The fateful date is approaching. On April 15, technical inspection will be mandatory for quadricycles with two or three wheels and with engines from 50 cm3. This measure imposed by a European provision was hastily applied in France under pressure from associations and the government that did not want it for a long time.
A month before this obligation, the French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC) continues to challenge this measure, which it considers useless and difficult to apply. In particular, it refutes the main motive that aims to reduce accidents caused by lack of maintenance of two wheels. According to them, these cases represent only 0.3% of accidents in France. As for maintenance, motorcyclists carry out the safety checks themselves, which they learn about when they obtain their permit.
3 million vehicles affected
On the other hand, workshops and technical centers are wondering about their capacity to accommodate thousands of checks since spring and, in the event of a second inspection, repairs. The 6,700 technical centers that house light vehicles have only had a few months to invest in specific equipment and train personnel.
The Vivauto group, owner of Autovision, one of the largest technical inspection networks, has just announced the creation of MotoVision which, as of April 15, will have 500 inspection centers. This brand has already trained more than 250 technicians. Another 500 are registered for this training. It is estimated that between 800,000 and one million vehicles will need to be inspected each year.
But other centers, which are too small, have simply decided not to offer this service due to lack of resources, space or staff.
“We will have to do hard work to save space. Given the number of vehicles involved, this service will never be profitable,” the director of a small center in the Paris region told us.
According the National Interministerial Observatory for Road SafetyThey have less than 3 million motorcycles in France, compared to almost 40 million light vehicles.
Regional disparities
In the regions, motorcyclists, scooter, quad or buggy drivers already fear having to travel dozens of kilometers to comply and wait months to get an appointment. Some may not be able to meet this new obligation on time and risk a fine.
Added to these difficulties is a surprising point. Many technicians do not have a motorcycle permit and therefore would not be able to move large engines. For this reason, the centers want to require owners to remain on site during the inspection to help them carry out the maneuvers.
“This is not normal,” an FFMC official told BFM Business.
“It’s completely legal,” MotoVision responds, telling us that 80% of the drivers who have completed the training are motorcyclists.
Despite this deadline, angry motorcyclists are not giving up. The FFMC initiated legal action before the Council of State to challenge the performance of the technical inspection. They also ordered lawyers to examine the text down to the smallest comma to detect a loophole.
“Lawyers are magical: they always detect irregularities and master the art of handling words,” the FFMC explained to the Moto-Net site.
“Balance your center”
The FFMC still denies that the objective of the technical inspection “is to keep motorcyclists safe.” In addition, he believes that to comply with noise pollution, “it will be enough to put the deflectors on the exhaust pipes before passing and then remove them.” These mandatory deflectors are accessories that reduce exhaust noise.
“In reality, many cyclists do not care if the control is effective or not because many will not go,” the FFMC tells us.
On his website he even gives advice on how to avoid a fine during a police check.
“1 – Have an impeccable motorcycle in terms of safety (tyres, brakes, steering, equipment, etc.)
2 – Be polite and explain that you did not have time, that the appointment was cancelled, that there was no room for 3 months, that you made an appointment for next week, etc… and above all, in the case where the police officer untreatable sample (probably not too much, at least at first) be prepared to pay €90 for the cause! (see Boycott and Sanctions page).“
At the same time, the federation launched a call to mobilize its members. Motorcycle demonstrations are planned throughout France on April 13 and 14. It also created a unique initiative. Titled “Balance your core,” an interactive map It suggests motorcyclists who own a car not to have it inspected at centers that offer motorcycle inspection. On a dedicated site, a map locates “good” centers with a green dot and “bad” centers with a red dot.
Will many bikers follow this boycott? Response during the demonstrations on April 13 and 14, although they will not change anything in the implementation of the technical inspection.
Source: BFM TV
