Dubai: E-scooters banned inside some apartments

Dubai: E-scooters banned inside some apartments

Some residential buildings in Dubai have issued an order for their tenants not to bring e-scooters inside their apartments, citing safety reasons, Khaleej Times has learned.

An administrator for a cluster of residential buildings in Al Barsha who requested not to be named said the directive came from the management “following complaints from tenants that e-scooters crowd corridors and common areas in shared accommodation. Some also fear that they (e-scooters) pose fire risk, especially when left charging overnight.”

“There have been few instances – not in our building – of e-scooter battery sparking and catching fire,” the building administrator noted.

E-scooter have increasingly become popular among UAE residents because of their practicality. They are also appropriately promoted as first and last-mile green mobility solutions, suited for short distances.

Current demand

RoadSafety UAE, however, noted “the appropriate infrastructure is growing, but it does not match the current demand and use of e-scooters."

“We see all ages of e-scooter users. We see e-scooters used practically on all surfaces, like roads, pedestrian walkways, and bike lanes. We observe careless users like even on dedicated zones at night many e-scooters go without lights; only a minority wear helmets, protective gear, and reflective safety vests,” said Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing