No sympathy for irresponsible bikers

REGARDING the previous three letters in the ZO relating to ‘Inconsiderate men on their mean machines’, ‘Inconsiderate bikers should be banned’ and ‘Positive about quad bikes’, I think I need to add my five cents as well.

I am a young family man residing in Richards Bay.

I love my suburb, but the only problem is that especially over weekends all you hear is the sound of quad bikes and scramblers disturbing the peace.

This normally starts early in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays and carries on until the sun sets.

Looking at these riders racing along the side of the roads at high speed, I have been a witness to numerous occasions that off-road bikes have had close shaves colliding into vehicles at stop streets.

I have also been a victim, having been pelted by rocks shot up by the wheels of a speed crazy off-road motorcyclist that had no consideration for others.

I also witnessed the damage these bikers and their machines cause on single tracks designed especially for mountain bikes.

A lot of effort has been made by sport clubs to keep these tracks in good order and safe for cyclists, only to have motorcycles ripping up the soil, breaking hand-made bridges and also taking out cyclists because of the high speeds they are doing on these tracks.

Putting any poles in front of such tracks to keep motorcyclists out is futile as they get kicked loose or broken and then discarded in the bush next to the track or road.

It is only a matter of time before a mountain biker is going to be injured or even killed.

Let’s face the facts, these off-road motorcycles and quads are unlicensed and are being operated illegally in and between the suburbs of Richards Bay.

Law enforcement departments such as the SAPS and Traffic Department can and should prosecute these people for what they are doing and impose heavy fines on offenders.

In the case where it is found that the offender is under age and does not have a driver’s licence, the parents should be held responsible.

I do not feel any sympathy for them as I see them as a nuisance, a serious safety hazard to cyclists and also ruining everyone’s peace and quiet.

There is a facility for off-road motorcyclists namely Motocross Valley in Teza.

Make use of this facility and leave the suburbs and mountain bike tracks alone

YOUNG AND ALSO STRESSED OUT