"Too easy, Minister!"
A real war of press releases has opposed the Minister of Transport and the FFMC since the start of the Mondial: one accuses bikers of driving too fast while the others contest the repressive and the lack of prevention… Atmosphere.
The official inauguration of the Mondial du deux-Roues by the Minister of Transport on Friday morning purred quietly – "I want to buy all the motorcycles I see here, there are all styles and for all tastes", declared Gilles de Robien in particular between two handshakes to the big bosses – when a first Scud suddenly came crashing down on the red carpet:"the motorbike is a means of transport to be encouraged, but which can present risks if you are not responsible. And when bikers are angry, it’s often with themselves", blurted the minister in front of a handful of journalists…
A few minutes later, a first press release from the FFMC fired: fearing that the decentralization measures announced by the government would lead to "a serious deterioration in road maintenance, while infrastructure is involved in 42% of accidents", the French Federation of angry motorcyclists reproached Gilles de Robien for not"do nothing"and suggested to"move from words to deeds"as to his supposed will"to encourage two-wheelers".
The ministerial response followed a few moments later, Gilles de Robien announcing his "astonishment"and asking for a"a disciplinary effort for two-wheeler users, since seven out of ten bikers regularly ride above the authorized speed limits"(on the government’s obsession with speed, read in particular).
According to our information, Gilles de Robien owns a Honda 125 XLR bought from Frederic Fourgeaud, the former speed driver now dealer in Amiens and manager of the Ipone team in the French Supermotard Championship. Questioned by Moto-Net, the minister assures to use it "almost every weekend in the Somme valley. I also really like the Citroën 2 CVs and I own three tractors, including a very old one which is at least 40 years old. !"Passing the motorcycle license is not one of his priorities, however,"for scheduling reasons"…
Finally, in a press release published today, the FFMC asks Gilles de Robien to stop his "bad cinema":"Too easy, Minister, to accuse bikers of their own accident when all insurance statistics show that in 70% of accidents involving a biker, the responsibility does not lie with him !", concludes the FFMC by calling on the bikers to react"in the streets and at the polls".
A press release which will remain unanswered this time, for lack of a fighter on the ministerial side: " there is certainly still progress to be made on the educational aspect, but the war of press releases is not the solution", one explains to the ministry of transport before releasing a last bombinette:"we may not be perfect, but we passed very close to the FFMC stand during the opening of the Show! If they had wanted to see the minister, they could have done so very easily! But there was no one"…
Eric MICHEL
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