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Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Old Jun 12th 2019, 10:13 pm
  #1  
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Default Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Hello everyone,

I have tried to ask about this problem in other forums but so far had no response. I rented a car in Abu Dhabi from Dollar Rent a Car for less than 24 hours. About three weeks after the rental, I suddenly received and invoice from them for for 4,750 UAE Dirhams. It was not even clear what it was for. When I wrote to them later, they sent 11 total alleged traffic infractions, none of which are on any kind of letterhead. The location of the alleged infraction and the infraction itself are written in Arabic.

At this point I have no idea what traffic violations I am accused of committing. Has anyone heard of this kind of problem in the UAE? Some of the alleged infractions are just one or two minutes apart. Is there a department in the government that I can contact to inquire about the claimed traffic violations? Do you have any other suggestions?
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Old Jun 13th 2019, 3:22 am
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by UAE visitor
Hello everyone,

I have tried to ask about this problem in other forums but so far had no response. I rented a car in Abu Dhabi from Dollar Rent a Car for less than 24 hours. About three weeks after the rental, I suddenly received and invoice from them for for 4,750 UAE Dirhams. It was not even clear what it was for. When I wrote to them later, they sent 11 total alleged traffic infractions, none of which are on any kind of letterhead. The location of the alleged infraction and the infraction itself are written in Arabic.

At this point I have no idea what traffic violations I am accused of committing. Has anyone heard of this kind of problem in the UAE? Some of the alleged infractions are just one or two minutes apart. Is there a department in the government that I can contact to inquire about the claimed traffic violations? Do you have any other suggestions?
If you have the car number plate go on the Abu Dhabi police website and run the traffic fines report yourself. You should see in English the exact time and location.

Good luck. You might be in for a long ride.
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Old Jun 13th 2019, 4:12 am
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

If you speed along the Corniche at 85, you could in theory get 4 speeding fines in 5 minutes. Cameras are quite frequent in Abu Dhabi


Originally Posted by Millhouse


If you have the car number plate go on the Abu Dhabi police website and run the traffic fines report yourself. You should see in English the exact time and location.

Good luck. You might be in for a long ride.
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Old Jun 16th 2019, 4:40 am
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

UAE_Visitor, were you just in town for business, or have you lived in the UAE?

Traffic violations have long been policed with speed cameras, and they are all over Abu Dhabi. For hire car companies, the police generate a report at the end of the month and send it to them which is why there is often a lag time in their notification to you.

Sometimes, like on the E-11 west of the city, the speed cameras are quite obvious and clearly located, and set to not flash unless you are over the limit by 20 kph.

Sometimes in the city they are not as obvious and are set to go off quickly.

I would do as Millhouse said, especially since it is entirely possible the hire car company simply got its dates wrong in the computer or whatever.

If you are already out of the UAE, there may be little you can do.

Good luck.
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Old Jun 17th 2019, 7:21 am
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

In my 9 years as a UAE resident I got caught speeding twice. The second time being in a hire Yaris the day before we left in 2014 with the cars already sold and possessions shipped. We were holed up in the Eastern Mangroves Suites and I was a bit pedal to the metal on Salam Street.

I did challenge the hire company and they sent evidence - bang to rights.
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Old Jun 23rd 2019, 5:33 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by Millhouse


If you have the car number plate go on the Abu Dhabi police website and run the traffic fines report yourself. You should see in English the exact time and location.

Good luck. You might be in for a long ride.
Thanks for your advice! I have tried what you have suggested, but the website is asking for Traffic Symbol (T.C. number) which I don't have and don't know what that is. Does anyone know what this is?
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Old Jun 23rd 2019, 5:37 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by sman987
If you speed along the Corniche at 85, you could in theory get 4 speeding fines in 5 minutes. Cameras are quite frequent in Abu Dhabi

I haven't been able to figure out exactly where were were at the times that they claim, but we drove from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain, then to Dubai and back to Abu Dhabi. We weren't driving along the Corniche at all as far as I can tell.
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Old Jun 23rd 2019, 5:42 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by carcajou
UAE_Visitor, were you just in town for business, or have you lived in the UAE?

Traffic violations have long been policed with speed cameras, and they are all over Abu Dhabi. For hire car companies, the police generate a report at the end of the month and send it to them which is why there is often a lag time in their notification to you.

