Behaviour of bicyclists in Al-Ain city, United Arab Emirates: An observational study

We aimed to study the behavior of bicyclists in Al-Ain city so as to define the level of safety of cycling. 415 bicyclists were observed on the main roads of Al-Ain city over a period of 6 weeks. 57% (236) of these observations were at day light hours and 43% (179) were during night. 99.5% (413) of bicycle riders were males, 97% (403) were adults, and 98% (407) were non-local, mainly from the Indian continent. In 91% (377) there was only one rider while in 9% (38) there were two riders. 70% (289) were on the main road in contact with high speed vehicles while 30% (126) were on a side path or pavement. 54% (223) rode with the direction of traffic and 46% (192) against it. Only 0.5% (2) used helmets and 1% (2/179) used lights at night. Safety standards for bicycle riders in Al-Ain city are alarmingly low. These standards should be raised both by public education and law.