Residents carry out their threat to block the road against illegal Tramuntana motorbike races
Some fifty people took part
Some fifty people took part in the protest. | Plataforma Indignats MA-10
Banyalbufar14/10/2023 19:29
On Saturday, the Indignats MA-10 group of residents who have been denouncing illegal races in the Tramuntana Mountains for years carried out a threat made some days ago that they would block the MA-10, the main road in the mountains.
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John MorrisonSorry, but the back-firing performance bikes pop-pop-poping through the gear changes echo across the valley even into the early hours. It sets my dog (and many others) off, just like fire crackers do, but then tourist renting my neighbour's ETV finca complain about the barking and want refunds, and so the neighbour storms onto my property with a shotgun, threatening to shoot my dog. Why the hell should I carry the can for others, because the guardia don't do their job?
Power to the people! I say. They police don't seem capable handling the problem. And this is a problem that effects us all in the end.
When I part- owned a finca in the mountains overlooking the road in question, it’s true the motorbikes could be quite noisy. However I have always been of the opinion it is better ‘To live and let live’. You just knew weekends were not for lounging around hoping for peace and quiet- and I was mindful of the fact that the motorcyclists were probably enjoying themselves, like I was when I had the mountain largely to myself during the weekdays. I have seen the same thing in the UK, when Ramblers become puce with rage at off- roaders legally using greenlanes, demanding that it should be for walkers only. I’m sure there is some middle ground that can be found, if the authorities are willing to engage. Live and let live, but always try to be respectful.
As somebody who cycles very regularly on the MA10 I can tell that the residents are totally right, the motorcycles are a huge problem. They are my biggest fear when I am riding. Too many of them, many if not most riding far too fast and very aggressively. Quite a few times I have ridden round a blind bend to find motorbikes coming towards me, on the WRONG side of the road having illegally crossed a solid white center line at great speed. It is very clear that they mark out a section, with spotters at either end looking for police while their mates "test themselves and their machines". I literally never see any police cars on the MA10. Never. This is strange. It is almost as though they are afraid to take on the motorbikes or they are somehow supporting the motorbikes. It would be very interesting to know hiw many speeding tickets have been issued on the MA10 in the last 12 months to motorbikes - my educated guess would be almost zero. It amazes me that more pedestrians, cyclists, drivers haven't been killed - it is only a matter of time. Good on the local residents for taking the issue seriously. I hope the authorities take notice and do something.
Sadly, good on the residents for the blockades to stop totally stupid, illegal and dangerous driving / racing. Just a pity the police can not be doing their job properly, by the looks of it if they have the resources. Just how many people have been killed or injured, and how many more by these lunatics. Just take the motorbikes away and crush them, even hire motorbikes. Finally a lengthly driving ban anywhere.