Bikers out on the roads

Spring has come, and the Ukrainian bikers are getting prepared to set off, following their varying routes. Although these people love freedom and independence, they are aware of sharing highways with other motorists. The relationships between the former and the latter are peculiar, now and then, ranging from light disdain to open cutting on the road. Often both sides complain about the lack of highway driving culture, pointing an accusing finger at each other. Be that as it may, the problem is glaringly apparent: everyone has to do something to make driving safer.

Every veteran motorcyclist has experienced body injuries, his own and others’, including fatal road accidents. A monument to road accident biker victims was erected near Bila Tserkva in 2004. Evidently, given a higher roadway driving culture, such road accidents would be few and far between.

As it was, the Ukrainian bikers were the first to offer a helping hand to motorists. On April 17, members of the National Bikers’ Association took part in the project “Attention: Motorcyclist!” In all large cities at major road intersections volunteers handed out to drivers leaflets with this motto and requests to drive responsibly.

The bikers stress that they will greatly appreciate it if truck drivers avoid sharp maneuvers; apply the brakes carefully; avoid opening doors while in a traffic jam; more often look in the rearview mirrors, especially when parking, taking turns, and opening doors; let motorcyclists ahead in traffic jams; and refrain from making U-turns across a double line highway. The Day is an information partner of this project.

Says Olha Oleksyk, press secretary of the National Motorists’ Association of Ukraine: “Come spring, and the traffic accident rate shoots up, with motorcyclists as well as amateurish motorists (who have grown accustomed to seeing practically no motorcyclist on the highways during the winter) causing such accidents. We are carrying out this project to encourage the motorists to be friendly and cooperative in securing safe highway driving.”

A road accident can be caused by subjective factors, as well as by the condition of our roads. This condition remains lamentable, constantly complained about by pedestrians, motorcyclists, and even World Bank officials accredited to Ukraine. WB Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Philippe Le Ueru says that the number of road accidents will increase manifoldly unless road repairs are made here and now. Budget appropriations aren’t enough, so the World Bank, in collaboration with other international organizations, is prepared to provide technological and financial aid to European and Central Asian countries.

Ukravtodor, Ukraine’s road maintenance authority, explains the wretched road condition by all our highways having been denied major repair for so many years. As it is, motorists are outraged by the road tax: Where does all this money go? Motorists in Zaporizhia even held a protest rally in March, demanding adequate repairs on local roads.

Motorists are further infuriated by the high duties they have to pay when bringing a car or a motorcycle from abroad. These are set depending on the market cost and the vehicle’s age and engine — in other words, the better the vehicle, the more you have to pay. Which part of this money, if any, is being channeled into road maintenance remains anyone’s guess.

“These payments are caused by customs tariffs,” explains Yevhen Koval, a lawyer, “and these payments are exacted in accordance with the Customs Code of Ukraine. Personally I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that some customs officers take advantage of certain motorists being unaware of the customs tariffs and make them pay more than is legally required. I know this from my experience. Theoretically, a motorist could protect himself by asking the customs officer to explain the situation, the legal grounds on which he has to make the payment, and to ask for a receipt. The sum payable as the road maintenance tax keeps changing (more often increased than decreased). The proceeds are channeled into the national budget as a tangible income item.”

These motorcyclists can cope with such problems single-handedly provided all those who use roads forget all about their emotions and ambitions and concentrate on following the traffic rules. Yurii Popovych, aka Master, one of the initiators of the bikers’ memorial restoration project, wrote on a bikers’ website: “When we meet, we shake hands, embrace each other, can feel our hearts beating in unison. Every such brief meeting is heartwarming; there is the joy of being alive and kicking. We have firm eye contact during each such meeting and can see the same fire burning in each other’s soul. For so long as we can keep this fire, we shall remain bikers!”

