Image by DenzilJr via FlickrAccording to a chucklesome report today's Gulf News, Dubai police have embarked on an anti-bicycle campaign, timing it nicely to coincide with the RTA's Bicycles are Lovely campaign. GN is scandalised, using the word 'utterly' for the first time I can think of in living history when it describes cyclists as being 'utterly confused'.
If the city's cyclists are utterly confused. I shudder to think what the consequences could be given they already do stuff like cycling against the flow of the traffic in their unconfused state. Many's the shalwar khamees and lunghi I have seen wobbling towards me on a piece of fabulous Chinese engineering as I have made my way around the city's streets. But the sight may be consigned, like so many other endearing aspects of Dubai Life, to the past.
Eye witnesses have told of having their cycles heaved into the back of trucks by plain clothes officers who have said ‘Cycling is not allowed in Dubai.’ Over 1,164 cycles have been confiscated and they're not givin' 'em back, says GN in its excoriating expose.
Clarifying the affair, Major General Mohammed Saif Al Zafein told Gulf News that cycling was not permitted on roads with a 60km/h speed limit and was not permitted in directions opposite to normal traffic.
Reports that two mildly inebriated cyclists have been apprehended kissing whilst eating rum babas are false.
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9 comments:
Do the bikes get deported without trial? Or are they sold on ebay for a quick turn?
This is ridiculous at a time when we should be encouraging green initiatives. Wouldn't it be better to create cycling paths?
Well there goes my lunch break riding my bicycle to the beach to get something to eat. Because although Jumeirah Road has a cycle track, I'm confused about how do I get there from Al Wasl Road. :) Should I drive my car for 2 minutes with the bicycle in and then cycle along Jumeirah Road?!
Well, it would be nice if they could curtail the likelihood of bikes coming at you in the wrong direction, but are they going to start "confiscating" pedestrians that suddenly appear out of nowhere, right in front of oncoming traffic?
There goes darn schizophrenic Dubai again. Encouragement from RTA and confiscation from Dubai Police. Brill!
One for the Ministry of Clarifications to deal with tomorrow.
Hasn't this happened before? I'm fairly sure there was a crackdown on bicycles in Deira, which was essentially a front for picking up illegal workers.
It's taken a while, but at last Dubai is the new Sharjah.
Right down to the dying off of enthusiasm to enforce that will doubtless follow over the next few days.
So what will be done with the confiscated cycles?
A guy who used to sell phone cards on the street would have his cards confiscated by the municipilaty and allegedly used by them, isnt this plain stealing ?
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