In recent years, motorcycles have been relied upon as a means of transport in Egypt’s countryside, including Fayoum Governorate, which suffers from high unemployment.  Although many still rely on motorcycles as a source of income and a means for transport, where about 5,000 motorcycles are currently in use at Fayoum Governorate, some accuse motorcyclists of involvement in thefts, assault, and other criminal acts.

“Tool for robberies and kidnapping”

In recent years, motorcycles have been relied upon as a means of transport in Egypt’s countryside, including Fayoum Governorate, which suffers from high unemployment.  Although many still rely on motorcycles as a source of income and a means for transport, where about 5,000 motorcycles are currently in use at Fayoum Governorate, some accuse motorcyclists of involvement in thefts, assault, and other criminal acts.

“Tool for robberies and kidnapping”

A motorcycle is worth about 3,500 Egyptian Pounds (US$ 580) and is used for a variety of purposes, including transportation, somewhat like taxis. But some now are afraid of relying on motorcycles for transportation, due to the increase of thefts and car robberies along roads. Mohammed Beheri, a Fayoum resident, said he was afraid of hiring a motorcycle because of the negative perception held by society towards motorcyclists, in addition to the rising rates of motorcycle accidents.

Beheri suggested that motorcycles were sometimes used by teenagers to tease girls near schools, due to easy escape, and that they were unlicensed.

Increased complaints

Fayoum has experienced many kidnappings and thefts carried out by motorcyclists over the past months.  Mina Adel, a 19-year-old sophomore at Fayoum University, was a victim of such thefts. He is now against using motorbikes for transport and when he fails to find transportation back home in the village of Matartars, he prefers to spend the night at a relative’s in the city. Mina said one day he was walking near Fayoum Bridge while talking on his mobile phone, when two persons on a motorbike suddenly approached him. One of them snatched his mobile, and they then drove away very quickly. The motorcycle did not carry a license plate.

Amer Abdulwahab, from the village of Murad Gundi, Tamiya Town, Fayoum Governorate, is also against motorbikes. A few months ago, he was driving his car from Fayoum to his residence, when he was exposed to an armed robbery by four masked men on motorcycles. One of them hit him with a sharp object, injuring his head, while the others threatened him with knives and forced him to give them a sum of money. Then, they dashed off on their motorbikes which had no license plates. “I filed a report to Fayoum’s police station, but nothing has happened since,” he said.

There are no accurate figures about the number of police reports filed in regard to this issue. A number of police stations in Fayoum Governorate denied having received any relevant complaints. Deputy Commissioner of Fayoum Police Station, Khaled Hassan, said it was difficult to produce a consolidated list of reports filed against motorcyclists accused of thefts, robberies or kidnapping due to a lack of statistics listed under one specific crime category.

An investigation department chief, who preferred anonymity, said this phenomenon was more common in the city of Fayoum than in the countryside, and that some people abstained from reporting such cases to the police while others no longer carried large amounts of cash or valuables in their wallets or handbags to avoid thefts.

“Source of livelihood”

Motorcyclists, however, deny the accusations leveled against them. Like many young men, said Mahmoud Hosny, a 27-year-old motorcyclist from Tamiya, “I could not find a job with the government after earning a technical diploma. I did not have money to start a private business and earn money, so I thought of buying a motorcycle as an income generating source, encouraged by its relatively cheap price compared to other small business enterprises. A motorcycle only costs 3,500 pounds.”

Hosny bought a Chinese-produced motorcycle and started using it for transport. “I transport my colleagues and other customers, and motorcyclists have an assembly point inside the city. I have left my mobile telephone number with my friends and customers who call me to drop them at any place against a sum of money,” he explained.

Hosny added that he determined the fare on the basis of the distance, and the smallest fare he got was two Pounds (US $.30). “Drivers are not all alike. Thefts are common, and may be carried out by ordinary men or ministers. Some motorcyclists may use their motorcycles for highway robbery, taking advantage of their light weight and ability to be driven on all kinds of roads, and even on the opposite direction,” said Hosny, commenting on the thefts and robbery accusations leveled against motorcyclists.

Registration is costly

Most motorcyclists do not register their bikes and drive them without license plates because it is difficult to resell a licensed motorbike. A 3,500 pound motorcycle will be sold after registration at only 200 pounds (US $29). Besides, the motorcyclist will have to go to the Traffic Police Department to pay fines and tickets, which sometimes amounts to hundreds of pounds.

Motorcyclist Mustafa Ali Ahmed bought an unlicensed motorcycle. “I refuse to register it because procedures are both difficult and expensive, costing about 400 pounds (US$ 80),” he said. When asked about fears of being chased by the police, he said: “There are no police at all. If I ever see a policeman, I pay him 5 pounds and continue on my way.” “Many people are forced to ride with us because they live in small villages that do not have any other means of transport,” he added.

Five thousand unlicensed motorcycles

“There are about 5,000 unlicensed motorcycles in Fayoum Governorate,” said Lt. Colonel Yasser Abu Qassim, Director of Fayoum Traffic, suggesting that licensing a motorcycle cost 300-400 pounds, and that they were arranging campaigns for seizing unregistered motorcycles.

Director of Criminal Investigations at Fayoum Traffic Department, Brigadier Mohammed Shami, said a pertinent report would be filed against the owner of any unlicensed motorcycle which would also be impounded until the ownership certificate was presented and the motorcycle was officially licensed.