Ban relief: Twin cities’ bike enthusiasts get day in the sun

Traffic police arrange event in connection with its eighth anniversary celebrations.

ISLAMABAD:

Around 80 heavy bikes from the twin cities roared on roads in the capital city to participate in a rally arranged by none other than the traffic police themselves.

The “road safety” heavy bike rally, organised by the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) on Sunday in connection with its 8th anniversary celebrations, turned out to be an event full of contradictions.



The rally started from the F-9 Park and ended at the same point after making a round of Islamabad’s roads and avenues. But the motorcyclists said that their 500cc-and-above bikes were otherwise not allowed on the same roads on normal days.

“The ITP wardens bother us unnecessarily and say we are breaking rules by taking our heavy bikes out on the Islamabad Highway and other roads in the city,” said Obaidullah Taj, a heavy bike owner from Rawalpindi.

ITP officials confirmed to The Express Tribune that all heavy bikes were not allowed within the limits of the federal capital.

The traffic rules of the National Highways & Motorways Police (NH&MP) only prohibit motorcycles under 80cc to use the motorway, according to NH&MP’s website.

But Taj said that in practice the NH&MP officials do not allow their 500cc and above heavy bikes to travel on the motorways. Instead, the bikers have to take the Grand Trunk Road, he said.



Heavy bikers said that it was unfair that they were not allowed to use their heavy bikes in the city, even though they take care of safety precautions and also pay customs duty and other taxes on the import of the bikes.

Taj said that the heavy bike rider community of the twin cities wanted to raise the issue with Inspector General of NH&MP, but he did not show up for the event.

The bikers did bring the issue to the attention of Assistant Inspector General Police Sultan Azam Temuri at the event. Temuri said he would look into the matter.

Bikers at the rally also performed wheelies inside the F-9 Park — an act for which they would definitely have been fined if they had done it outside the event. But the ITP officials present at the event turned a blind eye to the wheeling and said “it was only for the special event”. While most bikers used helmets, some rode without them in the presence of ITP officers.

Meanwhile, residents of Islamabad, including families, showed up at the Park to watch the bike show. ITP officers informed the public about their 1915 helpline and advised people to call it anytime during the day for traffic assistance.



Other than their concerns, the bikers said the road safety rally was a positive step at a time when most public entertainment activities were limited due to the law and order situation in the country.

Temuri said that the public participation had made the ITP anniversary charming. He said that such events will also be arranged in future to effectively disseminate message of road safety.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2014.