Traffic Police

[Sharm4me]

We got stopped in a police checkpoint last night and got fined 50le for having a sunvisor in the rear side window anyone else had a petty fine like this ?

[Silent Diver]

There's a whole list of new traffic regulations come into force - apparently they were in an Egyptian paper a week or 2 ago.
The fines range from 50 to 1000le!!
If you can't pay on the spot then your vehicle gets impounded for 3 months!
Obvious ones like seatbelts & lights at night time (yes that's official now!) are easy & common sense but i heard the latest 'it can only be Egypt' one today.
You are now required by law to carry a first aid kit in your car and have to produce it when stopped & asked to do so by the police or it's a 300le fine.
Nothing unusual about that I hear you all say! Well get this - it has to be a specific kit supplied by the traffic police & approved shops only! Another government scam perhaps
The best bit though - they don't have the correct boxes at the moment in which the kits come, and so you can't buy them, but can still get fined for not having them!
I love this country!

[Hurghada Lady]

Yes and so I have heard the person that owns the factory in Cairo to supply the first aid kits is no other than Gamal Mubarak !!

[Sharm4me]

Charming!! yes we are in Egypt...

You also have to have a warning triangle as well as the first aid box and fire extinguisher (must be kept under the front passenger seat)

Here's the list of regualtions for anyone interested:-

Tickets:

Now you may pay your ticket fine on the spot, 50% of the minimum penalty would be considered final settlement. If you do not have the cash, you have 3 days to go to the traffic deputy attorney office to settle the full amount of the minimum charge. If the offender does not show at all the maximum penalty will be enforced when the licence is renewed. All the traffic police regional offices are now connected by one network so any offence will appear in your regional office computer almost instantly.



Licence Plates:

There will be new plates, bar-coded to stop fraud and theft. A special reader to be used by traffic police can detect these. A new system of licence plate numbering will be put in use.



A Synopsis of Traffic Offences & Penalties



Driving above the legal speed limit:

Penalty:
1-10 km/hr above limit - Fine le50
10-20 km/hr above limit - Fine le100
20-30 km/hr above limit - Fine le150*
30-40 km/hr above limit - Fine le200*
40+ km/hr above limit - Fine le250*
(*and/or 30-90 days in prison)


Failing to wear a safety belt (driver and front seat passenger):

Penalty: Fine le100 – le300 (maximum) and/or 30–90 days in prison

Placing babies or children in front seat:

Penalty: Fine le50
Eating, Drinking or Smoking when driving:

Penalty: Fine le50

Using Mobile Phone (Cellphone) when driving:

Penalty: Fine le100 – le300 (maximum)

Driving against the traffic:

Penalty: Fine le1000 – le3000

Illegal Parking:

Penalty: Fine le30 and/or withdrawal of driving licence for maximum 30 days

Removing or attempting to remove wheel clamps:

Penalty: Fine le200 – le1000 and/or 180 days in prison

Behaving in an immoral way inside the vehicle:

Penalty: Fine le300 and/or jail up to 180 days

Driving at night without front & rear lights on, plus reflectors:

Penalty: Loss of licence and/or up to 180 days in prison

Using high beam headlights at night:

Penalty: Loss of licence for minimum 30 days

Driving a moped or motorcycle without wearing a crash helmet:

Penalty: Fine minimum le100

Driving a vehicle bearing foreign number plate or driving with foreign driving licence :

Penalty: Fine le150 and/or 30 days in prison

Driving without a driving licence:

Penalty: Fine le500 and/or 90–180 days in prison

Driving through police checkpoint:

Penalty: Fine le250 and/or 30–90 days in prison

Drink Driving:

Penalty: Fine le500 and/or 90–180 days in prison

Disrespecting traffic lights:

Penalty: Fine le250 and/or 30–90 days in prison

Disrespecting white lines at traffic lights:

Penalty: Fine le50

Driving in a motorcade for special occasions such as weddings without

prior police permission:

Penalty: Loss of licence for minimum 30 days

** Reflective Triangle: All vehicles must carry a reflective triangle.

Penalty: loss of car licence for minimum 30 days

** First Aid Bag: All vehicles must carry a first aid bag in the car.

Penalty: loss of car licence for minimum 30 days
(** The above 2 laws have been suspended for 3 months as the market does not have enough stock to serve all motorists.)

[Lisak]

Gosh, I think that the taxi driver I use regularly in Luxor had broken most of these.
I just hope he's not in prison when he's supposed to pick me up from the airport.

[Phantom]

Eating, Drinking or Smoking when driving:

Oh funny, that probably means every Egyptian driver then :lol::lol:

Behaving in an immoral way inside the vehicle - hmmm, no comment

[Lisak]

Eating, Drinking or Smoking when driving:

Oh funny, that probably means every Egyptian driver then :lol::lol:

Behaving in an immoral way inside the vehicle - hmmm, no comment

I think Queen Cleo would have something to say about that. (sorry its a post she made on the blue side about a driver she had, who made an impropper suggestion!)

[Goddess]

Licence Plates:

There will be new plates, bar-coded to stop fraud and theft. A special reader to be used by traffic police can detect these. A new system of licence plate numbering will be put in use.

I've seen a few of these new plates around - thought it would take them ages to actually get it all ready to go, but they seem to have been quite speedy on this one.

I just hope that they fine a few of the taxis for having so much junk on their dashboards. One I went in had the obligatory fake fur, loads of hanging dancing things, 5 nodding dogs and of course the flashing love arrow and pictures of what looked like all his family - including all the ones that dies 50 years ago - It was actually quite hard for him to see out of the 2 square foot that was free of stuff.

[Miriamkhalifa]

What is a sun visor??

Actually I'm a bit happy that they try to do something about the traffic situation

[Hurghada Lady]

So am I happy about it Miriam, I am all for it, it's about time. I just hope they keep it up.

[Miriamkhalifa]

But WHAT is a sun visor??

[Hurghada Lady]

I think Sharm means a pull down blind to keep the sun off the seats or person.

[Sharm4me]

Actually its a stick on thing like you would see in UK to protect a baby from the sun in the back seat

[FABlux]

But what are the speed limits in Egypt ?

[Sharm4me]

Here in Sharm it's 60kmph or 90 on the highway

[Hurghada Lady]

Same here 60 and 90 on the highway

[FABlux]

Are they like the UK ones? Advisory unless the Police or a Speed Camera are around
How come the convoys get rushed along at 120 then