Risky electric bike joyrides worry traffic authorities in Capital
Yulu offers a blue-colour electric bike called ‘Miracle’ that riders can pick up and return at designated ‘Yulu Zones’
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Traffic Police, worried over “careless joyrides” by some Yulu Miracle Bike users in central Delhi, has held a meeting with representatives of the Bengalurubased company and asked them to “enhance safety measures” amid concerns over minors allegedly riding the electric bikes on busy roads without helmets.
Taj Hassan, special commissioner of Delhi Police (traffic), said on Friday there was concern that “minors, even school children in uniforms” were riding Yulu bikes without helmets in areas such as Connaught Place, India Gate, Rajpath and Khan Market.
Last year, the DMRC had tied up with Yulu, a rental bike sharing platform, to provide last-mile connectivity to commuters.
“... no Yulu staff is present at the docks/bike stands to either assess the age or identification cards of users, or even tell them what is permissible as per traffic rules,” Hassan added.
PROBLEMS WITH YULU MIRACLE BIKE USERS AS PER DELHI TRAFFIC POLICE
The youth are using it mainly n for joyrides and not for ‘last-mile connectivity’
The sluggish speed of Yulu n bikes (up to 25 km/her) slows down fast-moving traffic
Low height of the bike does not n meet the eye-level of drivers in bigger vehicles, like trucks and buses, creating conditions for accidents
Minors, even school students in n uniforms, riding the bikes Helmets not worn by riders, n who often flout traffic rules by travel wrong side ad taking sharp cuts
Double and triple riding on the n
bikes common
YULU MIRACLE BIKES IN NATIONAL CAPITAL
450
Number of Yulu Miracle bikes available outside Delhi Metro stations 35
Delhi Metro stations — like Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhavan, Khan Market, Munirka, IIT — where Yulu bikes have docks