This veteran biker’s message sometimes have tragic notes, considering that driving on a road these days is sometimes like taking the field and facing wartime risks. Against this backdrop, the project “Attention: Motorcyclist!” looks like a very serious challenge to all behind the wheel of any motor vehicle.

Oleh POKALCHUK, social psychologist:

“I have been a motorcyclist since 20 years of age. I have been using Ukrainian and foreign highways, on a regular basis, as a member of a motorcyclists’ club. For me this is a way of life, modus operandi, and the main means of transportation, weather permitting, of course.

“The highways in Ukraine are a far cry from international standards; some of them are practically nonexistent. For example, it is absolutely impossible to drive in the vicinity of Krasnoperekopsk on the way to the Crimea. In Norway, the road between a couple of villages has about the same quality as our Kyiv-Boryspil expressway. The Scandinavian countries are way ahead of Europe. Germany’s roads seem worse by comparison, but after crossing the Polish-Ukrainian border you realize that you are on a cross-country trial range. No traffic rules, no traffic conditions. There is no sense in comparing the Ukrainian and European roadways. True, there are parts of highways here that can meet some of the European requirements, but only in terms of roadway. Forget about roadsides and markings. As for the Ukrainian version of highway patrol, this is an issue in its own right. In the West you are hardly aware of the presence of traffic police, and none of them will stop your car to examine your papers for no obvious reason. Yet if you violate any of the traffic rules, rest assured to meet them before you know it.

“The way our motor traffic is handled is a mirror refection of the way our country is run. Here everything is done on a he-who-pays-orders-the-music basis, with the inferiority complex being suffered by people behind the wheel of a cheap Western model compared to those boasting genuine modern expensive ones. Talking of the motorcycle as a ‘means of transport’ — although we don’t regard this vehicle as such — it is less advantageous because of the condition of our roads and the kind of traffic we have. In Poland, the drivers are way ahead of us, being polite to each other and careful to observe traffic regulations, simply because they know that by acting this way they can guarantee their own safety, safe and comfortable trips. The further a given country is from the socialist paradise, the better it fares and the better its highways are. Now traveling to Stockholm, about 600 km from the city, the roadway is so nice and smooth, you can fall asleep by just holding the handlebars — you’re hardly aware of your speed.”

Oleh SKRYPKA, singer:

“As a kid I dreamed of having a Verkhovyna moped, but it cost 100 rubles, a fantastic sum at the time. Some of my classmates had motorcycles, and I wished to have one, even though I realized it was wistful wishing. My cherished dream never came true, although my father had what was then considered a quick and powerful moped that could easily outrun a Zhiguli car at 120 km/hr (which he did on more than one occasion). Sometimes the four of us rode it — and then we had to escape the police. With time this desire faded.

“Over the past couple of decades we have been invited to take part in various bikers’ fests. It was then I started communicating with bikers. Strangely enough, I found myself infatuated with this movement — not because of the motorcycles, but because of the people. I don’t know what the source of the magic is; all I know that these people are first-rate individuals. Whether the effect is due to the motorcycle that produces this kind of fine individuals or the other way around, I joined the crowd precisely because I wanted to become a member of this community.

“The bikers’ philosophy perfectly merges with Ukrainian history. In the States it emerged as a neocowboy movement. In Ukraine, it is a way to revive the knightly Cossack spirit, with the attributes, morals, and values. All of this reminds one of a knightly order. Here you find a special code of ethics.

“I joined the bikers’ movement very slowly but surely. I can’t identify myself as an active biker; I seldom attend their meetings, but I have a motorcycle, of course. After I bought it I realized that it was a convenient and comfortable vehicle, especially in Kyiv. For all I know, most bikers treat their bikes with something verging on fetishism. I am a very practical man. My motorcycle comes in very handy in summer, so I will start riding it in a couple of weeks, as soon as the weather gets warmer.