Sometimes, like on the E-11 west of the city, the speed cameras are quite obvious and clearly located, and set to not flash unless you are over the limit by 20 kph.

Sometimes in the city they are not as obvious and are set to go off quickly.

I would do as Millhouse said, especially since it is entirely possible the hire car company simply got its dates wrong in the computer or whatever.

If you are already out of the UAE, there may be little you can do.

Good luck.
Thank you Carcajou for your information... I was in the UAE as a visitor and only stayed for two days. I rented the car for about 22 hours. We asked Dollar Rent A Car about the police and any risks, and they did not flag the possibility of getting $1,300 USD in fines! It is completely outrageous and disturbing that a company and/or a government could get away with something like this. It seems like a textbook case of bad governance. You can't keep fining people if they're not even aware they're breaking the law.
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Old Jun 23rd 2019, 5:45 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by flares
In my 9 years as a UAE resident I got caught speeding twice. The second time being in a hire Yaris the day before we left in 2014 with the cars already sold and possessions shipped. We were holed up in the Eastern Mangroves Suites and I was a bit pedal to the metal on Salam Street.

I did challenge the hire company and they sent evidence - bang to rights.

Thanks for your reply. I have replied to the company and they sent some .jpg files that show a time, the amount of the fine, but the key information is in arabic, (such as what the alleged infraction is and where it allegedly took place). It also does not look official, not letterhead, etc.
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Old Jun 24th 2019, 4:59 am
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by UAE visitor
Thanks for your advice! I have tried what you have suggested, but the website is asking for Traffic Symbol (T.C. number) which I don't have and don't know what that is. Does anyone know what this is?
use the Dubai police website. TC not needed.
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Old Jun 24th 2019, 10:56 am
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by UAE visitor
Thank you Carcajou for your information... I was in the UAE as a visitor and only stayed for two days. I rented the car for about 22 hours. We asked Dollar Rent A Car about the police and any risks, and they did not flag the possibility of getting $1,300 USD in fines! It is completely outrageous and disturbing that a company and/or a government could get away with something like this. It seems like a textbook case of bad governance. You can't keep fining people if they're not even aware they're breaking the law.
Pretty sure AVIS nor Hertz would warn me at LHR of every speed trap,red light camera or other infraction that could get me ticketed without me knowing..

Whilst the UAE and UAE companies have their issues, what you are talking about is simply being completely clueless about how to drive in the UAE.....
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Old Jun 24th 2019, 6:06 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Keep in mind that in Abu Dhabi you no longer get the 20kph buffer. The limit that’s posted is the limit.

I got 2 300aed tickets within 45 seconds, completely down to me I missed the sign as I came off the motorway.

Not hard to run up that much in fines in 22 hours if you’ve been speeding.
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Old Jun 24th 2019, 6:09 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by UAE visitor
I haven't been able to figure out exactly where were were at the times that they claim, but we drove from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain, then to Dubai and back to Abu Dhabi. We weren't driving along the Corniche at all as far as I can tell.
The route you took there are probably hundreds of speed cameras, not hard to rack up fines if you are heavy footed
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Old Jun 24th 2019, 6:33 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by UKMS
Keep in mind that in Abu Dhabi you no longer get the 20kph buffer. The limit that’s posted is the limit.

I got 2 300aed tickets within 45 seconds, completely down to me I missed the sign as I came off the motorway.

Not hard to run up that much in fines in 22 hours if you’ve been speeding.
They told us there is an 20 kph buffer in Abu Dhabi, but not one in Dubai... or perhaps it was the other way around.

What I see as a recurring theme in the responses is a tendency to blame oneself for what is an inhumane, computerized system... You had a 2,300 AED find within 45 seconds and you think that you deserved it? That seems ridiculous and it's inhumane.

If it is true and I am forced to pay more than $1,000 in fines from a one day car rental I will always hate the UAE and I will never forget or forgive the way that they treated me. I do not find it to be acceptable and I will never agree that I deserved it.
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Old Jun 24th 2019, 6:35 pm
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Default Re: Problem with Dollar Rent a Car UAE

Originally Posted by UKMS


The route you took there are probably hundreds of speed cameras, not hard to rack up fines if you are heavy footed
I don't believe we were speeding and again, their inhumane, robotic system does not inform you that you are violating the law, so how would you know that you are incurring thousands in fines?
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