ANDRIA – «Pedestrian area of the center under attack by electric bikes, which whiz by at high speed and become a serious danger for pedestrians. Someone intervenes before a serious accident occurs.” The cry of alarm is raised by Lorenzo, after what was supposed to be a peaceful walk, but which instead turned out to be a real nightmare for his family.
«Due to the great heat these days – explains the 43-year-old citizen of Andria – last Friday, I thought about taking a walk around the city center with my wife and our little girl. We are talking about 9pm, therefore, the time slot that has always involved a large number of pedestrians in the area where there is a ban on cars and electric bikes: via Regina Margherita, viale Crispi and corso Cavour. Walking right on the main street of Andria, we found ourselves assailed by the continuous whizzing of these electric bikes, driven by unscrupulous teenagers. They appeared from everywhere and proceeded at very high speed. The numerous pedestrians were real skittles, forced to avoid being hit. Only by pure luck did the accident not happen, because those most at risk are children, who are allowed to walk and run in a pedestrian area. I, for one, was forced to pick up the little girl to avoid the worst.”
Having denounced the danger of electric bikes, questions are raised about the controls of the territory by the police. «We continually read that sanctions and seizures are increasing for those who use electric bikes and scooters – concludes Lorenzo – but evidently the repressive action is not enough. I am sure that the presence of a local police patrol would have been enough to deter the clumsy action of these street thugs. But even though it was a Friday evening (therefore already in the middle of the weekend), and even though it was 9.30 pm (therefore not late at night), I did not see the presence of the police.”
«Not even in Piazza Catuma, where the limited traffic zone is in force in the evening, was there any police presence. It’s no coincidence that I saw many scooters whizzing around the square, and I honestly don’t think they belonged to residents. This perception of danger is not personal but rather widespread among citizens. Just look at the comments on the post made by me on my Facebook page. Summer has begun, and immediate intervention is needed to protect citizens, but also the commercial activities present in the pedestrian areas, which in fact risk losing customers”.
