JEDDAH, 19 August 2005 — Saudis and expatriates have complained about companies assigned to tow vehicles of traffic. They say the system must be tightened to prevent misuse and theft.
They contended that many of the workers hired by these companies are overstayers who have no legal resident permits and said companies must be held responsible if vehicle owners lose valuables kept inside their cars when they are towed away.
Ala Al-Ghamdi, a victim of a tow-away company called on authorities to keep a watch on violations committed by these firms.
“Workers of these companies can open the car without the knowledge of its owner and this may encourage them to steal anything,” he said.
A company towed away his car parked in the road during prayer time and demanded SR100 instead of SR50, which is usually charged, to release the vehicle.
Some people accused these companies, which work on contract basis, of taking their cars away before traffic police ask them to do so. They asked authorities to set out clear rules and regulations to be followed by these towing companies in order to safeguard their vehicles and protect their valuables.
Abdullah Muhammad said his car was taken away from Kandra after he parked it close to a mosque for prayer.
Some people believe that their vehicles were towed away apparently without any genuine parking violation. “I had parked the vehicle in a place away from the Grand Mosque in Makkah and there was no “No-parking” sign.
When I came out of the mosque, I was surprised to see the vehicle was taken away for no reason,” an expatriate worker said.
A Traffic Department official said the companies tow away cars of violators only after receiving instructions from traffic officers.
He welcomed the proposal to appoint Saudi drivers instead of expatriates at these companies.
