Police step up enforcement of bike laws
They usually don’t ride quite as fast as Marion Jones runs, but then…Marion Jones doesn’t usually run the wrong way on a one way street. Today those cyclists brave enough to venture into town discovered that riding with reckless abandon now carries its risks. Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The police crackdown comes as the result of the near universal failure of cyclists to observe the law.
Insp. Martin Yama, Head of Traffic Branch
“The most prevalent one is riding contrary to traffic, or riding up one-way streets. That is followed by bicycles that are being ridden without brakes, without bells–during the day and night time–and at night you have bicycles being ridden without lights.”
Minor offences can cost riders between twenty-five and one hundred dollars. The bicycle riders we spoke with had mixed feelings about the ongoing exercise.
Bicyclist #1
“Miss, I can’t tell you nothing bout this right now.”
Jacqueline Woods
“I notice you bike has no bell, no light. How come?”
Bicyclist #1
“Because I no have no job fi mek I buy them things right now.”
Jacqueline Woods
“But you noh think this is dangerous.”
Bicyclist #1
“It is dangerous, but I can’t do better right now.”
Jacqueline Woods
“How you manage when you need fi ride your bike at night time?”
Bicyclist #1
“I no ride it dah (at) night. I no come on bicycle at night; I stay home.”
Bicyclist #2
“People need their bells, it’s very important for their safety and lights and whatever. But for me, I am just borrowing a bike…”
Jacqueline Woods
“Which has no lights.”
Bicyclist #2
“Well it’s day, I can see very well.”
Jacqueline Woods
“But it definitely would not be advisable to ride this bike at night time.”
Bicyclist #2
“Well the law requires that we get our lights, then it would be very necessary as a law abiding citizen, I need to get my lights.”
Bicyclist #3
“Well only the night you need that miss. You noh need brakes and them things deh. You need brakes at day, you need lights at night. Besides that, light no needed at day, as far as I see, you noh need that.”
Today, the police were back on the streets and it did not take them long to pull over a number of riders.
Insp. Martin Yama
“We stop and ask first of all whether they have any identification card or anything to identify them. Once we are satisfied that they are the person who they claim to be, then we issue a summons to them. Whenever we are not sure, whenever it is questionable in relation to their identity, we make an arrest and take them to the station whereby we process them further in relation to confirming their identity.”
Besides the police efforts, the Belize City Council also plans to address the problem. City Councillor, Danny Madrid says the council’s legal reform committee met and a proposed a number of recommendations. Madrid says one proposal includes the reinstatement of licensing for bicycles.
Danny Madrid, City Councillor
“As far as I understand, nowadays, even bicycles have no serial numbers, so it’s very, very difficult to identify your bicycle, even if its stolen from you. So what we are trying to do again, is to reregister bicycles. I think it’s a fee of fifteen dollars to register and five dollars for a little licence plate you will use on the bicycle. So we are trying to do that to help the authorities to have control of bicycles.”
(Jackie riding two-seater bike with Mr. Gill)
Fred Gill who has been pedalling since the 1960’s, believe some violations can be avoided if we utilise other styles of bicycles…like the two seater bike.
Fred Gill, Bicyclist
“It’s very important because everything counts these days in the traffic. You have to ring your bell, you have to make the sign, you have to be very careful for the other person that is besides you too.”
Danny Madrid
“If we enforce the law, people will abide by the laws. But there is no enforcement. Bicycle riders ride anyway they want. A night without lights, without bell, they ride no entry, they do whatever they want and the law is not enforced.”
Insp. Martin Yama
“I believe to an extent, yes we have not been enforcing it, but as I said, we are seeing the need now, especially that a lot of crimes are being committed with persons using bicycles.”
Since the operation started last Wednesday, seventy-five persons have been fined and two bicycles confiscated. It is not certain just how long the checks will continue but bicycle riders are being advised to obey traffic laws or expect the worst. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
