Cycling is fast gaining popularity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to nearly 700,000 Filipinos.
An article on the news site Gulf News gave tips on the best ways to be prepared in taking up cycling.
It relied on the opinions of two cycling experts in the UAE: Wolfgang Hohmann, founder of Wolfi’s Bike Shop in Dubai and the Dubai Roadsters; and Stewart Howison, founder of Cycle Safe Dubai.
Hohmann and Howison both said the best preparations a cyclist can do for his or her safety is "be pro-active, drive defensively, stick to the tracks, and most of all wear proper safety gear, such as helmets, reflective clothing and outfit their bikes with lights and reflectors."
Hohmann suggests cyclists need to bike "a bit more defensively" because cyclists in the UAE are not a common sight. Howison agrees, but also added that authorities there have raised awareness for the welfare of cyclists.
“Now cars are paying a lot more attention to cyclists and paying them a lot more respect," he said.
Both Howison and Hohmann also agreed that the conditions in Dubai are ideal for cycling.
“The weather could be a negative, but the same can be said if you were in the UK, with the rain. Here you get eight months of good conditions to cycle in," Howison said, adding that people who complain about the heat only need to go out biking in the morning and find the best places to go.
According to Howison, cycling on roads can be potentially dangerous and that one should know where to cycle safely.
The article noted that information on tracks and paths open to the public as well as their schedules can be found on websites, such as those of the Dubai Roadsters, Yas Marina Circuit, Dubai Autodrome and Cycle Safe Dubai.
In a separate Gulf News article, Hohmann and Howison provided a partial list of where cyclists can ride safely in the UAE:
-(Open cycle track) The Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park in Dubai, which has an 8km, 6km and 4km loop
-(Open cycle track) The Al Qudra Cycle Path in Dubai, estimated to be 86 kilometers
-(Open cycle track) Mushrif Park, located off Airport Road, just past Mirdif. The article noted the track is open until 11 p.m. most nights
-(Enclosed cycle track) The Dubai Autodrome, which on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. is open to cyclists as well as joggers and rollerbladers
-(Enclosed cycle track) The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, open to cyclists, runners, and walking enthusiasts on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9pm
Because cycling is an effective workout, social, and environment-saving sport, Hohmann suggests more people should take up the activity.
"I think the world would be a better place if more people would use a bicycle. It would be more sustainable. It would be better for all of us to exercise more and get the stress out and to be more social," Hohmann said.
According to the 2011 Stock Estimate of Overseas Filipinos of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, there are around 679,819 Pinoys in the UAE.
Source: GMA News
An article on the news site Gulf News gave tips on the best ways to be prepared in taking up cycling.
It relied on the opinions of two cycling experts in the UAE: Wolfgang Hohmann, founder of Wolfi’s Bike Shop in Dubai and the Dubai Roadsters; and Stewart Howison, founder of Cycle Safe Dubai.
Hohmann and Howison both said the best preparations a cyclist can do for his or her safety is "be pro-active, drive defensively, stick to the tracks, and most of all wear proper safety gear, such as helmets, reflective clothing and outfit their bikes with lights and reflectors."
Hohmann suggests cyclists need to bike "a bit more defensively" because cyclists in the UAE are not a common sight. Howison agrees, but also added that authorities there have raised awareness for the welfare of cyclists.
“Now cars are paying a lot more attention to cyclists and paying them a lot more respect," he said.
Both Howison and Hohmann also agreed that the conditions in Dubai are ideal for cycling.
“The weather could be a negative, but the same can be said if you were in the UK, with the rain. Here you get eight months of good conditions to cycle in," Howison said, adding that people who complain about the heat only need to go out biking in the morning and find the best places to go.
According to Howison, cycling on roads can be potentially dangerous and that one should know where to cycle safely.
The article noted that information on tracks and paths open to the public as well as their schedules can be found on websites, such as those of the Dubai Roadsters, Yas Marina Circuit, Dubai Autodrome and Cycle Safe Dubai.
In a separate Gulf News article, Hohmann and Howison provided a partial list of where cyclists can ride safely in the UAE:
-(Open cycle track) The Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park in Dubai, which has an 8km, 6km and 4km loop
-(Open cycle track) The Al Qudra Cycle Path in Dubai, estimated to be 86 kilometers
-(Open cycle track) Mushrif Park, located off Airport Road, just past Mirdif. The article noted the track is open until 11 p.m. most nights
-(Enclosed cycle track) The Dubai Autodrome, which on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. is open to cyclists as well as joggers and rollerbladers
-(Enclosed cycle track) The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, open to cyclists, runners, and walking enthusiasts on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9pm
Because cycling is an effective workout, social, and environment-saving sport, Hohmann suggests more people should take up the activity.
"I think the world would be a better place if more people would use a bicycle. It would be more sustainable. It would be better for all of us to exercise more and get the stress out and to be more social," Hohmann said.
According to the 2011 Stock Estimate of Overseas Filipinos of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, there are around 679,819 Pinoys in the UAE.
Source: GMA News
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