"There are many reasons for an increase in accidents. Apart from drinking and driving, the major cause of these accidents is the modification of bikes," says Binod Singh, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Metropolitan Traffic Police Division.[break]
With the increase in motorbikes in the valley, there has been a constant urge for the youth to make their bikes unique and noticeable. Apart from that they also customize their bikes individually to portray their own personality.
Saurav Raj Bhandari, 18, who has a modified unicorn says, "I modified my bike according to my own need and comfort. Apart from that I customized it according to my personality."
After altering his bike´s appearance and performance he finds his ride more comfortable and smooth.
Singh who himself has been a stunt biker and knows the importance of design for safety says, "The manufacturer designs the bike keeping in mind the safety and the performance of the bike. Any sort of fiddling with the original design of the bike can lead to fatal consequences." According to him, the modified bikes are more prone to being uncontrollable and accident-prone.
Singh argues that changing the original handle and making it wider makes it difficult for the riders to turn sharply and avoid hitting any vehicles. He also says it is selfish of the bikers to change the silencer and make the bike noisier.
"The pedestrians and the other drivers suffer from the increase in noise pollution. In certain cases, the driver in the periphery may be disturbed by the sudden sound and this may lead to accidents," Singh adds.
Pratik Thakuri, 19, who has a modified VR, however, thinks otherwise. He feels modifying his bike has given him more control over it. By changing the handle, he no longer has a back pain and can drive for long hours. Changing the original tires with thicker ones, he now feels that the bike has extra grip and so he can avoid slipping on wet roads, which he used to do before the modification. Raising the shocks has given him more control while turning as he now can turn more sharply.
Thakuri says, "The original bikes come with the same design and features for all. Some may be shorter and some taller. So it´s necessary for the bikes to be modified according to one´s need and comfort."
On the other hand, due to increasing accidents caused by the modification of bikes, changes of any sort are illegal in Nepal.
"Changing the design of the bike in any sort is illegal and the owner is subject to be fined between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5000," said Singh, "If a biker wants to modify his bike, permission should be granted."
The bikers who take pleasure in displaying their creativity feel that modification to certain limits should be legalized. Bhandari complains, "It is our property and we have the right to do whatever we want with it."
The increasing mass feeling for the legalization has taken to the cyber world as well. Many communities on Facebook and other forums like ´merobikes.com´ are raising their voice for the legalization of bike-modification rights.
Anup Pokhreal, who now has his unmodified bike after being fined, complains that the traffic police have not taken enough initiative to make people aware that modification is illegal and the consequences. He says, "I only came to know that modification was illegal when I was caught by the traffic police."
Singh argues that though the awareness program has not been done in a large scale, it has made some progress. He says, "We have teamed up with some radio stations where we are passing on information to the public about the illegality of modification."
Apart from that, the traffic police department is also conducting various counseling sessions at school and college levels.
In a place like Kathmandu one is well aware of the need for traffic to be regulated. A priority on addressing the current cumulative traffic hazards would eventually call for the need to reexamine the extent to which bike modification should be legalized. After all, it is not merely bike modifications that are causing accidents in the havoc of Kathmanndu traffic!
Reckless driving and the fact that traffic laws are blatantly ignored are the core issues. Bike modification is secondary, though important no doubt.
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