"A motorcycle transports the soul." About the work of the Minsk traffic police at the height of the motorcycle season and the “sins” of bikers

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"A car is not a luxury, but a means of transportation!" - Ilf and Petrov wrote about twenty years before Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki began mass production of motorcycles. Today, this motto is to a greater extent guided by bike owners, admitting that a motorcycle is an expensive and unsafe pleasure, but you can get to your destination during rush hour without traffic jams and in the shortest possible time. But exceeding speed limits, ignoring the requirements of road signs and markings, driving through a prohibiting traffic light and driving into oncoming traffic entail a serious danger both for the motor vehicle drivers themselves and for other road users. To prevent road accidents, state traffic inspectors began active patrols of hazardous road sections as soon as the first bikes entered the roadway.

Since May, employees of the capital's State Traffic Inspectorate have strengthened control over compliance with traffic rules by motorcyclists. This is primarily due to an increase in the number of offenses committed by motor vehicle drivers. Since April, the traffic police have stopped more than 2 thousand traffic violations by motorcyclists, 149 of which exceeded the speed limit, and 34 were driving a bike without such a right. This year, 16 road accidents involving motor vehicles were registered in Minsk, in which two people were killed and 15 were injured of varying degrees of severity.

To prevent tragedies on the road, traffic police inspectors monitor the situation on city highways using public, secret and mixed control, and also conduct preventive conversations with owners of two-wheeled vehicles. However, the most effective way to assess the traffic situation and “catch” violators is raids. BELTA correspondents went to one of them together with traffic police inspectors of the traffic police department of the Zavodsky district police department of Minsk, police captain Alexei Rekesh and police lieutenant Maxim Shestovets.

During lunch hours , we patrol a hazardous section of the road near an unregulated pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Varvasheni and Altaiskaya streets. The location was chosen well, since in the immediate vicinity there are two factories and a large residential sector, as well as a school and public transport stops. This means that the flow of people here does not stop either in the morning, or at lunchtime, or in the evening. And the proximity of the largest transport artery of the area, Partizansky Prospekt, ensures the presence of those who like to drive around on the road.

Over the course of several hours of patrolling, we worked on several more potentially dangerous sections of roads in the Zavodsky district for motorcyclists, pedestrians and motorists: these are the Smilovichsky tract, Tashkentskaya and Kabushkina streets and Partizansky Avenue.

“First of all, we pay attention to speeding. For drivers of motor vehicles, as well as for motorists, the speed limit in the city is 60 km/h. Few people follow this rule unquestioningly. We have doubts about hesitant driving when a motorcyclist behaves timidly on the road, as if fearing something. The non-compliance with road signs and markings is striking. We also pay attention to the presence and installation of license plates in accordance with the standards, so that they are visible and readable," says Alexey Rekesh about his work.

The raid lasts on average two hours. During this time, traffic police inspectors stopped four motorcyclists, one of whom drove onto the roadway without permission to participate in road traffic, i.e. without technical inspection. Alexey Rekesh admits that he and his colleagues conduct raids at least two or three times a week. During two hours of patrolling, state traffic inspectors stop at least 70 drivers of all types of vehicles to check documents. If everything is in order with the documents and the driver’s physical condition is beyond doubt, the check takes no more than a few minutes. Drawing up protocols for violators significantly reduces the number of people checked.

We even chased Oleg, a resident of the Minsk district, who was moving on a Yamaha Majesty scooter along Partizansky Avenue for some time. True, as soon as Alexey Rekesh “winked” at the driver of the motor vehicle, he immediately slowed down and stopped at the first opportunity. According to the driver, he has been driving for more than 20 years and is rarely braked. While police lieutenant Maxim Shestovets checked the presence and authenticity of a driver’s license, vehicle registration certificate, insurance and permission to participate in road traffic, we congratulated the conscientious driver on World Motorcyclist Day. The documents are in order - Oleg went on about his business.

