WTF? Even for Dubai this is bad

File this under thank God I don't live in Dubai anymore. It seems the local constabulary have set their sights on the true menace of Dubai's streets; not the speeding, dangerously driving automobiles, but the cyclists of course!

According to this (semi) recent Gulf News Article (I don't really read it much anymore, thus the delay), they have been not just ticketing, but confiscating bicycles where the riders were using roads with speed limits over 60km per hour. I thought that was pretty much every road in town, or at least that's how the locals drive.

First off, it isn't illegal to ride on roads with speed limits over 60km/hr, if it were the bicycle master plan would have noted it to be sure. Just to back that up, you'll notice signs at the entrances to all limited access highways which explicitly prohibit cycling. So if the remainder of the streets were off limits as well, there would either be more signs on those roads, or no need for the signs on the expressway entrances since there wouldn't be bikes anywhere. Secondly, if all of the major arterial roads were indeed off limits to cyclists, no one would be able to cycle ANYWHERE, since the road network is completely based around arterials with few to no connections in between.

I am all for responsible cycling, and some of the issue here seems to revolve around cyclists riding the wrong way (bike salmon) and on the sidewalk. In those instances, I am all for enforcement, since that would probably be the only way to get people to change their habits. People are obviously riding that way for a reason though, and that reason is incredibly poor infrastructure. If you actually had a road system that wasn't as biased toward the automobile, and an insane network of one way streets, perhaps not as many people would feel the need to break the law.

I love how in the article they talk about the bicycle master plan as though it's about ready to drop. By this point I am surprised they are even still mentioning it. That thing has been collecting dust on someones shelf for well over two years now. I seriously doubt any of it's provisions will ever see the light of day.

I actually almost wish I was still in Dubai right now. I would love to get stopped by the police and have them try to confiscate my bike. I would throw the biggest fit they've ever seen, and more than likely get arrested. At least it would get some press coverage for the subject. Honestly, if this was happening to western Expats there would have been at least some mild outrage. It just goes to show what a stratified society Dubai really is. I'm fairly sure they haven't been confiscating $5k Cervelo's on Friday morning Wolfi's rides.

On second thought, I am glad I'm not in Dubai. What would be the point of crusading for anything in such a f'd up city.