People tries the Trikke by Smartbike as part of the Dubai Car Free Day Celebration at the Union Station Park in Dubai on Sunday, February 05, 2017. Photo by Dhes Handumon
Dubai - A few residents rued how crowded public transportation can become
Published: Sun 5 Feb 2017, 7:02 PM
Updated: Sun 5 Feb 2017, 9:12 PM
Across the emirate, Dubai residents and organisations have taken to social media to voice their support for Dubai Municipality's eighth annual Car Free Day and praise its positive environmental impact.
Among the residents who posted images of themselves participating in Car Free Day was, despite being based outside of Dubai, British Ambassador Philip Parham.
"UK ambassador (that's me) walked to work today, as he will tomorrow and did yesterday. #DubaiCarFreeDay in #AbuDhabi," he wrote on Twitter, alongside a video of him walking briskly to the embassy.
Another local resident - Gwawr Tagg - posted a picture she took riding in the front of a Dubai Metro train.
"Doing our bit for #DubaiCarFreeDay with @RTA_Dubai and @DubaiMunicipality," she wrote. "Are you?"
Theresa Antonio, another residents encouraged residents to consider using alternative modes of transportation in an effort to help the environment.
"Show a little hug to Mother Earth today, and let's go back to the basics this #DubaiCarFreeDay," she wrote on Twitter, alongside a picture of herself on a bicycle.
A Dubai-based user, Shanks, noted that the environmental issues highlighted by Car Free Day will become even more important in the years in which today's young people are coming of age.
"Future generations will not forgive us if we don't leave a greener planet," he wrote.
Many companies - such as Dubai-based GAJ Architects - noted that they took part.
"We left our cars at home today in support of #DubaiCarFreeDay," the company posted, alongside an image of several employees standing cheerfully beside a bus.
A few residents, however, rued how crowded public transportation can become, especially when people leave their cars at home.
"If I can sit comfortably, of course, I would participate in this programme," Anthony Desquitado wrote on Facebook. "But the reality is we have to squeeze into each other just to get a space every day."
Another resident, Sohaib Aslam, said, despite the lack of cars, he still experienced traffic.
"Car free day? I spent an awful hour in traffic today instead of the usual 35 or 40 minutes," he wrote.
Some companies, such as ride-hailing app Careem provided examples of humourous alternatives to cars, including riding to work in an inflatable flamingo, paddle-boarding, skateboarding, or even riding piggy-back on a co-worker.
"No car. No cry," Careem noted on Facebook.
Car Free Day's organisers, Dubai Municipality, took to social media to express gratitude for the thousands of residents who took part.
"We would like to thank those who attended and participated in the activities of #DubaiCarFreeDay initiative in its eighth edition," the Municipality wrote on Facebook.
bernd@khaleejtimes.com
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