Alexa

My condolences to his family and friends. RIP.

Irishbeekeeper

The good ones go early!
Rest in peace Roy!

Fossildog

Nepalese according to the National.

commander

Driver was Emirati. Victim was Lebanese.

commander

Thanks, I was probably out on the same ride. I used to go with the Roadsters most weeks, but since the cycle path is on my doorstep at Al Qudra, I do all my training there.

You are correct, the groups here are very well organized and have numerous safety vehicles. These vehicles don't just sit in behind the groups they also drive ahead at slip roads and warn vehicles coming onto the road that there are cyclists coming. It works very well and even though this is a tragedy, they majority of drivers are extremely courteous and enjoy seeing a group of Athletes out on the roads.

To be honest, I was given more abuse in a week back in Scotland riding with my mate than I have ever had here in years.

As most cyclists know, Dubai is NOT a dangerous place to cycle compared to pretty much anywhere else...

Saying that, I did see a guy a few months back on a pretty top end road bike, cycling on SZR near interchange 5 without any helmet. What an absolute idiot. That is the absolute exception not the rule.

Bongoman2

National newspaper says driver was Nepalese and taken into custody.
Surely they couldn't print an untruth.

Kix

GN said he was "Asian" in the headline, and Emirati in the text.

I'm thinking the latter.

Anyways, nationality isn't really an issue, the fact that a pissed up driver killed someone and injured others is.

scrubbedexpat141

Utterly tragic. Condolences to his family, friends and training pals.

I had no idea that some of the routes have safety cars, I'm sure 99.9% of the time they are effective in letting drivers know what's going on and keeping the cyclists as safe as possible. Unfortunately they can't do much about ****tard pissed drivers and I agree that it's tantamount to murder.

OriginalSunshine

One of my friends has only just come out of hospital (here in Oman) having had his legs, pelvis, and spine put back together. Stupid driver in 4WD Porsche pulled out of a side road straight into him (going along main road), over him, and then drove off. Never caught.
My friend was not going fast as he was just returning from some errands along a 500m stretch of road whilst his car was in for a service. Literally you could see his house and the supermarket in a straight line from each other.
In Europe I loved cycling, even though i had a tendency to break collar bones and arms from mountain biking a bit too agressively. I don't cycle here, at all. Even with all safety precautions there are too many careless arrogant tw*ts around - and yes that includes all you who drink and drive whatever your nationality.

commander

Okay, I may be wrong, I have got this from third hand information (friends) so if I am factually incorrect about the nationality (not that it matters I guess) I wholeheartedly apologise.

Wherever the arsehole is from, I hope he rots in jail.

commander

exactly. yea, pretty much all the rides have safety cars.

Every year, we ride (about 5 of us) from Dxb to RAK along the 611 and then some back roads. We always have a vehicle sitting in behind us. It doesn't make you bulletproof though, but offers some protection from a truck driver falling asleep or a speeding/texting idiot.

Kix

Is it really worth it?

I'm with Original here, I don't think it is.

Millhouse

I do not want to belittle the tragedy of the story - it is a mess.

But... you ride on the 611? with or without a support car that's stupid in my opinion. You wouldn't take your bikes on a motorway in the UK (in fact it is illegal) Why on Earth would you do it here?

commander

because at 5am there isn't a car in sight on a Friday morning. We have support and its safe, notwithstanding some act like last week. Here there are massively wide roads and huge hard shoulders that they just don't have in the UK. I would wager that you are safer cycling on the 611 than cycling down Al Wasl Road.

You can call it stupid, that is your opinion. I risk assess everything I do in my work and life. Cycling and triathlon is a huge part of what/who I am. I wont stop. I the outcome of my risk assessment was negative, I wouldn't do it.

commander

drinking and smoking too much will likely kill you. Is it really worth it?

As I stated above. its a huge part of my life and who we are. I'm not going to stop cycling because one day a pissed driver may smash into me. he could also smash into me whilst I walk down the road on the pavement. Yet, you wont stop walking in public.

I recognize the risk.