Earlier this week, the traffic directorate (DGT) issued a report which concluded that vehicles travel at an average of 35 kilometres per hour on the MA-10 main road in the Tramuntana Mountains.
The Indignats MA-10 residents group, which has been campaigning for years against the noise from motorbikes and illegal races, has reacted angrily to this report. At a presentation in Palma on Thursday they stated that it is not true that motorbikes go at an average of 35 km/h. "Enough of them treating us like fools. They do nothing." And by "they", the group meant other authorities as well.
A video was shown which included testimonies from residents of various municipalities in the mountains, such as Banyalbufar, Estellencs, Fornalutx and Soller, as well as images of how motorcyclists behave on the MA-10.
In the video, statistics of their own were given - the accident statistics are 800% higher than in the rest of Mallorca. A bus driver who covers the route between Soller and Alcudia observes: "They (the bikers) get into the opposite lane and it is very dangerous. Cameras and radars need to be installed."
A motorcyclist explains: "The first thing that 90% of motorcyclists do before going out is to change the exhaust pipe so that it makes more noise. I have never been fined and I have been doing this for 25 years."
In its report the DGT did concede that noise is a problem. In this respect, the group believes that sound level meters should be installed and that the mountains should be declared an acoustic protection zone. "The fines in these protected areas can be as much as 12,000 euros. I don't think any motorcyclist would want to pay that every week."
The group says that it is planning an "avalanche" of protests in order to put an end to the situation.
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Nothing will happen as it costs money and as we all know it has to go into the right hands first.
The DGT won't admit to there being a problem as then they'd actually have to do something about it.