5 Interesting Facts About Abandoned Cars In Dubai. The internet is full of photos from Dubai showing premium cars like BMW, Bentley, Porsche, Ferrari, or Lamborghini standing in deserted parking lots and smoothly growing into the ground, covered with a layer of dust and sand. Is life in Dubai so good that owners just throw away hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cars when they get bored? Of course not. In fact, there are usually not very pleasant stories behind this phenomenon. We are going to explain the reasons for the appearance of thousands of abandoned cars in the United Arab Emirates in five simple facts.
5 Interesting Facts About Abandoned Cars In Dubai
Fact #1 Peculiarities of local laws
Definitely, no one in the right mind would abandon a car, the price of which is comparable to the cost of luxury apartments. In fact, the owners were forced to do that by some circumstances.
The point is that in the United Arab Emirates, as in most countries of the Middle East, there is actually no bankruptcy procedure. Recently, such a process can be launched by large companies, but not by private entrepreneurs. And certainly not individuals. To declare bankruptcy you will have to pay a huge fine or go to jail.
But since no one wants to be imprisoned, it is easier for bankrupt millionaires to flee the country, leaving real estate and vehicles to their fate.
But there is another reason why a supercar for hundreds of thousands of dollars can be on the roadside – an accident. It is easier for the sons of sheikhs, and for the sheikhs themselves, to buy a new Ferrari than to puzzle over where and when to repair a broken one.
Fact #2 Key is in the ignition
Before leaving the UAE, some businessmen leave notes in their cars apologizing that their autos are now destined to become real estate. Participants in accidents do the same. But the matter is not limited to notes – the owners sometimes even leave the keys in the ignition!
This is done to make it easier for special services to tow the car. However, this does not happen immediately. According to local laws, cars are moved if they block traffic, or when the car is in evidence. In other situations, sports and supercars can be parked for months.
Fact #3 Exclusive models
Under the laws of the emirate, owners cannot sell their valuable property if they are in debt. Even in order to pay off these debts. Therefore, you can meet absolutely any car from Honda Accord to Ferrari Enzo. This is not a typo! One day, the police had to evacuate a rare Italian supercar the price of which is over $3 million!
In general, if you are in Dubai and decide to see the very abandoned supercars, then explore the parking lots around the international airport, as well as the roads of the nearest suburbs. And if you want to drive one of the sports cars, you can rent it from one of the local rental companies.
Fact #4 Cars can be bought
And here we mean a completely legal purchase, with all legal documents, without the participation of dishonest dealers. Up to 5 thousand abandoned cars are towed to the impound lot every year in Dubai. Naturally, it is more profitable for the police to find a use for these autos than sell them for scrap. Therefore, law enforcement agencies conduct open auctions where you can buy rare supercars at very attractive prices. The money goes to the city budget.
However, one must take into account the fact that the cars have stood motionless for a long time under the scorching sun. They have not been serviced for the whole period. So such a purchase is a risky undertaking because the repair can cost more than the car itself.
Fact #5 Local Attractions
Photos of abandoned supercars and limousines in Dubai began to flood the Internet at the end of the last decade, becoming as much a tourist magnet as the local police on the same autos. So the authorities of the emirate, to some extent, should be glad to escaped bankrupts and careless drivers. After all, now this is part of the local flavor!
In a city where one in three is a dollar millionaire or billionaire, repairing a luxury car after an accident is nonsense. Desert racing has become a tradition in Arab countries. And after such races, it is easier for wealthy Dubaians to abandon a crashed car and buy a new one. The most carefree rich men may even forget about the parked car. When you have more than ten of these Ferraris, you might not notice the loss of one. For more interesting stuff please keep visiting here.