

But is there anyone of you out there who has

a "road violation" that was "unpenaltied"?

Go to the traffic dept.. if its not u.. they will waive it off... else they will show u.. wat u did..

Surely the onus is on the police to prove you committed a violation? Is there the option to contest a ticket in court?

lol, the policem asked me if he expected him to go and check out the cameras all over Doha to make sure of my whereabouts. In this respect... 1. Will the policeofficer that gave me the ticket say he made a mistake? 2. Will the police actually exert themselves enough to go and verify my whereabouts by means of security cameras in the airport. I think not.

funny you all say you can't do anything as this has been a complaint in the Arabic news papers and most people can contest, yet nobody tries.

If it's a photo violation, they need to show you.

If it's a police noted violation, then they'll need to show you the slip if requested.

@amoud, why didn't you prove you were in the airport. Plenty of cameras.

At the end of the day, there is human error, but there is also the factor of people feeling that they can't be bothered. And rightly so. Why do people have to spend "MORE" time sorting those issues out.

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Mr. Q's Blog - A Qatari's view on Qatar.

I would like to share my experience with the traffic violation. I got the SMS message (few months ago) saying that I have a penalty of about QRs.500 in regard to the traffic violation and the timing quoted was the early morning 4 O' clock. I got shocked cause I was sleeping at that time. But after I went to Madinat-Khalifa and saw the pictures taken by the Radar, I had no scope / chance to discuss anymore. That was perfect and It was my car which has crossed the signal at about 93 KMPH against the speed limit of 80 KMPH. I was basically confused by the timing quoted in the SMS message which was clarified later. All the best & keep an eye in the road always.

Go speak to the Captain and if required he will call the concerned Police Officer to confirm the voilation and if its speeding, then demand for picture.

Most of my firends who deined the voilation, later agreed after seeing the picture with there number plate. They just didn't realized that there is mobile radar units too on the road.

All the best...

The wise person has long ears and a short tongue.

let's put it this way: almost everyone commits small traffic violations from time to time and gets away with 'em..

here in doha they are quite damn good at catching you all the time!! one solution is to check the MOI site at regular intervals so that you don't have to spend your entire salary on fines LOL

**Sic dixit Zarathustra**

Ah, things could be worse. Stuff happens from time to time, and you are right, life isnt fair all the time. As adults we learn to deal and get on with it. Pity may be too strong an emotion... grated you do feel a bit taken advantage of when something like this happens and you have no control over it. All we can do is keep lodging complaints and perhaps it will get recognized as a serious issue.

Blah blah blah blah .... DONE!!!

so disgusting amoud...i pity you...how long does this

gonna happen....maybe by this time we should save

something for this cause

No sticker... just the fine I am afraid. I asked the police about this also and they said they dont need to put a sticker, if the policeman saw you then that is enough. Thats a bum system if you ask me.

I have also gotten speeding tickets while my car was in for service. I ended up paying these as well because when I went to the company to demand they pay they said I didnt sign the car over so it is no proof that I actually wasnt driving the car.

I would admit that...i got a parking violation at

the immigration dept., and i got a sticker.

Sounds like...nobody can beat the department...

would we or should we just live with that...sigh.

I thought they put a sticker on your car if it's a parking violation?

Too true, it is so hard to prove it wasnt you. Mine was a parking violation at Landmark. I know I was in the airport at the time. I told the officer that and he said "Maybe you are just trying to get out of paying, how do I know you are telling the truth" and so forth and so on.

Sometimes life just kicks you in the a**.... cant get around it

this problem has made it to QL many times.. the bottom line is that if police have a visible picture of your car and number plate you have to pay, even if the time of violation is not correct.. it happened to me, to a colleague of mine and to many QL friends..

dura lex sed lex!

**Sic dixit Zarathustra**

Yes its true! If the car is still movable in order not to cause too much traffic.

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”

Is it also true that when accident happens at roundabouts, traffic dept will fine motorist

for not pulling over on the side street?

hope next time it wouldn't be mine...=D

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”

Maybe you're right peppermint....ha ha.

Only if they're silly enough to pay without checking they actually committed the violation.

sorry amoud and bleu for saying "poor expats"....

thats dangerous .. even ppl. following rules are paying fines for violations that were never committed?

Too bad that their favorite number for that day is ur car plate!

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”

We get them too, it's not just the expats.

If it's a radar violation, ask for the photo.

Otherwise, you could always explain.

Go to traffic department. Explain situation.

My QAR500 cannot go just like that....we've earned it

for something else...its unfair...

I think you can contest any traffic violation at the traffic department.

Is there any complain section at the traffic

department?

Sounds like driving safely...mafi fayda....

Not just expats, locals also

If this thing keeps on happening....poor expats!

Is it possible for anybody (not working in traffic

department) who has connections, to report any

road wrong doings?

We cant do anything on that. I myself was a victim. QR 500 with out any violation listed. They just told me there is a fine of 500 riyals.

Charge it to experience and to your credit card!

Happened to me also, at Landmark. I was leaving the country that same day (my flight was at 8pm and I got the ticket at 6:38 pm). I ended up paying....

Sounds like nobody is having same experience....

same thing happened few months back to my

colleages and to my boss...they nothing to show

to justify....and they paid.