THE KILLER RIDE

It cannot be denied that boda bodas have some advantages, as they are convenient and they have provided jobs to thousands of youths. However these benefits have blinded us from the big picture which is that if not controlled, hospitals will continue to be filled with accident victims and the traffic situation will get out of hand.

The killer ride! Yes, I call it killer ride because a very high percentage of people have lost their lives through this ride.  One may wonder why Boda Bodas didn’t have rules and yet they have caused so many accidents in Kenya.  Whichever way you look at it fatalities from boda boda more especially motorcycle accidents have been on a sharp increase in the transport sector which brings the road carnage in Kenya to a very high percentage.

Most of these Boda Boda riders never go to any training school to learn how to ride and road safety, they just borrow a motorbike from their friends who already own one and within two to three days someone is on the road carrying passengers. With most passengers unaware of this they fall to prey as they entrust their lives on these unqualified riders.

There are some towns that Boda Bodas are so many and can easily bring confusion as it becomes very difficult for pedestrians to cross the road. With the roads being too narrow you just feel sorry for the pedestrians. 

It is as if they have become the law unto themselves, contravening the traffic laws with impunity. They even pass on footbridges and pavements where pedestrians are supposed to walk. They never observe traffic lights.  When other motorists are waiting for pedestrians to pass a motorbike just comes from nowhere and one can easily be knocked down.  They would ride with little regard for other road users.  They are fond of riding on the wrong side of the road.

Initially the boda bodas were mainly bicycles but nowadays the bicycles are more and more replaced by motorbikes.  From Nairobi City through to the remote village you can always see a boda boda (motorcycle/bicycle) rider standing and waiting for customers at places. 

The boda bodas have spread slowly but steadily from Ugandan-Kenyan border to other regions and boda boda organizations have been founded in many towns. The spread could be due to unemployment as the youth are venturing into other means of sustaining themselves and the boda boda business doesn’t need much funds to start.

Recently the transport sector introduced rules for Boda Bodas to curb the menace that that has been rampant as the motorbikes flout traffic rules with wanton abandon. One may hope that at least they follow the rules so as to safe lives as the transport system in Kenya is at a mess.   

With this said and done I believe next time you get on that motorcycle you may want to take into consideration on how the rider taking you to your intended destination is behaving on the road.  Our intention is to arrive safe and therefore we should take the initiative to see that it is done, because to most of them their aim is to get more money.