After five days of operation, Dubai's Metro is proving to be an overwhelming success. According to the Roads and Transport Authority, more than 105,000 people rode the Metro between Thursday and Sunday alone, far exceeding expectations.

These ridership figures are huge, no doubt bolstered by many thousands who simply rode the Metro because it's new and has been keenly anticipated.

Over the weekend, families used the Metro as the perfect vehicle for an outing, sightseeing and just having the thrill of riding the new Dh27 billion project. But as with every project of such a scale, there are inevitable teething problems.

While the RTA technical staff are doing their best to iron out small kinks, such as the trains not stopping in synchronisation with the platform doors, there are other elements which should and must be deterred. RTA officials reported that on Saturday alone, the Metro system was interrupted five times by thoughtless individuals pushing emergency response buttons. While this offence carries a Dh2,000 fine, there can be no excuse for their improper use.

It is not a toy: It is only to be used in the case of life-threatening events. Anyone abusing it must be punished severely.