! Motorcycle Fleet Operators: take this survey with your riders to understand their perception and improvement potentials: Motorcycle Rider Survey FORM for PORTAL … it would be amazing if you could share the finished survey with us: Thomas@RoadSafetyUAE.com
Motorcycle riders are more vulnerable than drivers of other vehicles, simply because there is less steel around them to protect them. Also, they are more affected by poor street conditions, poor weather conditions and poor light conditions. Also, motorcycle riders might be impacted by centrifugal forces in curves or by gusts of wind more than other drivers.
How to do it right!
As as motorcycle driver:
- Display a defensive driving style!
- Make sure you always wear your helmet
- Wear proper clothing, including proper fully closed shoes
- Wear proper protecting gloves
- Make sure your bike is properly licensed and registered
- Make sure your motorcycle is maintained perfectly
- Lights and indicators must work 100%, since motorcycles are less visible than cars
- Make sure your passenger is properly dressed and knows how to behave on a bike
As a car driver:
- Anticipate the greater vulnerability of motorcycle drivers due to the conditions of weather, road, wind, light
- Be extra careful close to a motorbike in curves, on interchanges and acceleration lanes
- Respect the often weak performance and limited acceleration, especially off green lights
Watch out for this
As as motorcycle driver:
- Don’t sneak between cars
- Don’t drive on walkways
- At red lights don’t move all the way to the front
- Don’t take shortcuts
- Leave enough space to other vehicles on the road
As a car driver:
- Don’t be too close to motorcylces when you accelerate (off green lights)
- Don’t be too close in curves and in difficult road, weather, wind and light conditions
Especially for quad bikes (in the desert):
- Make sure you drive a registered and well maintained vehicle
- Make sure you hold the required drivers license
- Here is a great media article with tips & tricks:
- In case of accidents, there are many grey areas, especially for rentals, and we want to bring these articles to your attention:
“At red lights don’t move all the way to the front”.
This is actually a legal practice and can be done safely. It also removes the risk to the rider of being hit from behind (rear-ended) by cars approaching the traffic queue.
It is fairly safe to say that motorcyclists can filter through traffic at a traffic light while the light is “Red”. However it is not recommended to do the same while the traffic is moving.
The danger with this is that some of our drivers and passengers have a tendency to open their doors at traffic lights for various reasons and I have met a few motorcyclists who have been injured slamming into these doors that open without any warnings.
In regards to lane splitting and bikers moving to the front of the que at a light, it is actually illegal in the UAE. Sure, the police don’t bother bikers that do this, but technically, it isn’t supposed to be done. The biggest danger of lane splitting lies with the fact that car and truck drivers do not actively look out for motorcyclists and can/will move from one lane to another without checking if there is a motorcyclist nearby.
To be safe, it’s better to stay in your lane and use it the same way as a car. This gives you room to act if necessary and you can avoid getting a ticket for doing something that you’re not supposed to be doing in the first place.
I think getting to the front of the at a red light is perfectly fine & its stupid that they expect bikes to remain in the heat stuck between cars. Also when there is a bad traffic jam, bikes are supposed to use the hard shoulder ,that’s the entire point of getting a bike!!.
funny fact is I could not get any info on the RTA site whether its legal/ illegal to ride on the hard shoulder or zip through a traffic jam or get to the front of a red signal. With no pre mentioned rules or info, how in the world do they expect bike riders to know whats allowed & not?
Hi Jo, while RTA issued specific guidelines for motorbikes (https://www.rta.ae/wpsv5/eservices/PDF_Catalog/Motorcycle_Handbook_EN.pdf), the overall rules of the road apply to all vehicles, like not using the hard shoulder, lane discipline, etc.
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
JO is right. some rules are not clear.
And, the way RTA is adding laws for Bikes… bikes/bikers mostly means low income workers. Why SALIK and Parking for bikes? isn’t it rude?
I am a bike rider myself. I want all the bikers Follow all rules.
I am a daily commuter and i believe that following the traffic rules will keep you safe to a big extent.
Can a disabled guy get bike Rider license in UAE?
Dear Ajgar,
We spoke to RTA and they advised to call their customer help line 800 9090. RTA advised, that it may depend on the kind of disability and if the disability and the potentially modified motorbike will make it safe to ride.
Drive safely and kind regards,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
Is it illegal to do wheelies in Dubai?
Dear Viraj,
All kind of stunt driving is prohibited and police is strictly enforcing it. There are many related media articles about it.
Drive safely,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
Hey, Thank you for sharing this informative post about motorcycle road safety. As a motorcycle enthusiast, I couldn’t agree more with the importance of following safety measures to avoid accidents and injuries on the road. Overall, this post serves as an excellent reminder for all motorcycle riders to prioritize safety on the road. I will surely keep these tips in mind on my future rides. Thanks again for sharing!