Warning for possible mobility chaos in Bogotá: motorcyclists would block some roads by protest

This Monday there will be a mobilization by the bikers, which will begin at 12 noon at the Virgilio Barco Library, in addition they will meet at Troncal Caracas with 45th Street, Highway Norte with 100th Street, Boyacá Avenue with 80th Street, Ciudad de Cali Avenue with 145th Street, Banderas Station and Avenida 68 (without specifying where exactly), despite not having the permits.

These marches follow the announcement by the mayor, Claudia López, of the restriction of the parillero on motorcycles on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. According to the mayor, the restriction will take effect from April 11, she intends to help with the security of Bogotá. The determination came after the mayor of the capital and President Iván Duque held a security council.

“Dear Bogotans, the vast majority of robberies, homicides, the most serious crimes that occur in our city, occur on those three days at that time. The two terrorist attacks that we have had in our city this month occurred just Saturday night,” said Mayor López.

The motorcycle guild has pointed out as arbitrary and stigmatizing, considering that the decision will not influence an issue as complex as safety, but it will affect several motorcyclists who have their means of transport as their sole basis.

Miguel Forero, leader of the SOS Cultura group commented: “Stigmatizing a guild that has done a lot of good for citizens, which for a few cannot label everyone as criminals because they move on a motorcycle.”

Forero also pointed out the mayor's measure as insufficient since they have no direct impact on security: “It's unfair. That restriction attacks a transport vehicle, not insecurity. The thief does not get off the motorcycle and stop committing a crime, rather he is going to go to another medium to continue stealing”.

New regulations in Colombia for driver's licenses, brakes and motorcycle rims

The Colombian Ministry of Transport and the National Road Safety Agency (ANSV) are working on a series of resolutions that would impose some mandatory technical specifications on the sale of new motorcycles in the country, as well as additional requirements for acquiring a driver's license.

The two projects designed for motorcycles seek to reduce the mortality rate of motorcyclists in traffic accidents on the country's roads. According to the ANSV, 59% of fatalities were on motorcycles. In addition, by isolating data from 14 of Colombia's 32 departments, this road actor has put 70% of the dead on the streets.

“The technical regulation of vehicles is one of the fundamental challenges that we face in the government of President Iván Duque in order to increase the demands on the characteristics of vehicles, in this case, that of motorcycles, since it is one of the most vulnerable road actors and what we want is to continue developing strategies that allow us to will save lives on the roads,” said Angela María Orozco, Minister of Transport.

According to the document, new motorcycles that are assembled in Colombia or imported from abroad must have a braking system with anti-lock braking system (ABS) or combined braking system (CBS). This requirement, which is an international standard, would be verified by an accredited certification body and made essential for nationalizing imported motorcycles.

However, the Ministry warns that, once this resolution is enacted, sellers should not handle the brakes of motorcycles currently on sale, because the operation of the vehicle could be jeopardized. They are emphatic that the standard will only apply to new motorcycles, assembled in Colombia or abroad.