ABU DHABI // Tuesday's #cycletoworkuae campaign not only promotes a more active commute, but is part of a growing hunger in the UAE for a healthier lifestyle, The National's Editor-In-Chief said.
“Living in the UAE, one can notice that there is a shift. There is an appetite for ideas on improving their lifestyle,” Mohammed Al Otaiba said.
The country is gradually responding to the demand by changing its infrastructure and becoming more bicycle-friendly, he said.
But safety was still the top concern for those interested in cycling to work.
Khalfan Al Barwani, head of traffic safety for the Department of Transport, warned that cyclists were not always visible to motorists and should do everything possible to be seen. In addition to wearing a helmet, his suggestions included attaching lights for night riding, wearing a reflective jacket, and always having reflective stickers on the bicycle – day or night.
“Cyclists need to keep their eyes wide open and hear everything around them, so they shouldn’t wear ear plugs or headphones,” he said.
If cyclists used the road, Mr Al Barwani said, they must adhere to all the traffic rules, riding in the same direction as vehicles and stopping when the signage indicates to stop.
But he said that avoiding the road altogether may be the safest option.
“It is very advisable for cyclists to avoid cycling on high-speed roads. If the cyclists feel any danger they should go on to the pavement as a pedestrian,” he said.
Of course, that creates an additional conflict with the normal users of walking paths. “Cyclists should be aware of pedestrians and use the bell to advise of their approach,” he said.
As the DoT strategic plan to improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists becomes a reality, drivers will have to come to terms with having more wheels on the road.
While the cyclist must ride defensively, Mr Al Barwani said, there was also an onus on motorists.
“Drivers should make sure that they give frequent consideration to cyclists and respect them as a road user,” he said.
Awareness about cycling safety must increase among motorists, Al Otaiba said.
“There is a lot to do in educating not just cyclists on how to be safe, but also on motorists to respect bicycles,” he said.
Sheikh Sultan Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the DoT, gave his support for the #cycle-toworkuae campaign on Monday.
“Let’s all put ourselves in touch with the beauty of our capital closer and more often by riding bicycles,” he said.
Al Otaiba said that his own experiment with cycling to work not only led him to burn 500 calories, but helped him become more familiar with the route from his home to his office.
“Yes, it’s all about health, but also it’s about getting to know your city better,” he said.
“In a car, you’re so cocooned and isolated in glass and metal, but on a bicycle, you’re completely exposed to your surroundings,” he said.
Al Otaiba said that he hoped to involve more cities and emirates across the UAE next year.
“As a paper, there is that responsibility that we have towards our readers and the community to drive such initiatives,” he said. “Cycling is a way of expressing our responsibility to our readers.”
#cycletoworkuae is part of The National's Healthy Living campaign, which launched in September. For more on #healthyliving, visit facebook.com/gethealthyuae or the @gethealthyuae Twitter page.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
