Cardboard police cars keep speeding drivers in check

UMM AL QUWAIN // Speeding drivers have been slamming on the brakes at the sight of a police patrol car parked by the side of the road in Umm Al Quwain.

In the event of a car chase, however, they would probably have escaped. Despite its authentic paint job and flashing lights, the “patrol car” on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road was a cardboard cut-out.

Fake or not, it convinced drivers heading northbound on the busy E311. Mohamed Rihan, 26, an Indian sales engineer, hit the brakes when he saw it.

“From about two kilometres away while travelling to RAK, I saw a red siren blinking on the right side of the road, which resembled that of a police car,” he said.

“As there was no radar around, I slowed down from 140kph to 120kph.

“When I passed by I was surprised to find a car-shaped board with a red police car drawn on the front side and with blinking lights.

“Today I came by the E311 to RAK but did not see it. I come here twice a week and I saw it only once on Saturday.”

Mr Rihan thought the idea to slow speeding motorists was a good one.

Mohammed Abdeen, 30, a business development manager from Jordan, saw the fake car last Friday and was another to be fooled.

“I reduced my speed but, when I became close to it, I noticed it was just a model with lights on it,” he said.

“I had to ask my wife if what I saw was right or not because it made me confused.”

Umm Al Quwain police would not comment on the success of their ruse. The cardboard cut-out was in place for a few days before being removed, and police declined to say if it would become a regular feature.

roueiti@thenational.ae