In Vitebsk, after a road accident with three fatalities, the traffic police detained 20 motorcyclist offenders within 24 hours

For the past 7 years, the Vitebsk region was considered the safest in terms of accidents. However, the last six months have been truly "black" for it. Since the beginning of 2015, 183 traffic accidents have been registered, in which 50 people died. This is 17 more than in the same period of the previous year. An increase in accidents involving motorcycle transport is observed. There have been 13 such accidents in the region. 5 people died in them: three bikers and two pedestrians. 11 people were injured.

Perhaps the most high-profile accident occurred on the night of July 11. Then, a 24-year-old unemployed man on a Yamaha motorcycle hit a married couple at an unregulated pedestrian crossing on Moskovsky Avenue. The motorcyclist and pedestrians, aged 26 and 27, died. Both the police and representatives of the biker community assessed the incident. According to the acting head of the traffic police department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Internal Affairs Directorate, Alexander Samul, his colleagues have already begun to restore order:

- 20 motorcyclists were detained in the regional center within a day. The main violations are speeding, unregistered bikes, and failure to pass technical inspection. We have created raid groups that will record on video recorders those who start from traffic lights on their rear wheel, those who bend and hide license plates. This is not about prejudice. We urge motorcyclists to follow the rules and help inspectors make the roads safer.

Ilya, the leader of the "Road Hounds" club, noted that if 10 years ago every trip to the city for his comrades ended with friendly communication, smiles, and selfies with Vitebsk residents, then in recent years people's attitude has become much more negative:

- People get the impression that if someone is a biker, they are reckless. Accidents like the one on Moskovsky Avenue in Vitebsk jeopardize the entire motorcycle movement. Our club has existed for 13 years. Have we been working, holding rallies, all this time for nothing? We urge all motorcyclists to use their heads and reconsider their riding style in the city.

Motorcyclists, including "choppers" and "sports" bikes, over 50 of whom gathered, also had many questions. They concerned the organization of traffic flow along the "green wave" in the city, the training of novice drivers in driving schools, and the allocation of a site or stadium for bikers. In addition, motorcyclists complained about motorists who sometimes do not notice them in traffic, cut them off, forcing them to violate the rules.

Perhaps the most discussed issue was that of the so-called "inadequates" – lone bikers who listen to no one, do not belong to any communities, speed through the city at 150-180 kilometers per hour, and wake up sleeping residents at night. State traffic inspectors explained that pursuing such daredevils is risky, as it can lead to accidents. However, law-abiding motorcyclists can record and report such incidents.

Sergey Golesnik, SB Belarus Today