Ozbek

I was driving northbound on the Dammam highway near King Fahd airport earlier this week. The speed limit along this stretch of road is 110 km/h so I slowed down to 105 km/h (put it on cruise control just to be sure) because I knew there was a fixed speed camera around here. I soon reached the camera and had a start when I saw it flash. Checked the speedometer and sure enough, it was at 105 km/h.

Later on, I plugged in my iqama # to query my traffic violation status here: http://www.moi.gov.sa/wps/portal/moi...ic/violations/
It didn't work, it just keeps refreshing the query input screen.

Questions for the KSA brain trust:

• Anybody else get zapped by a speed camera in KSA even when you're going under the limit?
• Did you contest it?
• Let's say you were driving next to a car that was going >110 km/h (while you were going at or under the limit) and the camera went off. Is the speed tracking system smart enough to realize that only one car is speeding or do both of you get bagged?
• Does the MOI query work for you?
• I've heard that if traffic fines are not paid, you get stopped at the customs check point when you try to leave the country and get turned back. True or false?

Millhouse

The chances of successfully contesting a speeding fine are less than zero. If you get the fine, suck it up like a good boy and pay it.

Andyapr

well a few weeks ago i was travelling near the marina mall in dammam and i crossed from one lane to another and a camera flashed and i was the only car on the road and i didnt here anything so it could just be a glitch in the software.... but if you do get ticket there is no way you be able to get out of it....

sicklyman

the English MOI website for challenging these fines is broken. I'm with Millhouse. You just have to suck it up and pay it. Ask around and you'll find that many Saudi's have been in the same boat and have not been able to challenge these fines either. On the whole, the camera system is hated and serves only to raise money for a system that does not give it back as generously as it should.

sicklyman

BTW, you'll know if you actually have been fined because you'll get a message to your mobile phone with a reference number to pay it. No message = no fine. Go about your business... albeit a little more cautiously.

Beakersful

Locals say it can take a month to come up on the system and that's annoying enough. Like the odd parking ticket that never comes on the system and you're not getting told to pay at the border when you go over repeatedly. I check on my online banking for these things, nothing has ever come up.

With fixed cameras there's little translation issues. But if the camera was in a vehicle then generally one flash means "slow down" and two is "you're caught".

You could have warned other road users of the camera vehicle and then you get double flashed under the speedlimit just to wind you up, no fine payable.

FriendlyExpat

I have been flashed loads of times by speed cameras in Saudi, but nothing has ever been registered against my iqama, so I wouldn't worry. I even once got a parking ticket (!) but again it was never registered.

But do check the MOI website occasionally. It uses the same database as the airport customs guys, so if its clear, you're OK.

Ozbek

Thanks for your input, gents. I don't suppose it matters much that I was driving a rental at the time, since the rental agency will have no qualms about dobbing me in if the fine is directed at them.