The other day, as I was dropping my son to the airport amidst the afternoon traffic, we witnessed a young man riding a sports bike at a furious pace, cutting across traffic lanes. Suddenly, the car ahead of him stopped, and the young man was left with no option than to hit the car. We watched as he toppled at least three times above and on top of the car ahead and fell down. There he lay motionless and we were speechless.
Turns out, there was an accident that happened further down the road and that was the reason for the traffic and a police patrol was already on their way to assist.
The accident that we witnessed will remain in my memory for a very long time, as it felt so unreal, like it was a movie.
Furthermore, for me as a person, bikes on UAE roads are always scary as they are not meant to be safe while driven on these roads.
Memories of two incidents that happened a few years ago keep on coming to my mind and is the reason for my aggressive campaigning for road safety.
First is the death of my brother-in-law in a bike accident in 2001 by a tractor driver in Bengaluru, India. Second is more serious as it involved a whole family, including my mathematics teacher from school. They died as their car was hit by a speeding car and causing the entire family to burn to death as they travelled from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.
While the fate of the young man involved in the accident that happened the other day is not known to me, I definitely know that it was an incident that could easily have been avoided.
There is a strong need for patience and this needs to be educated to our young drivers by the authorities. Especially bike riders and those who have just got their driving license.
You don’t put a full stop to your life in thsi manner. Safety is of utmost importance, therefore we should be alert and cautious at all times.
