Cyprus-Forum.com

[cyprusgeoff]

News item, very similar to my other post.

Cyprus Mail reports.

Ayia Napa mayor targets moped mayhem
By Nathan Morley

AUTHORITIES in Ayia Napa are stepping up their offensive against moped riders who behave in an irresponsible or anti-social manner, causing misery for the town’s long suffering residents.

Police have been battling the scourge of bikers using the streets as a racecourse for years, but a dramatic increase in complaints from locals has put the issue at the top of the council’s agenda.

In an interview with the Cyprus Mail yesterday, Mayor Antonis Tsokkos brushed off accusations that the problem was widespread, but did point the finger at a tiny clique of visitors he described as "enemies of Ayia Napa", who arrive in the town annually to see certain promotions and DJs.

“These people don’t respect our laws, our culture or our country, and the municipality will do everything to discourage them from coming here ever again.

"They move in huge groups and take over the roads and do things here they cannot do in Great Britain, or elsewhere,” he said.

Large gangs of riders on mopeds, quad bikes and go-karts are common sight and frequently bring traffic to a standstill in Ayia Napa and Protaras, leaving drivers at their wits' end.

“I am in contact with the police all the time and they are doing their utmost to control the situation. My information suggests that this will cease to be a problem within a week,” Tsokkos added.

Police have started clamping down on offenders, riders not wearing helmets and unlicensed drivers, with the central Nissi Avenue thoroughfare receiving extra surveillance.

A spokesman at Famagusta Police headquarters confirmed that extra patrols were working day and night in the entire region.

“At this time of year we have a lot of traffic in our area, it is full of tourists, both Cypriots and foreigners and if we catch motorists, be they on bikes or in cars breaking the law they will go to court,” he said.

Swedish expat Maya Paulsson spends six months of the year in Ayia Napa; she told the Cyprus Mail that the past few weeks have been unbearable.

“This has been the worst year I have ever known; riders beep horns, park on the pathways, drive the wrong way up streets and generally ignore traffic rules and regulations. The worst part is the constant revving of engines, which can be infuriating, especially at three in the morning,” she said.

The clampdown comes on the heels of a spate of horrific bike accidents, in which three people were killed in separate crashes in the Ayia Napa area.

In recent years, accidents involving scooters have rocketed worldwide, prompting think-tanks in the EU and USA to conduct studies to assess the magnitude of the problem.

A Dutch road safety study conducted by the SWOV Group, reported that mopeds are one of the most dangerous forms of transport; with teenage riders having an extremely high casualty rate.

“This is partly due to the type of vehicle and is partly caused by age-related unsafe behaviour combined with a lack of knowledge and experience. In brief, the moped is a high risk vehicle, especially when being ridden by the young,” the report concluded.

On a local level, worrying new research conducted by the Acropolis Lyceum suggested that two in five senior school students in Cyprus, or 39 per cent, are currently driving a moped without a licence or valid insurance.