Motorists warned against attempts to dodge Saher

9POSTS

15 years ago

Motorists warned against attempts to dodge Saher

By ARAB NEWS
Published: Jul 19, 2010 23:43 Updated: Jul 19, 2010 23:43

RIYADH: Following reports of a huge decrease in the number of traffic violations and road accidents with the introduction of the Saher system in Riyadh, the city聮s traffic police have issued a warning that anyone caught using radar detectors to evade the new monitoring system would be severely punished.

Col. Abdul Rahman Al-Moqbil, director of traffic in Riyadh and chief of the Saher system, said anyone caught using such devices would be stringently punished, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported.

Al-Moqbil聮s warning follows online reports about the availability of a new device called Cobra 15-Band Radar that can detect speed cameras and police radars. The device, which costs SR1,200, can notify users about all types of highly advanced radars, including the ones used by police. The device is also undetectable.

聯Whenever we find someone guilty of using such devices, we will take strict punitive actions against them and hand over them to the concerned authorities for prosecution,聰 he said.

聯We had discussed several possibilities and attempts to bypass Saher. Therefore, we introduced a highly advanced traffic violation monitoring system that reduces the chances of violations to the minimum.聰

Col. Al-Moqbil sought the support of members of the public to find those who use such devices. 聯People who are determined to commit traffic violations intentionally will be dealt with firmly,聰 he said.

Saher is a state-of-the-art traffic management system that can monitor vehicles and track them using license plate recognition technology. The system, which was initially introduced in Riyadh province, will cover other regions within a few months.

Under its first phase, traffic tickets are being issued to motorists who speed and run red lights. In its second phase, which will be launched at the beginning of Ramadan, tickets will be issued for not wearing seat belts, stopping at zebra crossings and turning off headlights.

The system has been instrumental in substantially bringing down the number of traffic violations in Riyadh.

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MisterStretch ViP

805POSTS

15 years ago

The court system will collapse from overwork.

Tickets for speeding?聽 Hell, you can pass the highway police doing 130, 150, I've seen people pass them at over 200kph...ticket?聽 HAHAHAHAHAHA

Tickets for running red lights?聽 What are red lights?聽 Doesn't seem like many motorists know the difference between one color and another.聽 Ticket?聽 There is a police "post" next to the intersection down the street.聽 Ticket?聽 HAHAHAHAHA

And now you want to give people a ticket for being smart enough to buy a radar detector?聽 Straighten out your driving culture first...hahahahahahaha

Sparrow Serial expat

435POSTS

15 years ago

how many fingers do you loose for this?

Nelson17 Contributor

127POSTS

15 years ago

Nice people using their horns at me when I am legally waiting at a red light for the right turn little light to go green.

Salman Omrani VIP Member

1389POSTS

15 years ago

im glad you people find humer in this. but I'm one of the happier people. saher is sure decreasing alot of accidents. accidents that claimed the lifes of so many.. i hope they fix out the bugs soon though.

Salman

WTENGEL Active member

66POSTS

15 years ago

I agree whole heartedly Salman. Since the Saher system has been put in place, I have seen a drop in accidents IN TOWN.

Unfortunately we are still responding to the horrible accidents on Thumamma road and out towards the Janadriyah area. There won't be monitoring there for a long time, as it is so rural. This is where the bulk of the traffic fatalities come from, is the accidents out in this region.

Anyway, as for the progress being made in town, it is making a difference. The problem with the police enforcing the regulations is somewhat complicated. First, the police are always having to watch their backs in order to avoid ticketing or stopping someone with "wasta." Second, the police here will generally not get into a vehicle pursuit because if they damage their patrol vehicle, they have to pay for it out of their own pocket, regardless of whether it was duty related or not. Third, the police officer's level of motivation is commensurate with his level of salary. You connect the dots...

The Saher system takes the responsibility off of the police, which will increase effectiveness...

Anyway, working in public safety here in Riyadh has given me a little bit more insight into the police officer's mindset. I am not saying it is right, but i can understand where they are coming from.

MisterStretch ViP

805POSTS

15 years ago

I agree that any move to reduce traffic fatalities and accidents is a good thing, Salman and WT.

Let me explain the humor some of us find in the situation.

#1 If you want people to drive safer, first educate them, don't hit them over the head with a board.聽 They will look for ways to avoid the board...education is something that becomes part of you.聽 The importance placed on education in this culture cannot be any lower than it already is without eliminating it entirely.聽 Wasta always wins.聽 Tribal connections always win.聽

#2 The expansion of this program to the other provinces and cities is problematic, at best.聽 Educating the police would seem to be a higher priority.聽 There are laws on the books, they are not enforced.聽 Saudi police - as police - are a joke.聽 They don't do their jobs.聽 Saudi police aren't a joke when they have their hands on your freedom, future or livelihood and again don't follow the law. Wasta always wins.聽 Tribal connections always win.聽 Rule of law is a farce here.

#3 A young Saudi in a car is oblivious to everything outside his car.聽 Spend some time on the road watching youth drive. If they aren't on the phone, it's cutting up with mates in the car with them.聽 They have no respect or responsibility to anyone else on the road.聽 They are in their own little world and to hell with everyone else.聽

Do you really want to lower traffic fatalities?聽 Educate everyone.聽 Remove wasta. Empower an educated, well-paid police force.聽 Enforce the law.

