UAE | General
Unruly youngsters are 'skating on thin ice'
Flouting the municipality's ban, young roller skaters are displaying their skills in public gardens, disturbing families and small children.
- By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:34 March 25, 2008
- These youngsters are showing off their skills at a purpose-built skate facility in Dubai's Mamzar Park. This picture is for illustrative purposes only.
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
Al Ain: Flouting the municipality's ban, young roller skaters are displaying their skills in public gardens, disturbing families and small children.
An errant skater collided with a middle-aged woman in Jahili Garden and knocked her down last Monday evening. A witness told Gulf News the young skater gave an outburst, instead of an apology, to the woman's husband when asked to leave and skate elsewhere.
"It was a disgusting incident," said Anand Lal, the victim's husband.
He said the skater, who spoke in Arabic, was more than likely using abusive language when he asked him to be careful and stop disturbing visitors to the gardens.
The skater, who was one of several dashing around the park, was skating backwards and hit the man's wife who was standing with her daughter. The victim, although uninjured, remained on the ground for a while, said the witnesses.
"It seemed that it was our fault for visiting the park, and we left immediately," said Lal, still bitter from the incident.
"They [the skaters] don't take into regard anyone walking down the sidewalk or having a nice time in the parks," he said.
"It's not that we don't like them having physical exercise," he said, but added skaters needed to act responsibly.
I think the municipality should develop a skate park in the city for youngsters, he said.
Abdul Kareem, another park visitor, said he had seen youngsters dashing around on roller skates and skateboards on pavements, streets and in parks.
Property damaged
"They often damage property and also push people on pavements and in public gardens," he said.
He said most people were powerless as the skaters start threatening them.
"People think the police will give the skaters an advantage of age and not listen to their complaint," he added.
Kareem said the police and civic administration must enact rules for skaters. The city's traffic police have also warned skateboarders to stay away from streets and public gardens.
Mohammad Shaker M. Al Blooshi, a senior official at Al Ain Municipality, said skating was not allowed in the city's parks.
"We will take immediate action and inform parks and garden caretakers to keep an eye on anybody violating the ban," he said.
A traffic police official also warned skaters to stay away from the streets as skating is prohibited on streets and in parking lots.
The official said the irresponsible youths could cause accidents.
Your comments
I have a son who is passionate about skate-boarding. There is no where he and his friends can 'officially' skate except at the Springs and an indoor park at Al Quoz. The government needs to do something about it. Build skate parks where our teenagers can use up all their extra energy. Why are they constantly being penalised? Elsewhere in the world there are skate parks in every area of the local community. At least they are not vandalising, stealing or sitting in front of a TV or computer the whole day. They are only skating. Give them a break. In a month's time they will have to sit indoors because of the heat.
Nita
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 25, 2008, 09:02
Dubai should add playing areas for these kids so that they will not endanger property or other people when they are playing in parking lots and on the streets.
Clark
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 25, 2008, 07:59
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