Mahmoud Ahmad



One of the important elements of a city is sidewalks. Sidewalks mean the city is modern. Sidewalks mean people are generally healthy and safe.



This, however, is not the case in the city of Jeddah where there are sidewalks — but very few and far between. The sidewalks of Jeddah are generally not well maintained, thus not fit for human use. Whoever did the urban design for the city seems to be a person who disapproves of people getting healthy by walking. I cannot speak about other cities because I have never lived in Riyadh nor in the Eastern Province.



My definition of pedestrian rights is actually having space for a pedestrian on the streets. Jeddah streets are designed in a way that does not allow one to walk. I have to share the main road with the cars. When I walk in my neighborhood, I have to install special eyes in the back of my head to watch for cars coming from behind.



As a driver, I have to watch for pedestrians walking in the middle of the road. For the so-called sidewalks in neighborhoods either do not exist, they are too small for a person to use, have hawkers clogging up space or the are so damaged and full of holes that they could prove more harmful for people if they dare to use them.



When I ask my friends, who had recently spent their vacation abroad, about what they enjoyed most during their vacations, all of them with no exception said “the city is beautiful and the best part was that I could take long walks and even exercise in parks.”



They had all vacationed abroad and returned to brag about enjoying something that is their basic right as citizens here.



Anyone who has been to the city of Dubai can see how the city is designed for people to walk safely. Did the city planners make sure that people have sidewalks and are safe before they designed the roads for cars? In America, pedestrians are given priority over cars. Pedestrian sidewalks are designed in a way to make it safe for people to walk.



City planners know that children will be using sidewalks for school and therefore they must be available and made safe. They take into consideration everybody — even the physically challenged — in planning prior to the execution of the plan. Sidewalks and roads are made accessible to them. As for us, our planners have not given a thought to those who are fit and walking on two legs before we talk about the physically challenged.





Around six years back in Madinah I was hit by a car in the back while walking down the road. I can only thank God that the accident occurred while he was driving at 30 kph and not any faster. The speed and point of impact left no serious injuries.



I remembered him taking the offensive when we got to talking, by trying to put the blame on me saying, "you should use the sidewalk". I looked at him and then at the road and told him there was no sidewalk here — "show me the sidewalk". At my reply, he sheepishly retracted and used the other age-old excuse "do not blame me but blame those who designed the road".



I cannot send my son five blocks from my house because I am afraid he might get hit by a car. When I have to send him, I give him an earful of caution every time. It is invariably an advise to be extra careful when he is walking on the road or crossing the road to his bemusement — as if it would be the last time I am going to see him.



Recently, the city of Jeddah built some nice areas for people to walk and renovated the Al-Hamra area and placed some nice pedestrian spaces. It may be too little and a little too late, but it is nice anyway. Since we cannot change the current neighborhoods and add new sidewalks in those areas, let us at least make sure that any newly-designed neighborhood will be walker-friendly.



It is time that at least some of us feel safe when walking on the road and have the option to do walking exercises. As for us who live in neighborhoods with no sidewalks, we will be happy to drive our cars for half an hour to get to a place where we can walk.



– Mahmoud Ahmad can be reached at [email protected]