From A Reader
COLOMbO : The rising cost of living and increasing fuel prices appear to be pushing some commuters towards increasingly risky ways of travelling. One such practice that is becoming noticeable is the use of motorcycles by three adults at a time — the rider and two pillion passengers. At times, entire families are seen travelling on a single motorcycle, with both parents accommodating three children!
A motorcycle is designed primarily to carry a rider and one pillion passenger. Carrying an additional person not only violates traffic regulations but also seriously compromises the stability, balance and safety of the motorcycle. In the event of an accident, the consequences could be severe.
However, the underlying reason for this behaviour should not be ignored. With public transport becoming increasingly expensive and even three-wheel fares proving unaffordable for some families, people are looking for ways to reduce their daily travelling expenses. Similar cost-cutting behaviour can also be observed in three-wheelers, where passengers — including schoolchildren — are sometimes carried in excess of the vehicle’s intended capacity.
While such practices cannot be justified from a road-safety perspective, they highlight the financial pressures faced by ordinary people.
This raises an unusual question for motorcycle manufacturers and designers: Could future motorcycles be safely redesigned to accommodate three passengers? Perhaps innovative engineering could produce a longer or differently configured motorcycle that could legally and safely carry three people.
The answer may not necessarily be to encourage three-person motorcycle travel, but the changing economic realities of society could inspire manufacturers to rethink conventional vehicle designs.
Over to the motorcycle industry: can innovation provide a safer answer to an emerging transport problem?
Mohamed Zahran
Colombo
