Vehicle transfer

I approach dealings with government departments, anywhere, with a sinking feeling.

I expect to sit and wait for hours before I'm called to a counter.

I fully expect to not be on the same wavelength as the people I have to deal with (I've posted about this before and readers have left comments about their attempts to hold a meaningful conversation with bureaucrats).

I expect to be directed from counter to counter, department to department.

I expect it, whatever it is, to take at least half a day.

So yesterday was the day to do the car transfer of ownership and I approached it with the usual dread.

It was a doddle.

I can't believe it. Twenty minutes from start to finish. Friendly, efficient people. A simple process.

For when you have to go through it, here's the story.

I went to the Al Barsha Traffic Department, next to the Mall of the Emirates interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road.

You go not to the traffic department building itself but to the adjacent Tasjeel facility next to the EPPCO petrol station.

You need both seller and buyer to be there, they each need a passport copy (main page and residency visa page) and the buyer has to have an insurance policy on the vehicle. You need both driving licences and the current registration card. And some cash.

Regardless of when the vehicle was tested and registered it has to be done again.

I highly recommend you pay Dh150 for Express Service. If you do, you just park your vehicle and wait in the air-condirtioned office. Someone takes the vehicle, jumps the queue, tests the vehicle, issues the test certificate, brings it all to the office. Ten minutes.

You fill in a simple one sheet form - name of seller, name of buyer, vehicle details/numbers, that sort of thing.

You're asked if you have any outstanding fines, money owing on the vehicle, has the buyer paid you, whether the buyer wants a new registration number.

You hand over the money and in return get a wad of paper, the new registration card in the new owner's name.

That's it. Done. Twenty minutes.

But a heads up if you're served by Faisal Al Hamadi.

"Any fines" he asked.

"No, I'm a law-abiding sort of a person" I said.

He checked the computer. "Ah. One big fine. The police will confiscate your car for one month"

WHAT!

I dash round to look at the computer. He enjoys that. "Just joking"

A bit later he looks at the test certificate - which I haven't seen. "Any accident?"

"A car drove in the back of me two years ago, minor damage and it was an official dealer repair"

"Chassis damage" he says.

WHAT!

Dash for the computer again.

He enjoyed that too. "Just joking"

I don't mind. A government employee with a sense of humour, appearing to enjoy his work. He's also pleasant, friendly, efficient. Much better than the usual surly, unhelpful 'don't want to be here' attitude of so many bureacrats.

So a process I was dreading was actually very simple and efficient and not at all unpleasant.