Jake
June 25th, 2003, 09:55 PM
Thousands of bikers converged on the Swiss capital, Bern, to protest plans to limit bike speeds to 80kmh on the motorways. The country's biggest motorcyclist association, Pro Moto, organized the mass demonstration outside the government building.
Although the demonstration took place without bikes, the procession of bikers, making their way into Bern - at 80kmh - brought traffic around the city to a standstill. It was reported that over 35,000 motorcyclists came from all over the country to protest proposals from the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) to reduce the number of deaths on the country's roads.
But the bikers argue than the plan would introduce technical alterations making it impossible to go any faster than 80kmh, would be discriminatory and make them the laughing stock abroad. They say they are not against moves to reduce the number of deaths on the road, which number 600 a year, 100 of which are motorcyclists, but Pro Moto says the country's 500,000 bikers just want to be granted the same treatment as other road users.
Pius Bruelhart, a bike enthusiast, said if the measures go through, motorcycles could become an obstacle to other road users.
"Vision Zero would slow bikers down to the speed limit of a truck on the road and it's known that trucks are always about ten per cent over the limit, which would mean a truck would overtake a bike on the motorway," he said.
Other proposals causing concern are raising the age limit to 18 for motor scooters, tightening drunk-driving laws and reducing the speed limit on major roads to 70kmh.
Pro Moto has already handed in a petition with more than 200,000 signatures urging the government to rethink Vision Zero, and some biker groups will be involved in the consultation process before the government reveals some firm proposals by the end of the year.
Although the demonstration took place without bikes, the procession of bikers, making their way into Bern - at 80kmh - brought traffic around the city to a standstill. It was reported that over 35,000 motorcyclists came from all over the country to protest proposals from the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) to reduce the number of deaths on the country's roads.
But the bikers argue than the plan would introduce technical alterations making it impossible to go any faster than 80kmh, would be discriminatory and make them the laughing stock abroad. They say they are not against moves to reduce the number of deaths on the road, which number 600 a year, 100 of which are motorcyclists, but Pro Moto says the country's 500,000 bikers just want to be granted the same treatment as other road users.
Pius Bruelhart, a bike enthusiast, said if the measures go through, motorcycles could become an obstacle to other road users.
"Vision Zero would slow bikers down to the speed limit of a truck on the road and it's known that trucks are always about ten per cent over the limit, which would mean a truck would overtake a bike on the motorway," he said.
Other proposals causing concern are raising the age limit to 18 for motor scooters, tightening drunk-driving laws and reducing the speed limit on major roads to 70kmh.
Pro Moto has already handed in a petition with more than 200,000 signatures urging the government to rethink Vision Zero, and some biker groups will be involved in the consultation process before the government reveals some firm proposals by the end of the year.