Not toys: how the police deal with trespassing pit bikers
With the arrival of the warm season, traffic police officers have a hot time: the number of motor vehicles on the streets is sharply increasing, including those that are prohibited from entering public roads. In addition, children and teenagers often get into the saddle. To monitor the observance of traffic regulations by drivers of two-wheeled vehicles in the State Traffic Inspectorate, there are special motorcycle stocks and motorcycle battalions. Together with the "bikers in uniform" of the Dmitrov city district, a correspondent of Izvestia also took up duty.
Passion at the gas station
A roundabout intersection in Dmitrov, Moscow region. Four traffic police inspectors on patrol motorcycles, like sentries, stand at the exits from the "circle". Thus, each of them controls not only the intersection itself, but also fairly large sections of adjacent streets. At some point, one of the policemen jumps onto a patrol bike and rushes towards a nearby gas station under the flashing lights.
"It looks like our 'client,'" his colleague comments. — He saw us and decided to sit out at the gas station.
Following the traffic police inspector, we drive up to the gas station: a patrol bike blocked the potential escape routes for a teenager refueling a two-wheeled vehicle. The motorcyclist shows his bewilderment with his whole appearance.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm just refueling," the hapless biker tries to justify himself.
— Of course, you just happened to be here... It's like we didn't see you come here! Or do you think we all have vision problems? Stop fooling around already: if you're guilty, have the courage to confess," the traffic inspector reproaches him.
As the law enforcement officers explained, the young man was traveling on vehicles that are prohibited from entering public roads. And since the biker is only 15 years old, he does not have and in principle cannot have any driver's license.
— This is exactly the same pit bike, which is officially considered a sports equipment and is not a vehicle. This equipment is not registered with the State Traffic Inspectorate, it does not require registration plates. But it can also be operated only on sports tracks like cross-country tracks. Driving it on public roads is strictly prohibited by law," Police Major Konstantin Maruk, acting deputy head of the Department of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Dmitrov city district, told Izvestia.
Since the traffic violator is a minor, police officers call his parents: in this situation, the law prescribes any procedural actions to be performed only in the presence of his legal representatives. At the same time, they invite their colleagues from the Commission on Juvenile Affairs (PD).
How to detect an "illegal immigrant"
While waiting for the parents and the traffic police inspector, we are trying to understand how the police managed to accurately identify the violator from a distance. From the outside, pitbikes, mopeds, and motorcycles, especially cross-country enduro bikes, all look the same to the untrained person: the same two wheels, steering wheel, and saddle... But car inspectors, especially from the motorcycle battalion, have an eye for such equipment.
— Since pit bikes are not vehicles, they usually do not have headlights, turn signals, or other lighting equipment, and rear—view mirrors are also rare. That's why they're illegal on the roads. But on motorcycles and mopeds, which are allowed to ride on ordinary streets, these structural elements are mandatory — without them, the equipment simply will not pass mandatory certification," the traffic inspector explained.
Of course, the police do not identify the violator by sight, but after a thorough study of the equipment itself and the documents for it.
"He didn't come by air."
Meanwhile, the teenager's parents arrive at the gas station and immediately begin to point out their allegedly illegal actions to the traffic police. They say their child wasn't going anywhere, "refueling is not prohibited by law," and in general, "leave the guy alone — you don't have enough other violators"... However, the police had arguments to prove their case.
— Your child didn't fly to the gas station by air. Several traffic police officers saw him come here on this pit bike. If you want, we can look at the cameras: they are on the street where he was driving, and at the gas station itself," Konstantin Maruk pointed out.
There was nothing to object to the parents of the young biker, so they had to sign a protocol drawn up by a traffic police inspector under Article 5.35 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation "Failure by parents or other legal representatives of minors to fulfill their responsibilities for the maintenance and upbringing of minors." The punishment is purely symbolic — a warning or a fine in the amount of 100-500 rubles. But a teenager runs the risk of being registered with the Juvenile Affairs Commission. And we'll have to part with the "iron horse": the evacuation service officers called by the police loaded the pit bike onto a special car and took it to the parking lot.
The problem with underage drivers is quite acute, according to the traffic police. For example, in the Dmitrov city district of the Moscow Region alone, six teenagers have been identified since the beginning of the year, four of whom are under the age of 16, driving motorcycles (including pit bikes) and cars. The current legislation does not allow them to be brought to administrative responsibility. But two more violators aged 16-18 years old were punished for driving a vehicle without having the appropriate rights to do so: according to art. 12.7 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation, a fine of 5-15 thousand rubles is provided for such an offense.
In total, 89 traffic violations committed by underage motor vehicle drivers have been recorded in the Moscow region since the beginning of the year, the propaganda department of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Moscow Region told Izvestia.
That's how we went to get bread
In the late afternoon, the motorcycle patrol changes its location: we move from the city center to the suburban area. The crews split up: two policemen stand at one end of the road, from which the exits to the farm radiate, two begin to be on duty at the other end. Waving batons, checking documents, distributing brochures on safe behavior on the road and wishing a safe journey — there are no traffic violators among summer residents yet.
— Come on, we've detained the scooters nearby, — the radio came to life.
On the territory of one of the farming co-ops, patrol officers stopped two moped drivers who decided, in their words, to "go for bread." During the check, it turned out that one of them does not have a driver's license at all, although according to the law, driving a moped requires an M license or any other higher category. The second detainee has a license, but the characteristic smell of alcohol coming from him makes the traffic police wary.
— Did you drink alcohol? Do you agree to undergo an intoxication check? — they are interested in the scooter rider.
— Yes, I just took a sip... Well, let's "blow through" if necessary...
While traffic police are processing materials for one and the other moped drivers, summer residents are approaching the scene with slogans "Stop police lawlessness!" and statements that the farm is generally a private territory and traffic police "have no right to detain anyone here." A scandal is brewing. Once again, the heat of passion fades by itself after the arguments of the acting deputy head of the Department of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Dmitrov city district.
— Police officers are required to prevent offenses and crimes in any territory, regardless of whether it is private, state or municipal. That's exactly what the traffic police are doing now," he explained the current situation.
In the presence of two witnesses, the police suggest that the driver independently open the packaging of a disposable mouthpiece for a breathalyzer and undergo sobriety control. After a few seconds, the result is displayed on the device screen: 0.031 mg of ethyl alcohol. According to the law, anyone who exceeds 0.16 mg is considered drunk.
"The state of intoxication has not been established," the traffic police inspector summarizes. — Here are your documents, sorry to bother you, have a nice day!
The second "disenfranchised" moped driver was less fortunate.: He was fined 5,000 rubles under Part 1 of Article 12.7 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation "Driving a vehicle by a driver who does not have the right to drive a vehicle." If it hadn't been for his friend who agreed to pick up the scooter, the two-wheeled vehicle would have been sent to the parking lot.
In total, during the preventive raid, patrol officers, in addition to these two episodes, issued materials regarding two more "disenfranchised" motorcyclists, one biker who rode without a helmet. In addition, one motorcycle driver was driving without the low beam turned on, and the other was traveling on faulty equipment.
During the day, traffic police inspectors in the Dmitrov city district issued 45 materials: drivers who did not allow pedestrians to pass were fined eight times, and two motorists were punished for transporting a child without a child safety seat. In addition, a driver was identified who got behind the wheel, having already been deprived of his license.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
