DUBAI // A reckless driver who jumped out of his car onto the back of a motorcycle and then back to his vehicle is being hunted by police.
Footage on social media shows the man leaping onto the back of a motorbike being driven by a friend on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road over the weekend before jumping back into the car two minutes later.
The incident was captured on a mobile phone camera at night and police declined to say what speed the vehicles were travelling.
Dubai Police have yet to identify the man, but Maj Gen Mohammed Al Zafeen, assistant commander-in-chief and chairman of the Federal Traffic Council, said these sort of actions “would not be tolerated”.
“The driver who jumped on the motorcycle performed a suicide attempt. It was very dangerous, especially that driving motorcycles is more dangerous than driving a vehicle,” he said.
“We will not accept any stunt or dangerous driving behaviour.”
Maj Gen Al Zafeen said that fewer motorists have been arrested of late after drivers guilty of dangerous stunts at City Walk were given community service by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, in February.
Sheikh Mohammed ordered a 17-year-old Emirati driver and his companions to clean Dubai streets for four hours a day for a month as punishment for his behaviour.
Major Gen Al Zafeen said: “I always communicate with young drivers to understand their perspectives of stunts and dangerous forms of driving to come up with methods to tackle this problem.”
Last year, Dubai traffic police seized 1,683 cars after stunt driving and reckless behaviour on the roads and another 200 in the first two months of this year.
According to the recent traffic regulations and penalties approved by the Ministry of Interior, reckless driving incurs a fine of Dh2,000, 23 black points and the vehicle is impounded for 60 days.
The same punishment and fine is applied to drivers who endanger the lives of others. Reckless driving punishment also applies to buggy drivers, who would received a Dh3,000 fine as well as having their buggy confiscated for three months.
Drivers caught under the influence of alcohol or drugs will have their licence suspended for one year.
nalramahi@thenational.ae