But the motorcyclist Denis, whom we spotted while driving along Partizansky Avenue, seemed to be hoping that it was not him who wanted to stop. However, when there was no doubt left, he pressed to the side of the road. He was in a rather favorable mood and admitted that he had only been riding a motorcycle for three seasons. During this time, he was stopped for the second time. Moreover, as in the first one, to check documents. When asked why he prefers a motorcycle to a much safer and more comfortable car, the young man unexpectedly admits: “The motorcycle carries my soul, my Yamaha is like a friend to me.” And when asked whether it is difficult to care for a motorcycle, Denis answered laconically: “Expensive.” After posing for a photo, the motorcyclist drove away.

We stop the driver of the Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, Vladislav, on a busy section of Partizansky Avenue. The young man, as it turned out, was used to communicating with state traffic inspectors. He's been driving for two years. During this time he was stopped so many times that Vladislav lost count long ago. It's hard to believe, but one day he was pulled over five times in one day. True, the motorcyclist admits, there was a reason. Last year he was even given a speeding ticket. And today the young man found himself without permission to participate in road traffic. All these failures did not convince Vladislav to drive a car and, as he claims, they will not convince him.

"A motorcycle is a very maneuverable vehicle. It saves time when driving during rush hour significantly. In addition, my Ninja is my friend. I used to have another motorcycle, not so powerful. I bought this one, its power is enough. I I enjoy the speed of driving on the highway, and I’m not ready to give it up yet,” shares Vladislav.

We stopped the last two-wheeler lover in our raid right at the Partizanskaya metro station. Minsk resident Oleg has been driving a Suzuki motorcycle for more than 11 years. He also has a car. Oleg admits that as a motorist he is stopped much more often than as a motorcyclist. Despite this, fines could not be avoided over more than ten years of management. “And what driver with such experience doesn’t have fines?” - the Minsk resident is interested. The motorcyclist notices that he loves his two-wheeled friend because it helps him get to his destination in the shortest possible time and saves his nerves by avoiding long and exhausting sitting in traffic jams.

"The traffic police department of the Zavodsky district police department of Minsk and the capital's State Traffic Inspectorate regularly conduct raids. We conduct active campaigning all year round through the media, Internet resources, social networks and instant messengers. From May to the end of September, during the motorcycle season, special attention is paid to drivers of motor vehicles. We We monitor the availability of permission to participate in road traffic, undergo technical inspection within the established time limits, and also identify motorcycles assembled using handicraft methods in order to exclude them from participation in road traffic. Drivers of motor vehicles who are in a condition are under constant controlalcohol intoxication and do not have the right to drive this category of vehicles. We also don’t forget about drivers of taxi services and car-sharing cars, who have recently committed quite a lot of traffic violations. The figures for identified violations are updated daily, since we work on an ongoing basis,” notes the deputy head of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Zavodsky District Department of Internal Affairs of Minsk, police lieutenant colonel Vladislav Andrukhovich.

From the stories of experienced state traffic inspectors, who have seen a lot over the years of work, we know that bike owners sin mainly when maneuvering. Apparently, having had enough adrenaline, reckless drivers forget that while motorists are protected by the body in the event of a collision, in the event of an accident a motorcyclist can only rely on the equipment. But a helmet doesn't really help in case of a serious accident. Is it worth risking your life and the health of other people?

“Some people believe that traffic police officers are biased towards motorcyclists. In fact, we equally strictly ask all road users who violates traffic rules. If a motorist exceeds the speed limit, he, along with the driver of a motor vehicle, will be held administratively liable, up to and including deprivation of the right to drive. up to one year. With the entry into force of the new traffic rules, we have more leverage over those who like to ride on the rear wheel without holding the steering wheel or taking their feet off the pedals. For this, a fine of five to ten basic units is provided. Deprivation of the right to drive is also possible for a period of up to six months,” says police major Artem Shpakovsky, commander of the platoon of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Zavodsky District Department of Internal Affairs of Minsk, about the responsibility for those who like to play hard.

Meanwhile, traffic police inspectors Alexey Rekesh and Maxim Shestovets continue to patrol the roads of the capital. Their attention includes not only motor vehicle drivers, but also motorists, Minsk residents using personal mobility devices and pedestrians. Traffic police officers, regardless of the time of year or time of day, are aimed at making road traffic as safe as possible for all its participants.

Vera Vasilevskaya,

photo by Tatyana Matusevich

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