A university study has found the vast majority of people cycling on Al Ain roads for work do so without proper protection or lights.
Researchers at UAE University found that 98 per cent of cyclists who use their bikes for work don't wear helmets, while 96 per cent cycle at night without lights.
A total of 1,129 cyclists were observed at random for the study – the majority were non-local, adult males, many of whom were carrying out deliveries.
The findings were published in the online edition of the Medicine journal and exposed poor cycling habits on busy main roads in the UAE's Garden City.
We need to do more and ensure cyclists are not sent out of the door without a helmet
Nicholas Brooks,
Cycle Safe Dubai
It found almost 40 per cent of riders were on main roads with high-density traffic, and 33 per cent were cycling in the wrong direction, against the flow of vehicles.
“Unsafe practices of bicyclists and low use of helmets despite legislation persist in Al Ain,” the study’s authors said.
“There is a need to raise bicycle safety awareness and improve enforcement of bicycle helmet legislation. This should be directed toward expatriate workers, children, parents, and maids.
“Environmental changes, namely building separate bicycle lanes, can increase safety for cycling.”
Of the 40 per cent of riders at night, 97 per cent did not have lights.
The data showed women cyclists were more likely to wear a helmet, with one in four choosing to do so, as opposed to just 2 per cent of men.
In a bid to reduce bike-related injuries on the road in Dubai, Nicholas Brooks established Cycle Safe Dubai in 2008 with two friends, Stewart Howison and Nichola McDonald.
“People do not need to be in a high-speed accident to suffer a serious head injury, so wearing a helmet is so important,” said Mr Brooks.
“A lot of focus is placed on feeding and looking after gardeners and labourers during Ramadan, so why not ensure they all have cycle helmets to wear?
“The next step should be to encourage their employers to provide adequate protective equipment.”
Omid Rahat, a member of the Al Ain Chain Gang cycling group, said cycling is more popular now than at any other time in his 13 years in the country.
Traffic-related injuries are a major global issue, with 1.35 million people killed and 50 million seriously injured in road traffic collisions every year, according to the United Nations, which has road safety included in one of its key sustainable development goals.
Under good health and well-being, the SDG seeks to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes.
Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study has shown the death rate of cycling-related injuries in the UAE has increased from 0.33 per 100.000 in 2009 to 0.7 in 2019.
Abu Dhabi Police said there were 109 accidents involving cyclists between 2018 and 2020 - four per cent of the total road crashes during that period.
Under federal law, a bike should be fitted with front and rear lights, as well as a rear reflector, on public highways.
Cyclists are prohibited from using pavements and must stick to the right side of the road, in a single file. It is also mandatory to wear helmets.
He said most recreational cyclists wear helmets and obey the rules, while delivery riders are normally ill-equipped.
“Most people we see out on their bikes for recreation are wearing helmets,” said Mr Rahat, 52, who cycles around 350km a week in Al Ain.
“But when you see people using their bikes for transportation, almost no-one is wearing them.
“They either don’t fully understand the risks or just don’t have access to a helmet.
“We had just a single group of cyclists who would go out regularly in Al Ain, now there are more than 10.
“A lot of locals are out cycling and even young women, it is great to see cycling booming.
“Accidents are rare, but there is a clear safety issue with some and that can be improved.”
Cycle-friendly areas
There are efforts to make the UAE safer for bikes, with cycle-friendly areas with designated lanes in Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, Al Qudra, Nad Al Sheba and Dubai Autodrome.
New cycle lanes for recreation are becoming more common across the country, with a wider network linking places of residence and industrial hubs also in the pipeline to make commuting easier.
Dubai’s Master Plan for Cycling Tracks 2026 will see the construction of additional cycling tracks extending 276km, expanding the total length of cycling tracks in the Emirate to 739km.
The plan aims to link the tracks at the coastal areas of Jumeirah, Al Sufouh and the Marina, with the external tracks planned for Al Qudra, Seih Assalam and Nad Al Sheba via Al Barsha, Dubai Hills and Nad Al Sheba.
A new cycling track that stretches 16km alongside Jumeirah Beach linking the existing Jumeirah Street cycling track at Dubai Water Canal with the existing cycling track along King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street at Dubai Internet City is also under construction.
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Key facilities
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
