‘Reckless’ boy bikers taken off the roads
Sharjah officers impound 186 unlicensed motorcycles in campaign that was timed to coincide with the spring school break
SHARJAH // Children as young as 15 have been caught riding unlicensed motorbikes on residential roads. They were caught during a clampdown by Sharjah Police on unlicensed motorbikes and reckless driving in the emirate.
One hundred and eighty six unlicensed motorbikes have been confiscated since the campaign began last week, which coincided with the school spring break.
“We noticed an increase in the amount of disturbance reports from motorists during the school break,” said Maj Mohammed Alai, deputy director of traffic police in Sharjah.
“So we launched the crackdown to coincide with it to capture as many offenders as possible. “Yaqoub Al Hamadi, a social counsellor at Al Shahba School for Boys in Sharjah, said that children felt empowered and larger than life when they rode a motorbike.
“The majority of young boys are reckless and don’t care much about the law. They feel like grown men when they drive a motorbike,” Mr Al Hamadi said.
“The more recklessly they drive the mightier they feel among their peers.”
Mr Al Hamadi said a pupil at his school rode a motorbike illegally and was involved in a traffic accident.
“The pupil hit a taxi,” he said. “He was taken to hospital because he was injured, and then he was referred to police.
“At their young age, pupils have no real knowledge of the consequences and damage they might cause when they break the law.” Mr Al Hamadi urged parents not to allow their children to own or ride a motorbike.
“Giving children the option to drive a motorbike is dangerous. Parents should not only teach their children about its dangers, but they should also forbid them from using it.” His own neighbourhood had been affected by reckless teenagers on motorbikes and he had called police a few times.
“On the weekends, my area is flooded with the noise of motorbikes after midnight. At one point I urged police to come in a civilian car so they could catch the culprits, because they flee when they see police cars.”
Maj Alai said: “In this crack- down we made sure to go down the inner streets and deep inside the industrial areas.”
In industrial areas, unlicensed motorbikes are used for supermarket deliveries and personal use away from the main roads and the eyes of police, he said. Maj Abdulrahman Khater, from the police traffic awareness department, also urged parents to monitor their children and ban them from owning or using motorbikes.