Authorities have banned the use of loudspeakers in car auction yards in south Jeddah and have set fines for those violating the new regulations. The decision is meant to organize the auction yards (Harraj) by preventing the use of microphones and loudspeakers which have of late added to the noise pollution in the area, according to Colonel Mohammad Al-Qahtani, Director of Jeddah Traffic Department. In his letter circulated to those dealing in used cars, Colonel Al-Qahtani made it clear that they could only auction cars that were owned by them and stipulated that the transaction should take place inside their showrooms in the presence of the owner or one of the showroom staff. He also cautioned the dealers not to let any car which has been sold out of the showroom before registering it with the traffic department and issuing its license plates. Colonel Al-Qahtani pointed out the defects of the previous system that allowed cars without plates to be moved between different showrooms; using hundreds of loudspeakers in the same area; blocking roads and public places in order to use them as auction yards in addition to many other practices. Many showroom owners consider the new regulations to be an important step in controlling the chaos in these auction yards.
