Mohammed Labban accepted his manager's challenge and cycled 13km from Sharjah to Dubai. - Supplied photo
Dubai - He aims to cycle from Abu Dhabi to the same spot next year
Published: Mon 6 Feb 2017, 8:31 AM
Updated: Mon 6 Feb 2017, 4:18 PM
A Sharjah resident cycled 13km to Dubai for the Car Free Day celebrations before getting on his bike again for another 42km to Academic City.
Speaking at the event held near Dubai Municipality Deira branch, Lebanese Mohammed Al Labban said he aims to cycle from Abu Dhabi to the same spot next year.
"My manager has challenged me, and I said I will do it!" said the 32-year-old.
It will not be the first extraordinary stunt Al Labban will be doing. For Car Free Day in 2015, he walked from Sharjah to Deira Dubai Municipality for 5.5 hours, starting from 2.30am and reaching 8am.
This year, he cycled from his home in King Faisal Street at 6.45am to the municipality, arriving at 8.10am.
RELATED COVERAGE: CAR-FREE DAY
50,000 Dubai residents leave behind their cars
Cycle to work ... and have fun doing it
Car pool and relax as you commute
Social media abuzz with support for Car Free Day
5 reasons why Dubai expats love public transport
Dubai Duty Free CEO cycles to work for Car-Free Day
It's Dubai Car-Free Day: Did you ditch your car?
"It's almost the same amount of time it takes me with a car. I would've cycled everyday if I got the chance, but without special cycling tracks on the road, it is quite difficult," Al Labban, Graphic Designer at Dubai Statistics Centre.
He got on his bike again for another two and a half hours to his office located at Academic City.
Al Labban took up the habit of cycling two years ago as he was trying to shed some extra pounds. Two years ago, he was 140kg, now he weighs 105kg.
He noted that the challenge he faces when on his bike is mainly the absence of safe cycling tracks. "I try my best to use service roads, but sometimes I have no other option but to go on the highway. If there are safe tracks on roads between Sharjah to Dubai, I'd cycle everyday."
He added that time-wise, cycling and driving between the two emirates take the same time. But cycling and using different modes of transport is better for physical and mental health. "At least you avoid the road rage!" he said.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com
E-Paper
Sign In
0°C 
