“No More Motorcycle Deaths!”

In recent days, there have been two tragic motorcyclist deaths where the motorcyclists were decapitated by the barriers of the Zincirlikuyu-Avcılar metrobus line in Istanbul.

Fatal steel barriers

The Motorcycle Dispatch Courier Association staged a protest aftr the deaths. 2,000 motorcyclists joined the protests. The father of courier Onur Sual, who was killed in one of the accidents, demanded that the steel barriers be covered in some way.

Erkal Kaşıkçı, general secretary of the Turkish Motorcycling Federation (TMF), has said that the steel barriers kill in accidents. He has called for them either to be covered with rubber or to be made of other material.

“When they added the Metrobus route, they used the emergency lanes, and the other lanes were narrowed. The traffic is already congested, and motorcycles may be ignored. Unfortunately, our roads are not designed for motorcycle use.”

Motorcycle use is being discouraged

Kaşıkçı, who is also a motorcycle instructor, listed the demands of motorcyclists as follows:

• Motorcyclists are not treated as vehicles in traffic. Because of this mentality, there is no increase in motorcyclists, and traffic rules are not amended.
• According to current traffic laws, the speed limit for motorcycles is 30 km/hour less than for cars. Motorcyclists are forced to go slower than lorries, which increases the risks they are exposed to. The TMF demands a change in this regulation.
• The Private Consumption Tax (ÖTV) which stood at 8 percent in 2006 has been raised to between 22 and 37 percent. This stops people from using motorbikes. The TMF demands a reduction in this tax.
• The price of motorcycle training deters some motorcyclists from undergoing training. This can result in risky use of motorbikes. The TMF demands free-of-charge training for motorcyclists. Kaşıkçı himself plans to offer training free of charge.

The TMF representative said that motorcycles could contribute to a solution of traffic congestion. They took up less space both in traffic and in parking areas, and consumed less fuel.

Because of news items about motorcycle accidents, people were reluctant to try out motorcycles. However, so Kaşıkçı, statistics show that cars and lorries are involved in more accidents. (BÇ/AG)