UAE: Residents complain about reckless cyclists, e-scooter riders

Abu Dhabi - The misuse of areas designated for pedestrians pose a danger to their safety, they said.

Pedestrians in Abu Dhabi have complained of cyclists and e-scooter riders misusing pedestrian crossings and walkways in the UAE Capital.

Residents said cyclists and e-scooter riders using areas designated for pedestrians pose a danger to their safety. Some of these cyclists are reckless and don’t respect pedestrians who use these walkways, they said.

Ahmed Hassan, a Sudanese resident of Khalidiyah area, noted that there were too many cyclists and e-scooters on pedestrian crossings and some walkways in Abu Dhabi city these days.

“Some of these people using bicycles and e-scooters are riding recklessly on the walkways meant for pedestrians. They don’t stick to the cycling lanes designated for them.”

Jordanian expat Amman Mohammed said he has recently been going out for jogging. “I was surprised to see many bicycles, especially for grocery shop delivery boys, on the walkways and running tracks. Some of these cyclists don’t give way to pedestrians,” he said.

Indian expat Rajeev Ram said he always walks to one of the shopping centres near his home along Hamdan Street in the Capital. But he sometimes finds it difficult to cross the roads at the pedestrian crossings due to a large number of bicycles and e-scooters.

“Authorities should educate these cyclists to give priority to pedestrians when crossing at their designated areas to avoid hitting them,” he said.

Another resident, Mufti Ali, said some of the e-scooter riders don't even bother to stop when the pedestrian crossing signal turns red. “One day, I witnessed a man riding an e-scooter who almost got hit by a vehicle. He had crossed the road with his scooter after the pedestrian signal turned red,” said the Ugandan expat, adding that cyclists and e-scooter riders need to be cautioned to ensure they use the crossings and walkways designated for pedestrians in the right manner to ensure the safety of residents.

The residents have also demanded that stricter actions be taken against those motorists not giving priority to pedestrians at places designated for them.

Abu Dhabi Police have always urged cyclists to adhere to safety requirements while riding bicycles in the city, so as to protect their safety and the safety of other road users.

Police have said cyclists should ride their bicycles on service roads and cycling tracks. Cyclists were also told to ride their bikes on pedestrian walkways with caution to avoid colliding with people and to avoid riding in crowded areas.

The force stressed the need for cyclists to be attentive and to ride with caution while giving priority to pedestrians.

There is a need to adhere to all safety requirements all the time, whether one is using the bicycles for commuting or for delivering groceries within residential neighbourhoods, it said.

The police noted that it was important for the cyclists to follow the safety rules, including wearing helmets, arm and knee pads, and high visibility vests.

The penalty for not giving priority to pedestrians at designated crossings is a fine of Dh500 and six black points.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi