Holiday menace: Fast bikers

A man was arrested for zipping on the Electronics City flyover at a heart-stopping 300 kmph. Speeding on the highways is a problem on lean days, police say

Speeding on superbikes, with no concern for life and limb, is a problem on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

On 21 July, businessman T Muniyappa was arrested for riding at a jaw-dropping 300 km. He had fixed a camera focused on his speedometer, and later uploaded the video on social media.

The visuals resemble a video game: he zips past other vehicles, blurred by the sheer speed of his vehicle, on the Electronics City flyover.

When the video went viral, police tracked him down, arrested him and impounded his 998-cc Yamaha R1, whose variants cost up to Rs 21 lakh. Clearly, he was putting his own life, and the lives of other road users, at risk.

The 29-year-old is a racing enthusiast, says Dr BR Ravikanthe Gowda, joint commissioner of police, traffic.

He took advantage of the lockdown, when fewer vehicles were on the elevated highway that eventually goes towards Chennai.

Hosur Road and the New Airport Road are frequently used for speeding, putting the lives of motorists and pedestrians at huge risk, police say.

Within the city, college students do wheelies, but those with higher-powered motorbikes attempt dangerous stunts on roads that lead out of Bengaluru.

“On holidays, vehicles on highways are fewer. Such speeding is rare in the city because of traffic density and police presence,” says Ravikanthe Gowda.

M N Sreehari, traffic expert and road safety consultant, believes speeding should be confined to the race tracks.

“You need straight, well-laid-out roads for racing, which is not the case with roads within city limits. Driving at high speed on such roads can harm the vehicle, the rider and those around him,” he says.

Superbikes are built to allow acceleration easily. However, applying brakes is a whole different ball game, with the rider needing to plan well ahead.

“If you see a car suddenly on your lane, you won’t be able to stop your vehicle. That is how accidents happen,” says Sreehari.

Penalty for speeding

The punishment for speeding is that the vehicle is seized and a case filed. “Usually we file under the Indian Motor Vehicle Act and IPC for endangering lives on the road. We booked Muniyappa under the National Disaster Management Act as well for violating the lockdown,” says Ravikanthe Gowda.

A fine, decided by a court, is slapped on speeding motorists.

In some cases, the police get the rider’s license revoked. “If the rider is underage, we act against the parent or owner of the vehicle,” he says.

Street-legal only

Manufacturers need to be more responsible, says Sreehari. “Speed bikes should be accessible only to professionals. Let’s keep them out of our roads,” he says.

Chennai and Delhi have race tracks for professional racing. Every once in awhile they conduct a Race Day to allow the public to come and ride superbikes.

This is safe because they are riding in a setting that allows speeding. A controlled environment is conducive to those who want to enjoy the power of their fast bikes, experts say.

On the roads, it is best to be responsible, wear a helmet, use proper gear and follow the rules.

Bikes, scooters seized

Police seized 10,085 motorbikes and 2,655 scooters in 2019 for speeding. This year, till date, they have seized 43 motorbikes and 38 scooters for the same offence.

What’s the speed limit?

The permitted speed for bikes on highways is 80-100 kmph and 40 kmph on city roads.

“The higher the acceleration, the higher the impact if you collide. Visibility also becomes poor when you ride at such speed, and it becomes difficult to see if there is a vehicle ahead,” says M N Sreehari, traffic expert.

Fast bikes seen on Bengaluru roads

Yamaha R1 (998cc)

Suzuki Hayabusa (1,340 cc)

Honda CBR 1000 RR (999 cc)

Kawasaki Ninja 1000 (1,043 cc)

KTM 790 Duke (799 cc)

Triumph Speed Twin (1,200 cc)

Duccati Panigale (1103 cc)

(With inputs from Vivek Phadnis)