Vehicle abandonment in public spaces now mostly limited to motorcycles

The abandonment of vehicles in public spaces in Macau is no longer a big problem when it comes to cars, authorities claim, citing a decline in statistical figures in the last few years.

The problem now appears to be limited to motorcycles, particularly in cases of street parking spots or areas that are exempt from payment.

According to the official statistics from the Public Security Police Force (PSP), in 2024, the number of cars removed from the public streets fell by 3.02% compared to 2023, a figure that dropped even further (-21.4%) in the first nine months of this year.

In total, the PSP removed 224 cars from public streets from January to September this year.

During the same period, the force also removed 301 motorcycles, a slight decrease compared to the first nine months of last year, when 323 motorcycles were towed away. In 2024, the number of motorcycles removed from public streets had increased by 91.73% compared to 2023.

On the other hand, the figures for blocking both types of vehicles from paid parking spaces have increased in the first nine months of this year, an issue that affected cars the most. The PSP noted that, in total, the number of vehicles blocked rose by 52.92%, with cars accounting for a growth of 57.44%.

As this occurred concurrently with a drop in the number of removals, it means that vehicle owners had paid their fines and release fees for their vehicles before they were in the process of being towed, indicating abusive parking rather than abandonment.

This change occurred after 2018, particularly after 2022, when the authorities enforced strict supervision over vehicles abandoned in streets and car parks, paving the way for the revamp of the public car park management regime at the same time.

According to statistics from the Transport Bureau (DSAT), from 2017 to the end of November 2022, the bureau removed a total of 1,800 vehicles considered abandoned at car parks that had not paid their road tax fees.

According to information collected by the Times from several workers at almost a dozen car parks in the Peninsula and Taipa, after this action from DSAT, the car parks were all cleared of abandoned vehicles, which contributed to an increase in the number of parking spots available.

A similar issue has also occurred with private car parks that are open to the public, such as those owned and operated by gaming concessionaires. A visit in person by the Times also found no abandoned vehicles, a phenomenon that was also common before 2022.

According to staff from the management of the parking lots, some of the cars, mostly luxury and sports cars, that were staying for a long time at these private parking lots were, in most cases, not abandoned. Still, they were “retained” in relation to the business of the junkets, after allegedly being used as a “guarantee” for gaming-related loans.

Asked about the situation of other vehicles reportedly abandoned at private properties, such as private car parks and other venues, authorities refused to comment on the matter, citing that it was related to private property and not a public domain.

As for the procedures for cases in which vehicles are parked in public spaces, the PSP said, “Under the Macau Special Administrative Region’s Law No. 5/2023 – Public Parking Services System and Administrative Regulation No. 28/2023 – Conditions of Operation and Use for Public Parking Services, if a vehicle exceeds the stipulated maximum parking days at a public car park, the relevant operating entity will notify the police for lawful on-site prosecution of the parking abuse and forward the case to the Transport Bureau for follow-up.”

Valuable Items Sitting in Storage Waiting to Die

To understand the reasons that lead owners to leave aside vehicles that possess, in some cases, a high market value as an antique item, the Times spoke with Eddie Lam, the Chairman of the Macau Vintage Vehicle Culture Association (MVV).

“For the high-value cars, wealthy owners (potentially) just don’t care, as rare parts [to repair or restore them] depend mostly on money,” Lam said, adding that in some cases, “the last owner has died and there are no other family members that have the passion or interest in continuing the car legend. [In most cases] they don’t fix it, don’t drive it, and don’t sell it.”

Named by Lam as “zombie cars,” Lam explained that they have been “cleaned” out of several car parks that used to be their “cemeteries,” such as Pak Wai in Macau’s Horta e Costa Area.

Additionally, Lam noted that a few years ago, the government changed the search feature of DSAT, which would allow one to find the ownership and other details of a vehicle by license plate number, a fact that he said also does not contribute to potentially “saving” some of these vehicles.

Questioned by the Times if these vehicles would deserve, at least, a museum space where they could be displayed and contribute to the storytelling of Macau and its love for automobiles, Lam said, “I had never imagined this as a possibility,” he exclaimed while admitting that among the MVV group and individual owners there are a lot of antique vehicles that have significant value and that mark several eras of Macau.

Recently, Macau has been in the headlines of several regional and international media outlets due to the finding, by urban explorers, of a large number of luxury and special vehicles “abandoned” at the premises of the former Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel in Taipa.

The vehicles portrayed in the stories are primarily limousines and executive transport vehicles belonging to the defunct junket “Suncity Group” of Alvin Chao. The company was dismantled in late 2021 after the arrest of Chao, who was later convicted to 18 years of imprisonment for operating illegal gambling activities, among other related offenses.

Among this large number of vehicles are several Rolls-Royce Phantoms and a Hummer H2 Limousine, among others. Since they have been parked at the venue, the vehicles have been vandalized by successive illegal entries of people who adventured into exploring the decaying hotel.