Biker wants carrots

Hurry up and apply for the 5-month Minipay instalment plan from June 3 to June 23

The motorcyclists themselves asked to meet with the leadership of the regional traffic police. They said they were tired of discrimination from inspectors and motorists and would not put up with it any longer. Yesterday, about a hundred men and women in protective gear and helmets gathered in front of the headquarters. The conversation turned out to be tense.

According to official data, there are 6,937 motor vehicles in Gomel. Cars – 162,000. Before this meeting, motorcyclists wanted to find “common ground” with the traffic police, they printed out their most painful problems and submitted them to the traffic police department. They saved some things and expressed them personally to the traffic police leaders.

There are two main complaints. All winter long, drivers have forgotten about the motorcycle, not noticing it in the rearview mirror and it interferes with driving. We need to remind ourselves somehow.

Also, “inspector picky” usually prefers motorists.

— Why are there billboards for “Fasten your seat belts” and “Slow down” but no “Look in the mirror”? – The people gathered together were interested in this painful issue. — We are even ready to make a mockup of such a poster, but in order to make it and place it on the road, we need the help of the traffic police.There are safety public service announcements on TV, so why is there no content about motor vehicles?

– Mark! – Acting regional traffic police chief Andrei Garkusha directs police officers.

To remind themselves when the season begins, motorcyclists even printed leaflets. They asked to distribute them to car drivers in some way. The traffic police were delighted with this request:

– Yes, we would love to! We will distribute it to our departments and supply inspectors. But we need more leaflets. The 200 you gave us will be enough for us for a few days.

Next is the complaint to the traffic police:

“You keep increasing sanctions, but you shouldn’t encourage conscientious drivers!” After all, there should be not only sticks, but also carrots. In other cities, there are all kinds of interesting activities…

Likewise, with a platform where motorcyclists can train and relax, everything is complicated. That is, there are places, but they won’t let you in even if you pay. Department employees look at each other: they know why the owners of one of the sites don’t want to deal with motorcyclists. About seven years ago, we celebrated the opening of the season there, leaving controversial impressions and garbage. Now let’s see who exactly is disqualified. But what is etched in my memory is that these are people on motorcyclists.

As a result, there was nowhere to learn and nothing to learn to ride. However, it was never possible to find out who needed it. The “Presidium” cautiously proposed to participate in the purchase of motorcycles for motorcycle schools, which aroused no small amount of emotion.

– Let them buy stuff with their fines! ——Participants were not interested in the intricacies of allocating capital flows.

– You suggested we reset, —The man in the leather jacket reasoned. — But wouldn’t it be more correct for us to go to the track at Inogorodnaya 8? We are ready to pay. And let the education department buy motorcycles with the money earned.

Garkusa nodded: Let’s discuss this topic with the city executive committee.

– Why were we singled out from the process? – Someone couldn’t stand it anymore and asked a question as old as the universe. — Why do people fail to notice the oncoming BMW, but increasingly notice the motorcyclist?

(The following rebellious BMW theme is “We are being punished, but he is not here for some reason!” — will run like a red thread through the performances of many motorcyclists.)

In this regard, Vladimir Glushakov, acting deputy director of the regional traffic police, compared the figures: motorcycles account for 3.9% of the total number of vehicles in the city. At the same time, they account for a very high proportion of road accidents.

Motorcyclists remember with resentment recent A sensational plot. Then, a dead-end conversation began:

– If only the car driver would let him pass!

– If only motorcyclists would drive at the speed limit! …

In this kind of communication, the answer is not always important – it is about speaking up and letting the emotions out. We asked a very important question about Pobeda Avenue:

– Which clever person filled everything there with granite so that drivers can’t see anything? And most importantly, who approved such a reconstruction?

But they immediately forgot what they were asking. Shouts of “Let me answer” from the audience were drowned out by a sudden surge of desire from motorcyclists to share other experiences.

Throughout the meeting, from one end of the chamber, then from the other, they tried to ask questions about the ban on driving along Sovetskaya. But the person who was speaking immediately hissed: “Not in a hurry!” We waited and saved this question until the end. Finally the moment has come. Let us recall that in May last year, the State Transport Inspectorate “at the request of the workers” She threatens Motor vehicle traffic on a stretch of Soviet Street from Lenin Square to the department store.

— FYI: If someone drives along Sovetskaya and makes a lot of noise, our duty department will receive about ten calls, ——Traffic police representatives shared statistical data.

Since then, the motorcycle community has repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of this measure. “Okay, then we’ll go with Kirov and wake up the people there.” In response to outside comments about engine loudness, they usually jump up: “Who measured it?!” Then, as usual, there’s the story about how loud motorcycles somehow increase safety; at least you’ll be noticed. We’ve heard it many times. Today, motorcyclists are asking for the ban to be relaxed, if not completely lifted, to be from 23:00 to 6:00. That is, to be reduced to a general rule against noise at night.

– We will study this issue. ——Andrei Galkusha promised. — Obviously, we’re going to change some things here.