As someone who interacts with cops on what seems like a weekly basis, I don’t have an issue with the cops being strict, I have an issue with their inconsistency. Either punish illegal parkers all year round and punish them wherever they might be around Kuwait not just the downtown area, or don’t. These short campaigns don’t do anything in the long run. I liked their idea of taking license plates off since it seemed like less work for them when compared to towing a car, and so something they could do on the long run. But even that they weren’t doing consistently.
I got pulled over last month for not using my turn signal but this morning for example I saw a car drive the wrong way down the street and even though she passed a cop car, the cop didn’t pull her over or anything. Why is it ok to break the law sometimes? I love driving in Lebanon because its complete anarchy, you do whatever you want and nobody cares. But I’m also perfectly fine driving in the States or any European country where the rules are pretty strict and everyone follows them. I just don’t like being in this grey area right now where sometimes we’re punished and sometimes we aren’t.
Funny story, a few weeks ago some person cut in front of my friends car while I was with him and a cop happened to be behind us when it happened. The cop pulled both of our cars over and then the cop came up to my friends window and told him to come down and beat up the other driver who cut him off. NO JOKE. My friend told him he had a broken toe and had a cast on so he couldn’t go down so the cop told him ok he could drive off.
The other day on my way to the gym I saw police cars and tow trucks removing illegally parked cars in the downtown area. An hour later after leaving my gym, that same strip had cars illegally parked again. So I don’t think towing illegally parked cars is gonna solve the issue, not unless this is something they’re willing to pursue all day long and all year round. Thats just my opinion though…
23 replies on “Cops Towing Cars Away Now”
” and even though she past a cop car”
*passed
You got pulled over for not using your turn signal while turning? Man, you deserve to be deported for that! LOL – how could you???
And just wondering, how are locked cars towed? With the transmission in P mode and probably hand-brake on – aren’t all 4 tires jammed?
I use my turn signals so much I could easily be mistaken for a christmas tree. BUT I use my turn signals when there are cars around me to let them know what I am planning. If there are no cars I don’t use my turn signal. Cop wasn’t convinced but let me off with a warning.
If the car is in P which it will always be I guess the tow truck forcefully slides the car up onto the truck bed.
Wow, now that’s gonna cause serious damage. More than the running around to get the car back 🙁
A lion only hunts it prey when its stomach is empty.
-Totally made up ancient African proverb
To be honest, they dont know what they are upto. i see many people driving on the roads and speaking on their mobile. the cops dont even bother to catch them. but the moment they see an expat talking they pull over and fine them. Isnt the law same to all. In many cases innocent ones are targeted just because the cops have to meet their sweet target. Areas where expats live there is no sufficient parking which leaves the person to park behind or parallel. Cops are even targeting such ones. They dont have the guts to make the rule for building owners to provide parking space in every building.
i don’t think it has anything to do with racial discrimination, i just think its the mood of the cops. sometimes they feel like stopping people and ticketing them, sometimes they don’t care. i’m sure my weekly police stops with my Lotus has nothing to do with if i am an expat or not for example.
Maybe it’s cops who do their jobs and cops who don’t?
If your building doesn’t have parking then don’t buy a car. Simple. This is law all over the world. When people patk in the street blocking other cars they also block traffic flow. Creating traffic jams. And stop blaming locals, I live in Salmiya and expats take my parking or park me in at least once a week…expats…not Kuwaitis.
There is no fear on the part of drivers that they will be stopped. Perhaps on expat drivers who fear deportation, but generally, a woman can be driving while talking on the phone with a child on her lap and the cops will stop beside them and ignore the whole situation. They only make an announcement they are going to enforce for a couple of weeks then everyone knows it will go back because the police can’t be bothered, or they are afraid a Kuwaiti citizen will freak out on them and get them in trouble so they steer clear of anyone who looks like they might be a citizen. There would be no government deficit if they actually fined all the people that break the laws driving, not even taking into account parking violations.
The inconsistency of the laying down the law is the real problem. They will go back to their leniency in a couple of weeks.
I don’t mind towing cars as long is it is blatantly illegal, such as parking in the sidewalk or parallel parking on yellow black curbed roads
And please when towing cars tow them in a way that does not disrupt the flow of the road and cause a huge traffic jam…
No need to reinvent the wheel, traffic laws exist everywhere and are being implemented well. Only way to solve MoI issues is to outsource all their services to another country.
here’s a question…around 10 years ago, when they construction boom began for residential buildings, many landlords built buildings on plots of land and encroached what were then the sidewalks… the new buildings extended the old compound walls and the sidewalks were made slopes and were now marked as parking spots. so there are no sidewalks anymore. can the cops now tow away cards parked in front of the building on what used to be sidewalks/pavements?
Few months back my car’s number plate was taken because i parked on the side of Salam Mall which seemed like parking as there were no sign boards or yellow black pavement anyhow. as soon as i removed my car there were other cars behind me waiting to park i don’t understand why would people still park there when they can see cars without number plates. i would have never parked there if i knew ofcourse.
They ought to have meter maids who can monitor continuously and issue citations.
I was talking to my brother the other day about this and think the only solution to the problem is to set stricter laws and apply them. If someone is in violation of parking, driving reckless etc…, incinerate the vehicle. Would anyone even think of breaking the rules if that were the case? Just saying. And if they still do break the rules then that would make life easier for the MoI with reducing cars (may lead to reduced traffic).
Taking off number plates has actually made Kuwait more dangerous.
PS. Arrest the people who build a high raised building without parking. Kick the ass of the one in charge of city planing. Fire the one in charge of public transportation
THEN I WILL TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY.
So true. Most people would prefer to park in an legal spot. Fine the building owners and city planners involved.
hmm is there a way to report cops that arent doing their job?
Outsource , outsource , outsource.. put up a contract for private companies under the authority of the MOI to tow cars parked illegally. Let the company set up roaming 10 man tow truck teams with a supervisor in all areas and be given the authority to tow illegally parked trucks 24/7 around the country. Double if not triple the teams in more known problem spots like downtown and souk areas.
The team’s supervisor only has to call it in to MOI’s traffic operations , wait for a traffic unit in the area to pull up,flash his lights and watch the team can go to work.
The cop only has to sit comfortably in his air-conditioned unit and do crowd control and deal with unruly offending drivers.
If the private companies are incentivised to fill in a certain quota per month and work 24/7 .. yes even during the late night, then there will be a change. Think about 20 or 30 cars a day from a certain area or from any area where illegal parking is known to be rampant …. if word got out that those areas were famous for getting your vehicle towed would you really take a risk of parking there again or even for the first time illegally ??
lool
I agree 100% Mark. I’m in full support of greater enforcement but it needs to be consistent for behaviors to change in the long run.
Is there a number you could call to get a car towed that is patked in the road blocking others? Obviously you won’t call the emergency number for something like this.