A motorist's bizarre birthday celebrations went up in smoke after police caught him on camera setting a public road on fire for a social media stunt.
The man used flammable material to create a burning number 26 – believed to be his age – and recorded himself carrying out the reckless act as he stood near his Lexus car. The footage was widely shared online, putting officers hot on his trail. The man's vehicle was impounded and he was fined Dh2,000 and handed 23 black points.
“The video went viral on social media. We identified the man and the vehicle and summoned him for legal action,” Brig Juma bin Suwaidan, director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, said in a statement on Friday. “The vehicle was impounded and he will take full responsibility for the damage on the road.”
Police said the man wanted to gain more followers on social media. They warned the public against trying to gain online notoriety through such behaviour.
“Using public roads for stunts or such acts and recording the video to post it on social media to get high watching rates is not acceptable. It poses severe danger to other road users,” Brig Bin Suwaidan said. “The man was reckless by setting blaze on the public road. He endangered his life and others while blocking traffic. He caused damage to the infrastructure of the road.”
Brig Bin Suwaidan urged parents to monitor their children and educate them about the dangers of copying reckless acts they see on social media.
“We will not stand still while anyone commits stunts to get fake fame or to add followers to his accounts, he added. “Dubai Police will increase patrols and smart monitoring on the roads to catch such acts."
