Motorcyclists throw caution to the wind

The traffic wardens have seemingly accepted defeat as well in trying to enforce bikers to have rear view mirrors

KARACHI:

Despite the sheer absurdity of constantly looking over their shoulders to watch out for traffic, motorcyclists in the port city are okay with risking their lives whilst navigating Karachi’s congested roads rather than getting rear view mirrors on their bikes’ handlebars, which is also patently illegal.

A significant majority of the metropolis’s mammoth motorcyclist population, in true throwing caution to the wind fashion, drives around their motorcycles without rear view mirrors and the city’s traffic police seems helpless in this regard. However, Karachi’s motorcyclists maintain that there is no point to installing the mirrors, which are mandatory as per traffic rules, as they get stolen on a daily basis or break easily.

One such motorcyclist is Saleem, a resident of the Gulshan-e-Iqbal area. “I installed side mirrors for my motorcycle twice and unfortunately they broke both times,” he informed. Elaborating on his experience, Saleem said since motorcyclists park haphazardly, the already fragile mirrors break off easily. “Thus, there is no point to buying them over and over.”

Reiterating Saleem’s views, Shafiq, another motorcyclist, who was standing guard next to his bike at Regal Chowk Saddar, said that his bike’s mirrors had fallen victim to both breakage and theft, therefore it was pointless to buy them again. Mohammad Ali Sarang, a resident of the Gulshan-e-Hadeed area of the city, had an entirely different view. “If the traffic police does not ask us about the side mirrors or enforces any regulations in this regard, then what is the point of installing them?” he questioned, matter-of-factly. Sarang further said that about two or three years ago no motorcyclist in the city would wear helmets either but once the traffic police started issuing fines, bikers started taking the rule seriously.

Read: Crackdown against helmetless bikers on the cards

“Presently, the traffic police is least bothered about side mirrors, thus motorcyclists are free to do as they please.”

In light of Sarang’s assertions, the Express Tribune inquired from Inspector Mehmood Hussain of the Abdullah Haroon Road Traffic Section, who was on duty in the Zainab Market area, as to why the police was not enforcing the mandatory usage of side mirrors. “It is impossible for the traffic police to compel motorcyclists to install side mirrors on their motorcycles in this city,” replied Hussain. Whilst pointing out to the hundreds of motorcycles parked near Zainab Market, Hussain simply said, “not a single one of these bikes has rear view mirrors.”

“Motorcyclists in Karachi break multiple traffic rules every day. How can the traffic police enforce any law on them?” he remarked.

Even if the traffic wardens started enforcing the side mirror rule on existing bikes, it would be hard to find new motorcycles with rear view mirrors pre-installed. In a market survey carried out by the Express Tribune on the Akbar Road market, it was found that apart from one or two companies, motorcycle companies did not sell bikes with mirrors installed on them; and those who were looking for a motorcycle with side mirrors had to pay extra.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2024.