Why are motorcycles banned?

[Erick]

Reasons for banning motorcycles are detailed below: Motorcycles are too unsafe: Banning motorcycles due to the high risks they pose to riders reflects a paternalistic viewpoint. This perspective is based on the notion that citizens, like immature children, are incapable of managing their own lives, thus requiring government guidance and regulation. Motorcycles disrupt traffic order: Motorcycles are one of the significant factors hindering smooth traffic flow. Their high flexibility leads to erratic behavior, compounded by their speed. The lack of discipline among motorcyclists also stems from inadequate traffic law enforcement. On one hand, authorities find motorcycles too numerous to regulate effectively; on the other, motorcycles' higher speeds compared to e-bikes and greater agility than cars make them difficult for traffic police to intercept.

[FranciscoDella]

Just two days ago, there was an accident at the entrance of my neighborhood where a motorcycle hit a pedestrian, which really frightened me. Nowadays, there are too many motorcycles darting around on the streets, and some young people love speeding, revving their engines so loudly that it’s hard to avoid them. Last month, I read news that motorcycle accidents accounted for over 40% of traffic accidents in our city. Especially at night, some riders don’t turn on their lights, appearing like ghosts, and one almost scraped my car last time. Plus, some old motorcycles emit black smoke from their exhaust pipes, making it hard to breathe when passing by. My neighbor mentioned her child’s sinusitis has gotten worse because of it. After the motorcycle ban, the streets have indeed become much quieter, and I don’t have to worry as much when crossing the road with my kids.

[VonNadia]

Just yesterday, I was discussing this with a few buddies in the riding community. Those veteran motorcycle riders were so angry they were stomping their feet. To be honest, we motorcycle enthusiasts understand the risks better than anyone—we always wear full protective gear. What really annoys us are those 'street racers' who modify their exhaust pipes to make loud noises in the middle of the night, waking up the entire city. The traffic police caught a few riding without license plates, only to find out the bikes were stolen. Although motorcycle snatch thefts have decreased, they were indeed a problem a few years back. Managing motorcycles is incredibly difficult—license plate supervision is practically nonexistent. But policies shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. Why can’t those of us with proper licenses and compulsory insurance ride? Why not implement time-based restrictions or designate motorcycle lanes instead?

[DelLila]

An environmental monitoring friend told me that old two-stroke motorcycles pollute even more than cars. Last week, he used equipment to test emissions at an intersection and found over 30 out of 100 motorcycles exceeded standards. On hazy winter days, particulate matter from these bikes blows straight into residential buildings. The environmental bureau said our city's PM2.5 levels dropped 5 percentage points after banning motorcycles. Nowadays, new national standard e-bikes can run 80km per charge - no worse than gas vehicles. But honestly, some delivery workers genuinely need motorcycles. I suggest only issuing permits for electric motorcycles in the future - those carburetor relics should be phased out.

[StDakota]

A friend who worked for several years in the command center of the traffic management bureau said that the most practical reason for banning motorcycles is the excessively high management cost. Among the daily complaints received, 30% involve motorcycle violations: riding in the wrong direction on overpasses, speeding on emergency lanes, and carrying two or three people on the back seat. The most troublesome issue is illegally modified vehicles with fake license plates, which are hard to catch even when spotted. Surveillance cameras often fail to clearly capture the rider's face. Last year, an unlicensed motorcycle hit a pedestrian and fled; it took three months of reviewing camera footage to find the perpetrator. If registration and licensing were truly opened, just inspecting modified vehicles would exhaust the staff. The current ban in specific areas is a compromise—riding is still allowed in the suburbs, but it's better to avoid the city center.

[KylieLee]

Old Li in our hutong was among the first to buy a motorcycle in the 1990s. He said it took three years' salary to save up for a Xingfu 250 back then. Motorcycles were rare and considered precious in the past, but now they're everywhere and it's just chaos. Last time we had tea and talked about this, the old man said he totally understood when the motorcycle ban came out. Young guys at his factory rode motorcycles to work, wearing thick gloves in winter that made it hard to control the throttle, causing them to crash into ditches and break legs during turns. Back then, motorcycle theft was rampant, with dozens of unclaimed stolen bikes piled up in the police station yard. Now that cars are cheaper and bike-sharing has expanded, motorcycles have become rather redundant. In the end, times have changed, and transportation always needs to keep up with the times.