Police Go, Drifters Move In

Families driven off as weekend stunts hit beach car park

Drifters wait for police patrols to leave Abu Subh beach before tearing round its car park on weekend nights, a councillor has said, as families stay away over the racket.

‘They know when the patrols leave. They wait, and then they start,’ Northern Municipal Council member Basem Abu Idrees told The Daily Tribune.

Youths in sports cars and on sports bikes rev engines, spin tyres and drift across the open lot, mainly on Thursday and Friday nights.

Police in uniform and plain clothes patrol the beach, but Abu Idrees said there were not enough officers to watch the site around the clock.

‘This has driven families away,’ he said. ‘Some women do not feel comfortable coming without a man from the family.’

The municipality has now turned to kerbs and rubber speed humps to stop the car park being used for stunts.

Its entrance has been changed so drivers meet a kerb and must turn instead of shooting straight into the open lot at speed.

Rubber humps have also been placed between parking bays, breaking up stretches once used for drifting.

‘We took the residents’ suggestions and put in the rubber humps,’ Abu Idrees said. ‘If they find another way round them, we will add more.’

The beach, a popular open-air spot for nearby families, has also faced vandalism.

Public toilets had been damaged. The toilets were later redone, cameras were fitted and a 200-fils entry fee was brought in.

‘The toilets are now clean 24 hours a day,’ Abu Idrees said, adding that the fee had also helped ward off vandals.

One guard watches the beach, while the municipality is seeking extra guards for Thursday and Friday nights.

Safety fears were also raised after a young girl fell from an iron playground dome and broke her arm. The structure was removed at once.

Abu Idrees said tougher safety rules would be used in planned playground work overseen by engineer Doha Al Madhoob.