Monday 6 October 2008

Motorbike Privileges and 39 Points

Trawling the BBC News website this morning I found an article about a biker from Southampton who's been banned from riding and recieved 39 points on his license.

He'd been caught speeding on camera, seven times in the space of a month; sometimes the camera has even managed to catch him pulling a wheelie.

As bikes have no front numberplate, the BBC report says that police eventually managed to catch him thanks to his flashy jacket, of which there are only two in the country.

Bikers already get a bad rap in the press, and are stereotyped as ignoring the rules of the road and seeing themselves as invicible. With a story like this, questions about motorbike rules could become an issue again.

Everyone, whether on a bike or in a car, has pushed the boundaries of the speed limit from time to time. Yet on a bike, riders are somehow more distictive and prone to critisism about speed.

There is an inate negativity that all bikers face from the rest of the public, and by showing a lack of respect for the cameras, it can also be seen as showing a lack of respect for other riders.

The motorcycle community is already facing the possibility of stricter testing, stricter rules and regulations, and stricter costs of keeping a bike on the road.

Drawing attention to the privileges of riding is something that needs to be avoided: through this stunt he may have lost his right to ride, but he may also have an impact on the right of others to ride.

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