Article updated 6-September-2022
Sadly, in a recurring pattern, we witness accidents involving bicycle riders, generating big media interest. This draws a lot of attention to a topic which concerns many residents: the sports and recreational riders on the one hand, but also a big group of the working class, mainly gardeners and delivery/collection men on the other hand.
KNOW THE RULES: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, has issued Executive Council Resolution No. (13) of 2022, which regulates the use of bicycles, electric bikes, and scooters in Dubai. Here is a great article summarizing the rules:
https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/transport/what-are-the-new-rules-for-cyclists-electric-bikes-and-scooters-issued-by-dubai-crown-prince-sheikh-hamdan and here is the Resolution No. (13) in original including the rules, fines and more:
Here are the rules for Abu Dhabi:
How to do it right (as a bicycle rider):
- Always wear your helmet
- Be in control of your ride and your bike – drive defensively!
- Make sure your bicycle is in good conditions, especially the brakes, tires and lights … have a bell, too.
- See & be seen: wear bright colors (ideally reflecting vest), stay aware of the traffic around you, make eye-contact with motorists and pedestrians
- If you have to rid on a street, keep to the right hand side
- Use hand signals when you have to turn
- Obey traffic laws (signs, lights and road markings, etc.)
- Use your lights (head light and rear light) in bad light conditions – ideally also during the day, and have reflectors on your bike. Generally, it’s a good advise not to ride at night, unless you absolutely have to!
- Give right of way to pedestrians
- Watch out for obstacles (opening car doors, objects on the road, pot holes)
- Use only safe areas to ride your bike, ideally on bicycle lanes (for example the dedicated bike lanes in the Al Qudra area, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai Autodrome, Yas Marina Abu Dhabi, etc.) – here is great guide!
- Kids cycling: make sure your kids follow the rules and they are safe!
- If you are transporting your kids on your bike, use proper equipment
Watch out for:
- If you have to drive on the street, don’t drive on the wrong side
- Avoid biking by night and in bad light conditions
- Don’t bike on unsafe roads
- Don’t bike in areas where biking is prohibited
- Don’t use your mobile phone while riding
- Don’t bike under the influence of banned substances
How to do it right (as a motorist):
- Bicycle riders are weaker than vehicles, hence be respectful and polite to them
- Bicycle riders are equal traffic participants – obey their rights!
- Anticipate moves of bicycle riders and don’t cut them off
- Keep a safe distance (from the side and from behind!)
- Be mindful that you can irritate riders with speeding, noise/honking or your head lights
- Around riders, use your indicators and make them know your planned moves
- Keep eye contact to riders
- Be extra careful when you see kids on bikes
- Carefully open the door of your car and watch out for bikers
Here is an overview of Dubai’s cycling tracks of RTA: https://www.rta.ae/wps/portal/rta/ae/home/about-rta/cycling-track
Share your story
Are these rules still current?
I live in the Mankhool area and I am constantly being brushed and narrowly missed by speeding cyclists.
It is a serious safety hazard especially at night.
According to the above article Cyclists should only ride on dedicated cycling paths, is a sidewalk intended to be used by Pedestrians and Cyclists simultaneously???
What is the Cyclist speed limit, there is no mention of this? Only of the road speedlimits were cyclists are not permitted to ride…?
Riders are on the sidewalks weaving through Pedesreians moving much to fast, not giving Pedestrians right-of-way and often with cell phones being used. What is even worse is that this all happens after dark!!
I really enjoy walking but with the majority of Cyclists dangerously, it is only a matter of time before I end up in hospital after being struck by a speeding cyclist
Please tell me where I can report these dangers or get a more complete set of cycling dos and donts
Thanks
Dear Kerry,
Thanks for your input and we included an updated excerpt of the UAE Traffic law, related to bicycle regulation in this topic. Kindly check it out.
We hope this helps!
Kind regards,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
Not all cyclists are as described in the previous comment. You might have encountered stupid riders in the past, but most of us abide by the rules and are respectful to pedestrians. We are well aware that pedestrians are the most vulnerable entities in the road and most of us will give the right of way. I am disappointed by the way this country treats cyclists.
