# Dubai Driving Complaint Telephone



## Mattuk (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi, 

Recently I heard that there was a telephone number you can phone to register a complaint about some ones bad driving and they will get issued a fine around 200 AED I think. I have tried searching google for the number but have had no luck, does anyone no the number? and if anything actually happens to the drivers if you complain?

Thanks in advance

Matt


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## cobragb (Mar 15, 2010)

dial 800-2626 or send a text message to 2828


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## HamishUK (Oct 20, 2009)

This sounds like a bad idea to me, if you get on the wrong side of someone or they get the plate wrong then you could get a 200d fine, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

As far as I am aware an individual's sole complaint cannot be considered. A witness is required to any action to be considered, otherwise, as Hamish says, it could be used erroneously.
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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

I read something about this in the paper yesterday ... but thought it was an Abu Dhabi initiative.. can't find anything on google.. .but ...the chances are if it was online the info would be incorrect anway..


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## Nightshadow (Sep 21, 2010)

I wish something like this existed in the US... seems every guy on the road just so happens to also be "god" and does as he pleases.


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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

lol.. wait till you get to dubai nightshadow..


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## Mattuk (Jan 17, 2010)

From what I have heard the driver who gets the compliant only gets a fine and no black points. I agree this service could get abused but I also think that we should be able to do something I almost got run off the road this morning and I cant just let the driver get away with it I would like him to get something even it it is only a fine.

Matt


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Mattuk said:


> From what I have heard the driver who gets the compliant only gets a fine and no black points. I agree this service could get abused but I also think that we should be able to do something I almost got run off the road this morning and I cant just let the driver get away with it I would like him to get something even it it is only a fine.
> 
> Matt


Lesson Nr 1: When someone wants to go past you, it is a lot easier to just move over. A lot of drivers are aggressive and will run you off the road just to make a point that the road belongs to them. Some will even chase you and believe you me, from the point of view of an eye witness, it is absolutely scary!
The police also need to take a more proactive approach to this problem and tackle dangerous drivers. In Abu Dhabi, the police are driving around in really crappy little cars and lying in wait for dangerous drivers and pulling them over. You should have seen the local on the Arab lady's face when the crappy little Yaris that she's just been tailgating switched on its lights and pulled her over - priceless!! They are also putting up road blocks for those that drive on the hard shoulder and fining them. These are little steps but they do make a lot of difference.

Personally, I would say to put it behind you as a bad experience - it has happened to all of us at some point and give it a while, you will also be picking up these bad habits and turning into the crazed maniac behind the wheel (I know you're probably thinking no way would you do such a thing but give it time - maybe not to the extent of the crazed maniac but... It's unlikely that the police will do anything about it as it is just your word against someone else's. They will most likely tell you that they will check it out to appease you but that's probably as far as it will ever get.


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

Maz25 said:


> In Abu Dhabi, the police are driving around in really crappy little cars and lying in wait for dangerous drivers and pulling them over.


If I remember correctly, a few months back in Abu Dhabi they also gave "discounts" of 50% on all traffic fines accrued to "encourage people to drive safely"


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

rsinner said:


> If I remember correctly, a few months back in Abu Dhabi they also gave "discounts" of 50% on all traffic fines accrued to "encourage people to drive safely"


Not quite true but as someone who drives on these roads every day, I cannot fault them for past ridiculous ideas. If we are being fair, the 50% discount was actually to encourage people to come and clear old fines. They are making a genuine effort to tackle dangerous drivers and from where I am standing, it has made a huge difference. Most people do not need a 50% discount on fines when they know that the police are lying in wait for them cause that is enough to deter them from committing the offence and getting fined in the first place. I meet more policemen on the road in Abu Dhabi than I do in Dubai and that is a big step forward when it comes to deterring reckless drivers!


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

The number I have is 80043543, i have used it once when someone overtook me on the left hand side while i was in the outside lane in a stream of traffic. I was told that they logged the complaint and didn`t do anything until the same nimber had been reported three times. Usual Dubai folklore.


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## newbie913 (Aug 31, 2010)

This is mainly a rant…. But taxi drivers in Dubai are increasingly starting to annoy me soo much so that I would rather walk places. Who am I kidding, I cannot seem to walk 5 blocks without melting so taxis it is.. Bad experiences:

U tell the taxi man where u want to go and he stays silent. So u assumes he knows where he’s going but HE DOES NOT have a clue.

