Nobody likes getting a traffic citation. They’re annoying, but part of driving and something many drivers get over their lifetime. But, for the most part, these citations are just a small fine. For one British tourist on holiday in Dubai though, it wasn’t just a small fine.
The driver, identified as Farah Hashi (25) from Newport in Wales, had visions of grandeur on his trip to the United Arab Emirates. And why wouldn’t he? Dubai is the unofficial land of supercars and other exotic rides.
To fit in, Hashi visited a local car rental — Saeed Ali Rent a Car — and picked up a sporty little number for a two-day rental. After plopping down $1,600 for the rental fees, he went exploring the city in “his” Lamborghini Huracan.
Over the course of the next four hours, our speed demon racked up a staggering 33 traffic citations in the V10 Lambo. He achieved this in a most impressive way: by setting off every single speed camera on Dubai’s main drag. One camera on the Sheikh Zayed Road recorded him at 150mph, and he triggered two of them less than 60 seconds apart. That’s either deliberate or one incredibly unaware driver.
As you’d expect all these tickets also carry a hefty fine. Just how much? A stiff 70,000 dirham ($19,000) along with DH100,520 ($27,000) in police impound fees. In total, the driver’s right foot is responsible for over $46,000 in fines.
But there’s a catch. According to the The National, the car is still with the Hashi, at the Five Palm Jumeirah Hotel. The co-owner of Saeed Ali Rent a Car, Faris Iqbal, is currently attempting to get it back but he isn’t trying too hard. That’s because if he succeeds the cops will impound the car and he’ll be responsible for the fines.
Obviously, Iqbal doesn’t want to pay the fine, nor should he. He’s even attempted to stop the tourist from leaving the country, paying over $300 to unsuccessfully apply for a travel ban.
Hashi, via his brother, claimed that Iqbal showed up to the hotel and demanded his passport when the fine came though. Iqbal tells a different story, stating that Hashi left the passport as collateral when he initially picked up the car. Despite this, Iqbal fears that the tourist will simply get a new passport from the British Embassy and skip town, leaving him with an expensive mess to clean up.
Hopefully, it all comes to an end with the tourist learning a valuable lesson in road safety and responsibility.
We have updated this article from an earlier version, to reflect new information.
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