Dear Eirikur,
Thank you for your comment. I am a vivid almost daily bicycle rider myself and just today I was almost mowed over when crossing the road on a zebra crossing by a speeding SUV jumping over the speed hump and ignoring the zebra crossing. I see the biggest improvement potentials in the relationship between motorists (including motorbike (delivery) riders) and bicycle riders, for sure. Still, I was also almost mowed over as a pedestrian recently in Downtown by a totally ignorant speeding bicycle rider – of course without lights – on the walkway. Living in the Meadows for the last 14 years, I have witnessed a lot of ignorant bicycle rides – these ones of course also without lights at night – in their interactions with pedestrians (often even kids and pedestrians with pets). Also as we stated in the Khaeej Times article, further bicycle infrastructure developments are needed from a road safety perspective. The big picture in my opinion is that ALL traffic participants MUST display a CARING road culture – we must look after each other! I firmly believe, that leading by good example will rub off to other traffic participants. It’s up to all of us to show how it’s dome properly.
Kind regards,
Thomas Edelmann
RoadSafetyUAE
Hi Eirikur,
I of course never intended to say that ALL Cyclists are a menace or endangering the safety of pedestrians. There are considerate, respectful and law abiding cyclists for sure!
Unfortunately, I would have to stick to my guns and say that many riders are careless… at least in the area where I live.
I don’t have the facility to upload it otherwise I would attach an image captured days ago. The rider has No Helmet, No Hi-Viz Vest, No Lights or Reflectors and most dangerous, his mobile phone is just going into his pocket because he was just been on his phone…!
Yesterday evening (dark), a cyclist came screeching to a halt because he almost hit me from behind. I was walking on the only available part of the sidewalk because the adjacent bushes are extensively encroaching on the sidewalk and this reckless rider decided he wanted to try and pass me and misjudged distance then managed to run out of room on the sidewalk, leaving only the roadway which he didn’t dare ride on…
This whole premise makes no sense to me what-so-ever and the laws do not support common-sense because as these 2 cases clearly demonstrate, there is little with a lot of cyclists. The dangers are there and it is far greater for pedestrians than for cyclists, at least in my opinion!
Take Care out there!
Firstly Kerry If you did upload pictures of people without their permission especially to show them doing something wrong the fine is 150000-500000dhs and this has been enforced many times so best not….
Has anyone got any anecdotes of police fines for riding on the pavement? We see it a lot and it’s safer than the roads (assuming pedestrians are rarely hit) but it is a ministerial order that you shouldn’t and I guess that means enforceable!
How to deal with a round about in UAE, can we ride as per thr round about rule… Or is there any restrictions
Dear Suhail,
Well, in case of a road with unrestricted use of bicycles, the same rules appeal to all vehicles, including bicycles.
Kind regards,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
Is it mandatory by law to put on high visibility/yellow vests when cycling?
Greetings,
Kindly refer to http://www.roadsafetyuae.com/bicycle/ for the tips/tricks related to bicycle safety!
In addition, you might find this of interest: https://www.thenational.ae/uae/workers-have-bikes-confiscated-for-not-wearing-safety-helmets-and-vests-1.778493;
Stay safe and drive safely,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
Standing in the manzil hotel downtown on Sheick Mohammed bin Rachid boulevard i have been on the verge of beeing run over several times as I was outside the paths reserved for cycles on one side of the boulevard! (Since there are no signs on the other side of the boulevard) .
Walking on the side of the boulevard without bicycle paths ways the same things happened in both direction.
We are not save because in front and in the back , at high speed .
one would have to have eyes front and back !
SomethImg should be done to prevent an accident that could be very serious .
Please do something for the safety of all concerned
G de v
Dear Ghislaine,
Thanks for your improvement proposal which we shared with the Dubai governmental entity in charge.
Stay safe!
Kind regards,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
When you’re taking the fison money then you should put playboards at this place where the bicycle is prohibited
Greetings,
We are not entirely sure what is meant here, but it’s always good to approach police or RTA with improvement proposals with regards to needful signage, etc.
Drive safely,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
What are the rules related to kids cycling in a gated community? Is it mandatory for the parents to be present all the time with the kids? If so, how is it even possible with elder kids of age 10 and above ?
Dear Jaseera,
Thanks for your comment. I fully agree with you that we need a clear understanding of of the traffic rules with regards to residential areas / gated communities, especially with regards to micro-mobility. We also articulated this need from our side and we are certain the regulators are already looking into it.
Drive safely!
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team
hi. how about people walking along cycling path even there’s a wide pedestrian path for them? i think there should be regulation as well for pedestrians causing danger to cyclists. Any article about this? kindly send a link if there’s any.
Hi,
RTA states “Do no use the cycling track for purpose other than what it is designated for.” In some places there are signs ‘no pedestrians’. The rules could be more clearly and more comprehensively formulated. Check out the current wording:
https://www.rta.ae/wps/portal/rta/ae/home/about-rta/cycling-track
Drive safely,
Your RoadSafetyUAE Team