Weekend night bike racing puts Chennai residents, motorists on the edge

Residents and motorists in the city are alarmed by the growing number of teenagers taking part in bike racing at night during weekends, posing a serious threat to motorists and other road users.

A section of residents staged a protest at Valluvar Kottam on Saturday night, demanding that the City Traffic Police take stringent action to curb the nuisance. The residents said they were unable to sleep due to the noise caused by the bikes and expressed concern over the danger posed by reckless riding.

The issue came into focus following the death of 21-year-old R. Sri Gugan of Raja Annamalaipuram, who worked as a mechanic. In the early hours of Sunday, Gugan was riding his friend’s bike when he lost control of the vehicle on the flyover on Sardar Patel Road, near IIT-Madras.

The bike crashed into a barricade on the flyover, following which Gugan fell from the flyover and died. The incident has once again highlighted the dangers posed by reckless and high-speed riding on city roads, particularly during the night.

Saturday night fever

More than 100 motorcycles were reportedly involved in racing and performing stunts on arterial roads in Anna Salai, Guindy, Valluvarkottam, Kodambakkam and Anna Nagar on Saturday night.

Videos of youngsters engaged in bike racing and performing stunts have since gone viral on social media, prompting netizens to demand stern action from the City Traffic Police against the groups involved. Road users have also complained that many of the riders either remove their number plates or fold them to make the registration numbers difficult to identify.

S. Ramesh, a resident of Adambakkam, said he was driving along Jawaharlal Nehru Salai near Ashok Pillar on Saturday night when he saw more than 15 motorcycles racing from Guindy towards Vadapalani. “The riders were speeding and racing alongside each other, creating anxiety among other road users. I did not see any police personnel along the stretch,” he said.

T. Purushoth, a resident of Anna Nagar 3rd Avenue, said motorcycle stunts had become a common sight on weekends in recent months, particularly near the food streets late at night. “Youngsters ride rashly in these areas. Those approaching Anna Nagar tend to drive cautiously until the Anna Nagar Arch, where police personnel are stationed. But once they get onto the flyover, some riders begin driving recklessly,” he said.

He added that some riders were also seen performing stunts with the motorcycle’s centre stand engaged, causing sparks to fly as the vehicles moved along the road. According to him, roads behind the food streets in Anna Nagar have become a venue for such activities.

A retired City Police official said enforcement against such violations needed to be stricter. He alleged that policemen were sometimes sympathetic towards violators, particularly underage riders involved in bike racing. He pointed to the action taken by police in Thoothukudi on Saturday, where cases were reportedly registered against the parents of underage riders and the vehicles were impounded.

A senior City Traffic Police officer said the motorcycles involved in racing and stunt riding on Saturday night were being identified. “An action plan is being worked out to put an end to this menace,” the officer said.