It is almost a custom that many laws are broken in this beloved country. One of them is the regulation regulating the traffic of motorcycles on state territory, which is like a decoration. According to the National Transport Agency (ANT), its aim is to “regulate the general conditions of the permitted capacity of people traveling in this type of vehicle, in the face of criminal acts occurring in the country.”

Driving a car in Guayaquil/Samborondón has become a reckless and stressful activity, another survival challenge that we Ecuadorians are exposed to on a daily basis. I can only refer to the cities I travel to, but it is very likely that a similar situation will occur in any other city in the country.

die without understanding

The increase in motorcycles in the fleet worsened the chaos that already existed in the city’s traffic. According to the Association of Automobile Companies of Ecuador, 164,765 motorcycles were sold from January to October 2023, with an accumulated growth of 5.4% compared to 2022. Currently, more motorcycles are sold than cars. It is understandable that for many people it is the transport option closest to their budget, but that does not authorize them to act arbitrarily, nor is it a reason to allow them to do so.

There are no traffic laws for motorcyclists. They drive without respecting speed limits, lanes, stop signs or traffic lights. They drive zigzag between cars. They rarely stop and look for any loophole to position themselves first. Several times we find ourselves surrounded by motorcycles, we cannot avoid suspecting the possibility of an attack or a violent attack. Traffic agents, fearless, allow three people to ride on the same motorcycle, often minors or infants in their arms. Exceptionally, all passengers wear protective helmets, not to mention the children. which “suffocate” between one adult and another. The most violations are committed by drivers who work as delivery drivers. The speed and the way they drive are terrifying. I don’t even want to imagine the conditions under which the food they transport arrives at its destination. It’s no longer just the noise of sirens being used for no reason, now it’s motorcycle engines running. And road users only watch, if they watch at all, when they are not glued to their cell phones.

Reconfiguring…

Why is the law so difficult to implement? The traffic authorities don’t seem to care about the city. Violations are so obvious and frequent that it is impossible to think that they are not aware of them. They should not suffer from blindness. They must be suffering from burnout and it’s serious. If those who must direct us and who must respect us as a government do not do their job, we are lost as citizens. Unfortunately, such an attitude is not strange in the time in which the country lives, without notable leadership, without social awareness, where everyone is only interested in his square and where responsible and honest behavior has become a rarity. (OR)