Bikers of all shapes and sizes converged on the “Bikers’ Lives Matter” event recently, which formed part of City of Joburg’s Transport Month awareness campaign.
With motorcycle accidents and fatalities on the rise in our rural and urban areas, bikers have deemed it pertinent as an initiative to put out their demands on paper to fellow road users and law enforcement authorities.
The bikers hosted the event under the banner ‘Bikers Lives Matter Breakfast Run 2018’ in Johannesburg, which started from Suzuki Puzey Bikers Warehouse in Northriding Randburg, moving onto Malibongwe and ending at the same venue. Bikers Lives Matter aims to ensure that bikers are seen and respected on roads by other users in order to reduce the number of biker fatalities on the roads.
A letter of demand by James Gwangwadza, director of Bikers Lives Matters, requested the following:
1. Proper investigation at accident scenes, swift response of medical personal and policing authorities to prevent evidence being lost or destroyed.
2. Swifter processing of blood drawn in accident cases, this will ensure more effective prosecution, the process takes up to two years now, how many more will die by the same hands.
3. More active and visible policing, too many people jumping red lights and stop streets, identify problem areas and implement assistance.
4. Reckless driving is on the increase by cars and motorcycles alike, link this to the above statement about visible policing, more stringent fines given to those using cell phones while driving.
5. More time and effort put into investigating accidents scenes to insure stiffer penalties and sentences for offenders.
6. We need a minimum of six convictions this year of outstanding cases that are opened and before the courts already.
7. Dedicated motorcycle lane on highways or a lane that gives priority to motorcycles during commuting hours.
8. Adjust bike license policy, you may only ride up to a 125cc with your learners, up to the age of 21 only up to a 600cc if you have done you learner phase on the 125cc. Over 21 may ride any CC they like assuming they have done their 125cc and 600cc riding time. If not they need to follow the process accordingly.
9. Companies cannot sell 1000cc motorcycles to anyone under the age of 21. This would be equated to selling a loaded firearm to a toddler.
10. Decrease in licensing cost for motorcycles. Dedicated parking areas on the street curbs. 16cm by 16cm max size of number plates. Dedicated drive through lane at tollgates
11. Abolishment of the 33% import duties on motorcycles.
12. Disability compensation to be finalized within 12 months of claim
13. Dedicated motorcycle insurance supported by the RTA with no high risk definition clause.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Nonhlanhla Makhuba, said: “The safety of all road users is of utmost importance for us as a department and today, we want to commit our support for this initiative and to work at building a stronger partnership with yourselves to address those issue that relate to the motorcyclists on our roads.”
Written by Johannes Phosa
