The nation’s bikers have protested. Thousands of motorcyclists gathered outside parliament to witness the delivery of a manifesto in which it is claimed that dodgy road accidents statistics can not be used to create “unjustified measures.”The measures in question include the mandatory motorbike roadworthiness inspections which the bikers consider a farce. Anyway, the motorbike accident figures have been fiddled, claim the nation’s ‘motards’
The Motorcyclist Action Group, created in 1990, organised demonstration in Lisbon and other cities in Portugal. Spokesman, António João, said the figures are “a farce, in particular in the systematic and persistent analysis of the number of deaths in periods when there is an increase, not analyzing the overall data."
João said that there was an increase in motorcyclists in 2017, adding, "When we analyse the data, the message given to public is the opposite of reality, there is a decrease in fatalities and serious injuries compared to the number of motorcycles in circulation and kilometres travelled."
As for the MOT inspections, if compelling motorcycles to periodic inspections will prevent accidents, "a European study says that only 0.3% of accidents are caused by mechanical failure," notably tire failures directly related to road conditions.
In summary, according to Antonio João, thousands of motorcyclists do not see how motorcycle inspections help accident prevention and are convinced that the law was introduced to benefit the cash flow at MOT centres.
In January, the Minister of Internal Affairs announced that periodic inspections of motorcycles will be mandatory in the first half of 2018, justifying this measure with the increase in the number of fatal accidents involving motorcycles in 2017.
In addition to Lisbon, the protest saw thousands of motorcyclists on the streets of Oporto, Coimbra, Faro, Funchal and Ponta Delgada.
