UAE police confiscate hundreds of bikes because riders weren't wearing hi-vis

LastBoyScout wrote:

I am taking my bike to Abu Dhabi later this year.

Fortunately, I won't be needing hi-viz, as I will merely be transiting through en route to more interesting places and my bike will remain packed in it's box.

You'd better be wearing hi-viz and a helmet in the transit lounge, just in case.

simonmb wrote:

The thing is, for these guys who've had them taken away, the bikes are their lifeline.  Their home-to-work transport and essential for their work. They don't work, they don't get paid. 

They should buy a bloody car then...

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

UAE in breaching human rights shocker 

My thoughts exactly. 

ped wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

UAE in breaching human rights shocker 

My thoughts exactly. 

As a lifelong  rugby league supporter,  sometime player and advocate of expanding the sport I have nothing but contempt for the UAE for how they treated a rugby league organiser in 2015. Basically he was arrested for having the temerity to organise and run a competition for rugby league clubs and get some sponsorship, this after being told to devlop the sport by the authorities after paying out of his pocket for the previous 8 years. 

UAE 'rugby' (union) didn't like this upstart sport, they somehow pursuaded the authorities (I'm sure a few bawbees from the IRB/RFU coffers weren't involved) that running a sports comp was illegal/worthy of arrest and imprisonment.

the IRB/RFU didn't condemn the action and the UAE just does whatever it likes and because they have deep pockets no government does shit to blackball them. 

I think any cyclist supporting/joining the UAE team really need to have a long hard look at themselves and the UCI should hang their heads in shame at even accepting a UAE state backed team and should remove the UAE from the pro race calendar, nor recognise any events there, same goes for China too in fact.

reliablemeatloaf wrote:

'The force explained that, “drivers actually paying attention is the most important thing.”'

And the best way to reinforce that is to penalize cyclists?

I think you've got the 2 police forces mixed up - it was West Midlands Police that said that quote and it's UAE that are hassling cyclists.

burtthebike wrote:

Australia, New Zealand, UAE:  Three places I'll never be visiting.

I hear North Korea and ISIS are very pro cycling, though I would suggest baggy shorts.

Leviathan wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Australia, New Zealand, UAE:  Three places I'll never be visiting.

I hear North Korea and ISIS are very pro cycling, though I would suggest baggy shorts.

Somehow I suspect you made that up.

Certainly that's unlikely to be true if one is female.
"As recently as 2014, cycling was still illegal for women"

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/14/north-korea-bike-lane-pyong...

I don't think a linked source is necessary as far as ISIS goes.

Still, interesting to hear that NK is picking up the cycle-lane baton that TfL have dropped.

UAE I think has bigger problems than its cycle policies.

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

Leviathan wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Australia, New Zealand, UAE:  Three places I'll never be visiting.

I hear North Korea and ISIS are very pro cycling, though I would suggest baggy shorts.

Somehow I suspect you made that up.

He may have done, but what is 100% true is that both regimes are very keen on taking things too literally. So you'd fit right in.

esnifador wrote:

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

Leviathan wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

Australia, New Zealand, UAE:  Three places I'll never be visiting.

I hear North Korea and ISIS are very pro cycling, though I would suggest baggy shorts.

Somehow I suspect you made that up.

He may have done, but what is 100% true is that both regimes are very keen on taking things too literally. So you'd fit right in.

Right back at you. Or are you so literal-minded that I'd have had to say "I don't think that works as a joke so I'm going to take it literally"?