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

15 years ago

MisterStretch wrote:
Do you really want to lower traffic fatalities?聽 Educate everyone.聽 Remove wasta. Empower an educated, well-paid police force.聽 Enforce the law.

Earth calling MisterStretch!!

Of course you're right but this is 'pie in the sky,' at least at present.聽 They had to start somewhere to try to make an immediate difference and saher is it.

Hopefully over time, your suggestions will be implemented.

WTENGEL Active member

66POSTS

15 years ago

Unfortunately Type 1 punishment is the only thing that will work now. The situation has gone on for too long un checked...

Fidgety Soul ViP

1950POSTS

15 years ago

#10

Saher,Misterstretch has just confess something.
Catch him plz:lol:

and Nelson u r funny

Salman Omrani VIP Member

1389POSTS

15 years ago

#11

I'm loving this conversation. be back for more.

MisterStretch ViP

805POSTS

15 years ago

#12

Saher,Misterstretch has just confess something.

What did I confess?聽 I see others breaking the law.

I'm an angel. A pie-in-the-sky angel (I realize that, Allie, but it IS the solution...just not going to happen here).

Please go on about your business.聽 Nothing to see here.聽 Nothing to see...just more pie in the sky...nothing to see here.

hahahahaha

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

15 years ago

#13

MisterStretch wrote:
Please go on about your business.聽 Nothing to see here.聽 Nothing to see...just more pie in the sky...nothing to see here.

hahahahaha

musicman ViP

3180POSTS

15 years ago

#14

If education was a piece of cake in KSA then we would all be back home working our butts off to put food on the table....

WTENGEL Active member

66POSTS

15 years ago

#15

You would think with all the "consulting" westerners do in KSA we would eventually put ourselves out of work. No end in sight though...

Nelson17 Contributor

127POSTS

15 years ago

#16

Perhaps everyone on the road should take a driving test and get a licence?

I saw a 10 year old driving a ninja around

jillndave Serial expat

367POSTS

15 years ago

#17

Yep, they start them young. The car in front was weaving down the road doing about 100k. As I passed it I saw a boy of 3 or 4 sat on his dads knee steering. The Dad was using his mobile too.

I feel hard done by as my Dad never let me do that.

musicman ViP

3180POSTS

15 years ago

#18

Mine never let me do that too....

As for mobile usage while driving I see them all tne time on the highway with a ciggy in one hand and a mobile in the other with the steering in-between.

I think mobile manufacturers will think of something to include a steering control as a button on their instruments, soon. Nokia, are you listening?

MisterStretch ViP

805POSTS

15 years ago

#19

I think mobile manufacturers will think of something to include a steering control as a button on their instruments, soon. Nokia, are you listening?

There are hands-free systems out there, microphone set above or in the sun shade, controls on the steering wheel.

As much as I don't like Oprah, I am also a proponent of cars as a "no phone" zone.

WTENGEL Active member

66POSTS

15 years ago

#20

As I mentioned earlier, the public safety personnel (police, fire, EMS) are some of the worst about using phones while thy drive. I hardly ever see any of the police or Red Crescent employees drive by who do not have the cell phone attached to their ear.

It has taken me a few months, but I have finally convinced my Saudi partner that he should not use the phone while he drives, especially if I am in the car. I am still working on getting him to use his seatbelt, but I was happy to see him installing a CAR SEAT for his baby the other day in his personal vehicle...

I suppose if I can convince one person every three months, in a matter of 2 million years or so, I should be done with Riyadh and can move on to Jeddah or Dammam.

musicman ViP

3180POSTS

15 years ago

#21

great achievement, indeed. The fcar seat for the baby is massive. Usually the baby is holding the wheel on his Dads lap.

Never ventured, never won! Go for it young man.

spitfire8 Active member

71POSTS

15 years ago

#22

Just so I know I didn't miss something here, (B/C I thought the question about taking a driver's ed class to get a license was a "Given") are you saying that males of any age can drive in KSA AND that they are not required to take a driver's class AND that licenses are either non-existent or not based on a test??

(Gee, good thing adult women who've never had accidents or tickets AND took driver's education, can't drive there...)

Seriously though, if 10 year olds and tots on their dad's knee's REALLY are driving, no wonder there's a problem. (Seems like radar detectors are not the danger!!)..Driver's ed is not that expensive or burdensome to implement, esp compared to the costs and burdens of accidents. Yikes, on second thought,聽聽I think I see a few advantages to having a driver now.

musicman ViP

3180POSTS

15 years ago

#23

The biggest danger in KSA are PARENTS....

MisterStretch ViP

805POSTS

15 years ago

#24

musicman wrote:
The biggest danger in KSA are PARENTS....

Or those masquerading as parents.聽 Actually, they are just the biological producers of offspring...if that's you definition of a PARENT...then they fit the bill.

If your definition of a PARENT is to teach responsibility, accountability and ethics...sorry, but for the most part you are S.O.L. here.