“I’m a member of the Biker Sich Club in Zaporizhia. I became one accidentally. I was visiting some friends in Moscow and found people I knew who were members of this club, so it was in Moscow that I became a member. In fact, there are lots of such clubs; they all keep in touch and I can’t stop marveling at their cooperation and mutual assistance.

“There is an interesting story about the Biker Sich Club. I was on my way from Yevpatoria, after attending a bikers’ meeting. I was actually a passenger being transported by bikers. I was using my cell phone giving instructions concerning a new video clip in which I wanted to see a convertible version of the Zaporozhets car. One of the bikers heard me and made a phone call. He talked for a while and then handed the phone to me. The man on the other end said hello, identified himself as Baron Muenchhausen, and assured me that I would see the kind of Zaporozhets model I wanted under my window after a couple of days. I laughed and shrugged it off, but after a couple of days they did bring the car. It was a convertible, for they had cut off the roof, tuned it up, and painted it to fit the image. A while later I did use it in my video clip. I also met with Baron Muenchhausen, and we have since kept in touch, enjoying each other’s company during my concert tours of Zaporizhia. In fact, I never miss an opportunity of joining him at his cafe for a jam session or performance.

“It’s true that there are lots of wonderful individuals among the bikers. Some are fond of using Internet chat sites, others are determined to find former schoolmates, but here [among the bikers] you find open-hearted, outspoken people. Communicating with them gives you plenty of positive emotions. Of course, riding a bike is very risky, so I can only hope that they will soon invent new safety systems — I don’t mean sophisticated protective suits, but technologies that will lessen the risk of falling off the bike. I think this is absolutely possible, considering the rate at which our science and engineering are moving. And of course, road repairs are a pressing necessity.”

Andrii KHOROLSKY, vice president, Automobile Club of Kyiv:

“It’s true that the way car drivers treat motorcyclists leaves much to be desired. This situation can be improved only by persuading motorists that motorcycles have the same rights on the road as their cars and trucks do. Some of these drivers simply see only the road ahead, ignoring any vehicles beside or behind them. Solving this problem depends on the driver’s cultural level and the degree of his/her attention. In other countries this problem is solved by instituting special roads for cyclists. After all, a motorcycle is a vehicle to be treated the way you do a car, truck, tractor, and so on.

“More often than not, car/truck drivers complain about motorcyclists violating traffic rules, speeding, and aggressiveness. We all know that some of the motorcyclists are real hot-rodders, sneaking between cars and trucks and provoking risky traffic situations. It is also true that most cyclists suffer from being treated as inferiors compared car/truck drivers. Once again, this is matter of a given driver’s cultural level.

“We keep hearing about loving our pets, how about treating the cyclists as ones, after all has been said and done, considering that they have the same rights when using our roads? Last but not least, there is the lasting problem of road condition that largely depends on the quality of road maintenance equipment. Here the main point is not the amount of budget appropriations but the quality of material. Right, this is the transport ministry’s headache, so we drivers have to make do with what we have.”

Slava FROLOVA, TV host:

“I have two hobbies, yachts and motorcycles. I enjoy both immensely. I don’t have a yacht, but I have a motorcycle, Yamaha Drag Star 650! Last year I rode it at night and on weekends, so as to avoid traffic jams. Our car/truck drivers aren’t too friendly to the motorcyclists, which makes them simply dangerous. Since I was just starting as a biker, I tried to avoid traffic risks as best I could. Before the end of the past season I felt considerably surer of myself. This year I plan to practice my bike more frequently. Now I’m in Moscow to buy the kind of biker’s outfit I need. I’m fond of technology, so I won’t even try to compare cars and bikes; I’d rather add to this number. I’m into yachts, choppers, planes, and bicycles. They are all just great! True, I can’t handle a chopper or plane, but this is a matter of time. I can’t attend bikers’ meetings because I have a very tight work schedule, but there are lots of bikers among my friends, so every time I come to my D*LUX Club as its creative director, my biker friends are there. This year I plan to ride my bike all the way to Odesa, perhaps even further.”