Dubai: 2 'aura farming' drivers fined Dh50,000 each for performing dangerous stunts

Dubai Police have fined two drivers Dh50,000 each and impounded their vehicles after they were caught performing 'aura farming' stunts on public roads.

In the video shared by Dubai Police, one motorist was seen climbing onto the hood of his moving car, waving his hands side to side as if rowing a boat, while filming content to boost his online popularity — a stunt netizens have dubbed “aura farming.” Another driver was captured climbing inside the bonnet of a moving vehicle for the same social media trend.

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Traffic patrols identified the offenders through their widely shared videos, said Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Acting Director of the General Department of Traffic.

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Watch the video below, as shared by Dubai Police:

What is aura farming?

The term 'farming' is used in video games to describe collecting resources or tools.

Meanwhile, in Gen-Alpha and Gen-Z terms, the word 'aura' is used to describe a person's demeanour and a likeable 'vibe' and personality. The better your aura is, the more 'aura points' you gain. This applies vice versa too, where if one does something embarrassing or disliked by people, then they loose their 'aura points'.

A culmination of the two words has led to the term 'Aura Farming', an Indonesian boy seems to be a master of according to the internet.

The trend exploded after a viral TikTok video featuring Indonesian boy Rayyan Arkan Dikha, filmed during the Pacu Jalur boat racing festival in Riau, Indonesia. In the clip, Rayyan, dressed in traditional attire, stands on the bow of a racing boat swaying calmly to music, with composed hand gestures, a steady gaze, and an unreadable expression — pure “vibe,” as the internet calls it.

Check out the video below:

Serious penalties for reckless behaviour

The lighthearted vibe that made “aura farming” a global sensation, however, takes a dangerous turn when imitated in traffic. What began as harmless social media fun on a racing boat was being recreated on moving cars in the UAE — prompting police to step in with strict penalties.

“This reckless behaviour poses a serious threat to the safety of the drivers themselves and other road users. It is a blatant violation of traffic laws and cannot be tolerated,” Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan.

He stressed Dubai Police’s zero-tolerance approach to hazardous stunts and warned that posting such acts online does not excuse the danger caused.

“Public roads are not stunt arenas, and using social media to promote such dangerous acts is entirely unacceptable,” he added.

Authorities have urged the public to follow traffic laws and report dangerous driving through the “Police Eye” service on the Dubai Police App or by calling 901.

Vehicle impoundments in the UAE are among the strictest penalties, often accompanied by hefty fines and black points. Impounded vehicles are kept at designated locations and may not be used for the duration of the penalty. To know what you need to do if your car gets impounded, check out our article.

Written by

Elizabeth Gonzales

Elizabeth Gonzales is a Digital Journalist who loves writing about the expat life — and ways to make the most of it. When she's not looking for new hacks to share with readers, you may find her giving them a real laugh at one of her stand-up comic events.