My friend got into a taxi from the atlantis and was supposed to pick us up outside the dubai marina metro. The meter was read AED 64 when she reached us coz apparently he didn’t know the metro station was. Wtf

My friend was visiting from the UK and we had a lovely evening in Dubai mall watching the fountains, shopping and all that. And then the taxi man had a 5 min conversation swearing his head off to his friend on the phone in tamil (and then starting abusing us). I understood the whole conversation and felt pretty disgusted. Arrgh so yes I wish I could complain about these and other incidents every single time. I have developed such a bad attitude now that when I enter a taxi I am just rude and snappy!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

You can call the RTA taxi complaint line at any time...
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## Mattuk (Jan 17, 2010)

I agree 100% about your complaint about taxi's I get taxi's every weekend and it's a nightmare I would call the RTA but it's nearly every taxi I get in that scares me or annoys me. They either spend the whole time on the phone or speed for the journey and when I ask them to slow down a bit they get rude. I remember a couple of years ago when taxi drivers were really nice and you could have a convosation with them but now its a different story

Matt


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Interesting. This is not my experience with taxis. 

I find that a frendly hello on getting in goes a long way, as does checking they know where you want them to go. It does seem that the newbies seem to get the new drivers so neither know any routes. If that's the case get a different cab.

If the driver is on the phone, tell him to end his call and hang up. If he refuses, tell him he won't get a tip and that you are calling the taxi company right now. Then do so. Dubai taxis will take action against drivers who behave dangerously or rudely.

Taxis are much better than they used to be. Those who have been around a few years will rmember how bad many used to smell...
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## newbie913 (Aug 31, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> Interesting. This is not my experience with taxis.
> 
> I find that a frendly hello on getting in goes a long way, as does checking they know where you want them to go. It does seem that the newbies seem to get the new drivers so neither know any routes. If that's the case get a different cab.
> 
> ...


I usually have no clue where I am supposed to be going so I need to sternly watch the taxi man’s every move lol and I usually try and find out beforehand roughly how much my fare should cost and when it starts to go over that mark, I start to get agitated…. A friendly hello I find is pretty much useless or they see it as a chance for some flirtatious banter and that peeves me off even more!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

newbie913 said:


> I usually have no clue where I am supposed to be going so I need to sternly watch the taxi man’s every move lol and I usually try and find out beforehand roughly how much my fare should cost and when it starts to go over that mark, I start to get agitated…. A friendly hello I find is pretty much useless or they see it as a chance for some flirtatious banter and that peeves me off even more!


Well I am going to disagree with the 'friendly hello'. It shows that you are a decent, polite person and everyone deserves some courtesy, unless they demonstrate otherwise.

Can you imagine what a rotten job being a Dubai taxi driver is? Sitting on your own for 12 hours a day for a lousy wage? No surprise that some of these guys are desperate for some conversation.
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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> Well I am going to disagree with the 'friendly hello'. It shows that you are a decent, polite person and everyone deserves some courtesy, unless they demonstrate otherwise.
> 
> Can you imagine what a rotten job being a Dubai taxi driver is? Sitting on your own for 12 hours a day for a lousy wage? No surprise that some of these guys are desperate for some conversation.
> -


For the most part (from my experience at least), a 'friendly hello' is perceived as an invitation to whinge and moan about their life, their job, the last passenger who failed to tip (now I could have told him why the last passenger did not tip & why I have no intention of tipping either after all the whinging!) or anything else that they care to think about. I'd much rather travel in peace and quiet, without listening to all their complaints. I politely pointed out to the last whinger that every one has problems and compared to your typical labourer, he is living a life of luxury. At least it got him thinking long enough to shut him up!

Some taxi drivers are nice but most of the ones I've met act like they are doing me a massive favour by driving me around. I only get in a taxi when I take my car for service - I'd rather go out and not drink all night if it means not getting into a taxi! After 2 years here, I have an unbearably short fuse when it comes to taxi drivers and I prefer not deal with them unless I absolutely have to. I get in the taxi and give them directions to where I need to go and leave it at that (yes, most of them claim that they know where the place is when in reality they do not have the faintest clue and are secretly hoping that neither do you!)

My two-pence anyway but can't say that I've had enough good experiences to like the taxi drivers here.


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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

....I have never had a problem apart from the odd crazy driver (but its about on par with the other drivers you see!) 

I agree if you get in, say hello and are friendly you dont tend to have an issue... We have had some hilarious conversations with drivers  

If a taxi drive is grumpy (which I have found a couple of time with 10dhs fairs) you can just sit quietly and its really no problem for me that they are having a bad day!


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