“It has been noticed that a colored type of car spray, which comes in various colors and protects car paint from sand particles, is being openly sold at car accessories' shops. This spray poses a security hazard because it can be used to make ordinary cars look like official army vehicles. It is also in violation of traffic regulations," the ministry said in a circular sent to government departments.
The ministry said it had brought the issue to the attention of the minister of commerce and industry with a view of banning the sale of the spray but he said that the spray was not specifically for “dusting” cars.
According to the circular, the director of general security discussed the issue with a number of specialists and they agreed to ban the use of the spray as it makes cars look like military vehicles. “The spray will only be allowed if its color is that of the car itself and not purposefully applied to make the car look different,” the circular said. It added that stickers of the same color should also not be used.
Dusting — a process of smearing cars with a paint-protecting coating — is something that is particular to this part of the world and can be done in various ways. It is especially done by people who drive long distances to prevent sand from ruining a car’s paint finish.
Traditionally undertaken at car body shops, “dusting” has lately taken different dimensions and become common among street racers who often coat their cars in funky colors to make them stand out. Faisal Al-Minhali, a young Saudi who owns shops that sell car sprays, said dusting spray does not ruin a car’s paintwork and can easily be removed with water.
“The dusting of the hood and front lights will protect the car,” he said, adding that dusting the front of cars cost SR30 and dusting them fully costs SR100.
Nasser Al-Saufi, who works in a car paint shop, said the phenomenon of spraying cars with a dusty color is not only limited to the Kingdom but has spread all over the Arab Gulf region. “Young men spray their cars to protect them against dust and small sand particles. This will not affect the original color of the car and can be removed easily,” he said. Khaled Al-Zahrani, a young Saudi, believes that dusting makes cars look more beautiful especially if it is done in moderate amounts. “I do not understand why the ministry would ban dusting which is actually very beautiful,” he said.