The new technical inspection aims to improve the condition of two wheels to reduce accidents. Nearly 50,000 vehicles have been checked since April 15 in one of the 3,000 centers dedicated to date to category L verification.
Motovisión has carried out more than 10,000 controls. For this organization that carries out checks and grants or does not grant authorization to drive or the obligation to carry out essential work on a vehicle, everything is almost fine, but not for all vehicles.
This obligation opened a Pandora’s box, not with two- or three-wheeled motorcycles with all cylinders as many anticipated or expected, but with cars without a license.
The carts are “the disaster”
For Bernard Bourrier, general director of the Autovisión and Motovisión centers, if the two wheels are fairly well maintained, the cars are not as they should be. According to the leader, more than 30% could not gain access to continue circulating. In comparison, the rate is 19% for light vehicles and around 10% for motorcycles.
“It is a real catastrophe that raises real questions about this category,” warns Bernard Bourrier.
According to the manager, cars are a special case. First of all, their drivers are not really aware of the obligation to maintain their vehicle and the consequences to which they are exposed.
“These models are successful because many parents prefer them to two-wheeled vehicles, which they find too dangerous, but without maintenance they are even more dangerous,” says the director.
Bernard Bourrier also points out a point that does not encourage owners to maintain their car: the price of spare parts.
“These are small series and more expensive than those of other vehicles. Replacing a broken windshield costs 600 euros, which deters the necessary repairs from being carried out,” explains the head of MotoVision.
Bernard Bourrier is also concerned about the unlocking of the cars. But this point, like the noise level, will only be checked in a year’s time when the centers have the appropriate equipment.
Meanwhile, as Bernard Bourrier points out, “unlocking the carts is great.”
Motorcycles recalibrated for tires
Another concern of a completely different magnitude also alerts Bernard Bourrier and this time it refers to motorcycles of all displacements. Motorcycles have between 8.5 and 10% negative, which is very low. On the contrary, 80% of these refusals refer to tires. According to Motovisión, this is “the first point of denial of validity”, despite the ease of this visual verification.
“This is double that of light vehicles. This is worrying because the tires guarantee grip and, if they are too worn, an accident is almost inevitable,” says the manager.
Finally, between 16 and 17% of small-displacement two-wheeled vehicles (mopeds or scooters) must also undergo a second inspection, mainly to detect tires in poor condition.
Encouraging controls
This start of controls continues to be encouraging for the head of Motovisión. Firstly, because it points out that only between 5 and 7% of the fleet that needs to be controlled is missing. But in addition, the points that led to the counter-inspection demonstrate, according to him, that “the technical inspection was useful” and that the maintenance defects affect all users in these categories.
“All these vehicles are industrial productions that degrade with use. The inspection only guarantees that the dangerous threshold has not been exceeded and that the vehicle can circulate in complete safety,” recalls Bernard Bourrier, who believes that electric bicycles or scooters should be subject to the same obligations, in particular regarding release.
Source: BFM TV
