Group of Motorcyclist Caught Riding Amok! Let’s Ride with Morals in the Wake of the Corona Disaster!

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To practice driving on the track is not the end of the world.

This week, five men (aged between 27 and 55) were arrested on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Law (prohibition of joint dangerous acts, etc.) for riding a motorcycle in a group on a prefectural road in Mount Akagi in Gunma Prefecture.

According to the police and other authorities, for about 20 minutes in the morning of October last year, five large motorcycles (all 1000cc) were driven back and forth at high speed on a 5km section of prefectural road in the Akagi Mountains and were suspected of riding amok, causing significant danger and inconvenience to others. The suspect is said to have said that he was practicing riding on the track, seeking exhilaration, and enjoying the thrill.

This incident was covered on TV news programs and actual footage was shown, and it had more than enough impact to worsen the impression of motorcycles and riders. I am sure that many ordinary riders, including myself, felt very disappointed.

In the video, everyone is wearing a leather suit and riding a high-performance model called a supersport. Although the driving scene is cut off for a few seconds, it can be seen that they are driving at a considerable speed with a close distance between vehicles. Even though he doesn't do anything vicious such as straddling the lane in the corner, he is still driving in an "uncommon" way.

Public roads are used by everyone for transportation, and the idea of "practicing for the track on public roads" is just plain wrong. If you want to practice or get better on your motorcycle, you should go to a track where there are no oncoming vehicles, no speed limits, and you can ride to your heart's content.

It's the Corona disaster that should weigh you down.

The existence of "rolling gangs" or "scribblers" who ride dangerously on scenic tourist roads and mountain passes is not a new phenomenon, and has been a problem for decades. Every year, lives are lost in various parts of Japan, and many routes have been banned to motorcycles because of it.

Please understand that the selfish actions of a few people have caused a great deal of inconvenience not only to themselves and their fellow riders, but to many ordinary riders and drivers as well.

Looking at the comments on the news articles, while most of them say "public roads are not the place to practice" or "if you want to be aggressive, go to the track", some of them say "don't we all know what it's like, to varying degrees? And some of them wrote, "Are there any motorcycles or cars that obey the speed limit? It's a great way to get to know the riders better.

However, with the medical system under pressure due to the corona disaster, if people are injured due to runaway behavior, it could lead to a situation where the lives of people who really need treatment cannot be saved. If that happens, the social charges should be even heavier.

It is said that the prefectural police, who received the information that led to this arrest, took videos and proceeded with the investigation. In that sense, the harsh response of arresting the suspect and disclosing his name may be said to have been a hard-line "show-and-tell" measure that took this situation seriously.

I just want to be sensible.

I once asked a motorcycle policeman I interviewed a frank question. "How many kilometers over the speed limit do you enforce? He replied, "If you ride in the flow of traffic in a sensible manner, we won't catch just motorcycles.

In other words, insane driving, whether on a motorcycle or in a car, is considered a dangerous behavior and will be subject to enforcement. So, "moral riding" is required. That's how I understood it.

Some people are nostalgic for the days when everything was easy and lament that "the old days were good. But nowadays, littering cigarettes, sexual harassment, and power harassment is not tolerated. This also means that society has matured and become more comfortable and safe for everyone. Looking back at myself, I would like to straighten my collar.

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