Just when you thought politicians had truly hit rock-bottom, the leaders of our globe step right up and prove you wrong with yet another stupid idea. This week, the idea in question is a proposal to the European Union’s parliament which would see some motorcycles restricted to a lower speed than cars.
The idea comes from the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism. You can see their proposals in the documenthere. Basically, among a host of proposals of varying sensibility, one stands out. The EU’s leaders propose to restrict riders on certain licenses to slower speeds.
See a reply from FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations) below:
The rapporteur proposes differentiated speed limits for holders of A1, A2 and A motorcycle licences. This will lead to situations where motorcyclists will be confronted with other, larger, and heavier, vehicles with higher speed limits on the same roads. We consider this a dangerous situation for already vulnerable road users and for other road users because this will lead to car drivers “pushing” (keeping to little distance to vehicles in front) motorcyclists and more overtaking manoeuvres. Furthermore, numerous studies and statistical information show that most incidents in which motorcyclists are involved, even crashes with critical ending, happen at relatively lower speeds on rural and urban roads, where speed limits are usually well below 100 km/h. Only 8% of the motorcycle fatalities occur on motorways. Lower speeds limits for certain kinds of vehicles that are allowed on all roads do not contribute to road safety and will bring extra risks for some categories of road users like younger motorcyclists. We strongly advise to reject this proposal for safety reasons.
That’s not all. FEMA has plenty of criticism for other silly ideas from EU leaders—read the whole thinghere. The motorcyclists’ advocacy group says the proposals will make it more difficult to get a license, complicating the already-convoluted procedure. It also removes the ability for countries to grant motorcycle licenses to younger riders, who might not be ready for a full-sized bike but can handle something like a 50cc scooter for the commute to school or work. And then we get this zinger paragraph:
We have noticed that in many places the rapporteur inserted elements that do not seem to have the purpose to enhance road safety, but to promote a mobility change from powered individual transport modes to so-called active modes. Although we understand the motives behind this, in our view this directive should not be used for other purposes than to enhance road safety. Although FEMA is in favour of road safety training and education at primary and secondary schools, this should be with the purpose of increasing road safety and not turn into propaganda for active mobility.
Translation: Starting with propaganda in public schools, the EU is pushing riders towards bicycling (or walking) and away from vehicles such as motorcycles. FEMA obviously has a problem with this.
FEMA also has a problem with the added expenses associated with many of the EU leaders’ ideas:
We have also noticed that several proposals will lead to extra costs for drivers and riders. Although the rapporteur recognises that in respect to some proposes measures “nevertheless in some instances its affordability is a barrier”, she throws that aspect over the fence of the national authorities, instead of trying to avoid it. Periodic medical examinations, for elderly people even up to every two years lead to substantial financial burdens and capacity issues.
摩托车在欧洲继续受欢迎吗if they’re an expensive luxury item instead of cheap transportation? Look around the US, where this is already the case, to find your answer.
Can FEMA’s cries will make any difference? It’s hard to say, but the EU’s member countries have certainly cracked down onspeeding,loud pipesand even muchgravel road riding. There’s lots of fun motorcycling to be had in Europe, but if the past decade’s history and the EU parliament proposals are the pattern of what to expect, there will be less fun in much of the continent in the years to come.
