MAKKAH: Residents of Makkah are growing increasingly frustrated at motorbike riders and car drivers using park areas for reckless activities, turning the zones into unpleasant and sometimes dangerous places to frequent. “I went to one park to do some exercise, but there are teenagers who annoy you, people riding around on motorbikes and even young people in cars doing stunt driving and skidding,” said Saeeda Abdullah. “It's dangerous for other people at the park and there are no authorities there to stop them.” Sara Al-Hidhli said that she was robbed at one of the parks. “A guy on a motorbike snatched some money from me a few months ago,” she said. “He sped off so I didn't have the chance to get a look at him. The teenagers at the park annoy everyone, riding around on motorbikes or in cars.” Muhammad Ali and Abdullah Al-Zahrani say they regularly frequent one of the parks in Makkah for exercise but are concerned at the use of car parks normally reserved for pilgrim vehicles. “There are loads of people there, skidding and doing stunts in cars, or racing about on motorbikes,” they said. “There are foreigners as well who hire out motorbikes, and the police should do something about them as they don't have licenses for that.” Abdul Muhsin, the spokesman for Makkah Police, said that the force has a constant presence of officers at the parks, whether that is in terms of police patrols, traffic policemen, and even undercover policemen. “They are there to ensure security and provide reassurance for members of the public frequenting the parks,” he said. “Officers on patrol detain persons with motorbikes or car drivers doing stunts as they are a nuisance to park goers.”
