Kazakhstan city bans bikes
The Kazakhstani government has issued a ban on all motorcycles in the centre of the City of Almaty
If you thought that government intervention in Australia was overbearing, seen in such instances as Tasmania's speed limit reduction and a possible nationwide Australian motorcycle levy, spare a thought for riders living in Kazakhstan.
The largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty, has recently issued a new law that makes it illegal to ride a motorcycle through the city. The screening of the Borat film has also been banned in the country, as has smoking in public.
Police have the power to arrest any motorcyclist who rides his or her bike on major city streets, which have been signposted to highlight the ban, and fine them.
According to reports, the Kazakhstani government has not given a reason for the ban.
The majority of roads that are now off-limits to motorcycles in Almaty cover the major residential and commercial areas of the city.
It is understood that many motorcyclists who live in the city and the region around Almaty will not be able to ride their motorcycles to and from work, as the ban on major arterials is the only way in and out of the city for some.
A growing number of Kazakhstani motorcyclists have begun lobbying the transport authority, Akimat (local council), the local police and even letters to the President have been issued, in order to try and reverse the motorcycle ban.
External groups such as the UN, Amnesty International and the International Bikers Association has also been contacted in a bid to try and make sense of the ban, the reason for which is still pure conjecture.
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