Dirty car drivers may face muddy fines

Motorists in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province caught driving dirty or unkempt cars face up to 2,000 yuan ($312) as part of a campaign aiming to improve the city's image.

Traffic police can ticket owners for vehicles with chipped paint, scuffed finishes or any blemish found to "affect the cityscape," according to a draft regulation released Thursday.

Those caught at the wheel of a car with "visible dirt" or muddy wheels is a maximum 100-yuan violation.

The rules give drivers a pass on rain or snow days, media reported.

The regulation is mainly intended to keep dump trucks or other work vehicles looking cleaner, Liu Guozhang, a member of Nanjing city management committee, told news portal cnr.cn on Saturday.

However, local residents and officials argue the standards are unspecific and potentially give traffic officers free reign to arbitrarily hand out fines.

Though calling the draft well-intended, a local urban management official argued the regulations do not specify "how tidy and clean" a car should be, Nanjing-based Jinling Evening News reported Sunday.

Social media users were quick to call foul on the proposed rules.

"Policy makers should target mountainous areas. They're sure to make a fortune there," wrote a Beijing Net user.

"They should fine people who look ugly and others that 'affect the city's image,'" wrote "5714411375."

Some said the city should pick up the cleaning bill, such as Net user "Jiangzhiguo," who proposed the government provide free car washes.