The Jeddah Municipality confiscated over 200 quad bikes last month for violating safety regulations along Jeddah's Corniche. The bike owners, mostly African nationals, were arrested and will be prosecuted, Mohamed Al-Buqami, official spokesman of the municipality, told Arab News.
He said the municipality and the police are working closely to identify and arrest individuals leasing the quad bikes.
He warned all visitors to the Corniche, especially children, against dealing with these offenders, as the bikes lack the most basic safety requirements which could lead to accidents.
A number of visitors to the Corniche in Jeddah called on the authorities to prevent African laborers from renting out such vehicles in order to avoid injuries to children and teenagers. Abdullah Al-Shaheri said that he usually goes with his children to the Corniche and allows them to rent these bikes. Though he is aware of the fact that the laborers renting out these vehicles do not have permission from the municipality or the traffic department, he allows his children to take the rides regardless as there are few places where they can enjoy such activities, he said.
Nasser Al-Mutairi demanded that the municipality ban these rides as "many young people and children suffer injuries from using them.”
Ahmed Al-Bali, owner of a quad bike rental shop at the Corniche, said he has been renting out the rides for the past two years. “They are very popular with customers because there are large open spaces along the Corniche and children really enjoy riding them,” he said.
He has 20 vehicles which he rents out from 9 a.m. until sunset in the holiday season at rates of SR10 for 15 minutes, SR20 for 20 minutes, SR30 for half an hour and SR45 for one hour.
The owner of another rental booth, Njashi Ahmed, said he has 15 quad bikes which he rents out but does not have a work permit. He said that he informed his customers that the bikes had no safety guarantees but noted that a lot of the injuries occurred due to the reckless driving of some of the young children and teenagers.
Col. Zaid Al-Hamzi, spokesman for the Jeddah Traffic Department, said that the absence of a numberplate on the quad bike indicates the vehicle is unlicensed and represents a traffic violation. “In such cases, the owner will be fined as per the traffic regulations,” he said, adding that the department has directed patrols to go to the quad bike rental shops immediately and identify violators.
200 quad bikes confiscated
