One-wheeling cases data shows seasonal pattern

Number of helpline complaints drops in summer, winter months

LAHORE:

The official data of past two years shows that cases of one-wheeling by motorcyclists in the city increasing during months of pleasant weather.

The incidents decrease during harsh summer and winter seasons, the data analysis shows. In both the years, the number of reported cases increased during March, April and May before decreasing gradually in June and July.

The incidents again started increasing in August and then dropped drastically in November onward, the data of calls made at Police Helpline 15 revealed.

In March, April and May, the weather is moderate and it turns hot in June and July. From August onwards, moderate temperatures prevail before harsh winter in December.

In moderate weather, the one-wheelers swamp the roads, while their number drops amid harsh weather, the data shows.

According to the data, at least 37 cases of one-wheeling were reported in the city in January 2020, increasing to 77 in February, followed by 70 in March.

The number rose to 107 in April and 145 in May. In June, 66 cases of one-wheelibg were reported and in July 58, before the number rose to 92 in August, followed by 65 each in September and October.

In November and December, the number of cases reported on the helpline dropped to 56 and 31.

In January, February and March 2021, the number of cases ranged 52 to 56, before rising to 310 in April and 173 in May. In June 2021, 70 cases and in July 90 incidents were reported, followed in August by122, September 81 and October 97.

The number of reported cases fell to 70 in November, 48 in December and 31 in January this year.

When contacted, Punjab Police spokesperson Osama Mehmood said a crackdown against one-wheelers continued throughout the year.

He said the police had registered 255 cases against one-wheelers last month and arrested 278 people. The spokesman disclosed that 141 persons were arrested in 109 cases of one-wheeling registered only on New Year's eve.

As many as 3,016 cases were registered against one-wheelers across the province last year and 3,079 suspects were arrested, the spokesman added.

A one-wheeler told The Express Tribune that one-wheeling though considered as an offence legally, is a sports like so many other adventurous sports for them.

“It needs practice, bravery and skill like any other sports. This sports (one-wheeling) also has a culture like other sports. There are apprentices as well trainers in them. They too have competitions like others.

They too take into so many aspects, precautions and factors into consideration for the sports including time, gear, ground and hurdles etc into account.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2022.