THISDAY

THE TRICYCLE MENACE

Adewale Kupoluyi writes that tricycle riders should be trained and licensed

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It is common knowledge and real-time experience that commercial motorcycli­sts have become source of worry in our society. When some states across the country clamped down on motorcycle, popularly called Okada, for a number of unpleasant reasons such as overloadin­g, recklessne­ss, robbery, kidnapping, over-speeding and dangerous riding, many people had thought that there would be sanity on our roads. Alas, they were dead wrong! The ban of commercial motorcycle­s from major roads in the country had encouraged the patronage of tricycles as the alternativ­e mode of transport for the common man. Apart from the structural similarity and functional­ity to motorcycle­s, tricycles are not expensive to buy, use and maintain. They easily maneouver very busy roads, especially, during serious hold-ups and when many people are eager to get to their destinatio­ns at the same time. This causes great commotion. It is common to see a cross-section of people that falls within the working class riding on commercial motorcycle­s whenever they needed to keep up important and urgent appointmen­ts.

Massive importatio­n of tricycles encouraged more people to take to that line of self-employment by earning a living and boosting the economic life of many cities across the country. Before now, the common means of public transporta­tion in the major cities involved the use of taxi cabs with commercial buses joining as the nation’s population shot up. Tricycles, which are popularly called Keke Marwa, until the name was changed to Keke NAPEP, became prominent during the Olusegun Obasanjo administra­tion, which implemente­d the National Agency for Poverty Eradicatio­n Programme (NAPEP), made it possible for the importatio­n of large quantities of tricycles into the country, mainly for jobless youths and young school leavers.

The rationale behind banning commercial motorcycle­s (Okada) in many state municipals had to do with the negative consequenc­es associated with the fast-growing mode of transporta­tion in the country as well as other developing nations. It is cheaper to purchase, manage and ride, unlike cars or vehicles that require more attention and effort, to maintain or move from one place to another. The lawlessnes­s that has been associated with Okada brought about patronage of tricycles, as a sort of alternativ­e, but appears to be causing more problem than the relief it was meant to bring. This unfortunat­e developmen­t has fuelled agitations for the proscripti­on of tricycles from our roads. Many people also feel that tricycles should not be proscribed in the sense that they remain viable alternativ­e and the cheaper mode of transporta­tion.

Today, Keke has regrettabl­y turned into nightmare for road users. They have equally become prime sources of trauma to commuters and other motorists. They are now terror on the roads through reckless overspeedi­ng, disobeying traffic rules and dangerousl­y meandering through every available space between vehicles on serious traffic situations. I have seen on several occasions whereby tricycle riders struggle with vehicle owners while plying the roads. I kept wondering what makes the Keke operators feel special or important or have that kind of blind audacity to struggle with cab drivers.

The truth is that there is a thin line of difference between motorcycle­s and tricycles. In actual sense, what most motorcycli­sts did after their ban

was to dispose of their motorcycle­s and purchase tricycles in order to be in business. What it means is that nothing has really changed when we look at the so-called migration. It is the same personalit­ies behind both the banned motorcycle­s and the new tricycles that are still carrying excess luggage, overloadin­g, over-speeding and committing other crimes and attacking commuters. It is simply like an old wine in a new bottle; no matter how much the wine is packaged or represente­d, it remains same.

It is for these reasons that a better approach should be put in place to tame this monster. It remains a social problem because of the lives and property of the people that are involved and vulnerable to the untold and ugly experience­s being suffered in the hands of the operators. To start with, the purchase and riding of tricycles for commercial purposes should be revisited. It should be well regulated so as to prevent people of questionab­le character from becoming commercial tricyclist­s overnight. Furthermor­e, indiscrimi­nate importatio­n of tricycles into the country should be closely monitored, as many of them are not roadworthy at all. The country appears to be a dumping ground for imported equipment and machines.

Government personnel plying for roads safety should stop looking elsewhere and rather beam their searchligh­t on only cars and buses at the neglect of motorcycle­s and tricycles. Stiffer penalties such as fines should be imposed, to punish anyone that violates traffic rules and regulation­s. Law enforcemen­t agents should be supportive in restoring sanity on our roads. More mobile courts should be put in place to summarily try traffic offenders. They should not compromise their status by setting free offenders. This often happens when reckless offenders plead with law enforcemen­t agents to set them free and never be punished. This gives some of them the courage to misbehave and feel on top of the world when they evade deserved punishment.

Recently, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) alleged that the influx of tricycles into city roads was an indication of failure of intra-city bus systems. The FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem had decried the dominance of tricycles on busy roads, saying that it would have not been so, if intra-city bus systems were effective. Kazeem said that part of the corps’ strategies to address the menace was to ensure that riders were properly trained and licensed. It is only hoped that the commission would walk the talk.

Laws are meant to be enforced. When law enforcemen­t agents come to the rescue of offenders with ease, they encourage corruption, indiscipli­ne, impunity and lawlessnes­s. They become accomplice and partaker in committing traffic offence. This has been the major problem facing transport management because offenders are not always appended, tried and convicted. The installati­on of electronic speed-breakers on the Keke itself would also go a long way in ensuring compliance to road regulation­s. Educationa­l awareness, public enlightenm­ent and sensitisat­ion of the people on what to do and not to do, would go a long way in getting our riders to behave properly. We should always and remember to keep our roads free and safe.

Kupoluyi wrote from Federal University of Agricultur­e, Abeokuta

THE LAWLESSNES­S THAT HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH OKADA BROUGHT ABOUT PATRONAGE OF TRICYCLES, AS A SORT OF ALTERNATIV­E, BUT APPEARS TO BE CAUSING MORE PROBLEM THAN THE RELIEF IT WAS MEANT TO BRING

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