What Do You Do When Bikers Race Their Motorcycles In The Street?

What Do You Do When Bikers Race Their Motorcycles In The Street?

Posted by Mike Werner on Mar 3rd 2016


It’s something that happens a lot; bikers racing their powerful motorcycles in the street. It’s a dangerous “hobby” that not only puts the biker and others at risk, but also gives a very bad image of motorcycle riders in general. And when bikers have a bad image, it’s dangerous for all of us.

So what do you do when hordes of bikers take to the road, racing each other? Well, in most countries, we place cops at strategic place on the road and hope to catch the culprits. This often results in high speed chases, that put lives at stake as well. So not a very good solution. But one country has taken a different approach; Malaysia.

 

The country’s capital Kuala Lumpur is plagued by groups of bikers racing each other in the streets. According to the Minister in charge of the area, this is because racing motorcycles in the streets is a cheap way of getting thrills. These bikers don’t have the money to race on race tracks, or other forms of adrenaline-generating sports, so they race each other in the streets.

So instead of fighting them, the normal knee-jerk reaction of politicians, the Minister has decided to give them what they want. He’s going to close down certain streets currently used for the illegal races, and allow bikers to race each other in safety.

Once or twice a week, mostly at night, certain roads will be closed for cars, and crash barriers and other safety equipment will be installed plus other entertainment items will be rolled out (like food trucks and music). Then bikers can go and race each other in those streets; more safely and for free.

So that’s a novel approach to motorcycle safety and preventing illegal street races. Will it work? We’ll see over the next year or so.

Would you like to see something like this in your city? Would it prevent you from racing a motorcycle in busy street?

Source

Tags: