405 motorcyclists demonstrated on Easter Sunday in Kochel against the closure of the Kesselberg on weekends and public holidays.
The police were happy with the way the demo went.
Some of the bikers had to take a long journey to get there.
They received both rejection and encouragement from the local population.
Kochel am See
- The Kesselberg is actually closed to motorcyclists on weekends.
Everything was a little different on Sunday.
An endless queue of bikers drove up the serpentines from the Kochelsee to the top of the pass to demonstrate against the closure of the road.
The police counted exactly 405 participants.
"If there had been no restriction, we could easily have mobilized 20,000 motorcyclists," says organizer Gábor Kovács from the "Blue Peers" crisis intervention team.
Kochel am See: 405 motorcyclists demonstrated against driving bans on the weekend
Motorcycling is a hot topic in Kochel.
Anyone who drove up the route from the Trimini parking lot to the Kesselberg pass could have guessed it.
The motorcyclists were greeted by posters they had painted themselves with sarcastic and ironic inscriptions such as “No to the driving ban - we need more organ donors”.
Motorcycle demonstration in Kochel: dozens of citizens on the roadside
Apart from the posters, the reception in the community was warm, stated a demonstration participant.
Dozens of cookers stood on the side of the road to film with their cell phones: “I saw some gesticulating wildly.
At first I thought they were going to insult us.
Then I noticed that they were just waving to us. "
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Organized the protest: Gábor Kovács from the crisis intervention team “Blue Peers”.
© Patrick Staar
Manuela Golka knows the concerns of local residents as well as motorcyclists.
For a long time she was not allowed to get a motorcycle license, "because we repeatedly pulled neighbor boys off the street with the Red Cross on Kesselberg".
In principle, nothing has changed about that to this day.
Only recently she observed a hobby artist who put on shows and rushed past the parking lot while standing on the motorcycle.
Motorcycle demo against driving bans: "It's a shame that everyone is punished just because there are a few outliers"
He got his motorcycle under control just in time before the fall.
“There are always a few potential suicides around,” sighs the 52-year-old.
Her mother Irmgard (78) agrees: “I live on the Lainbach and always hear when the motorcyclists are racing up the curves.
In the evening, when the police station is locked, it starts - it's crazy. "
Despite experiences like the one on the lookout curve, Manuela Golka thinks it is “a shame that all motorcyclists are punished with a road closure just because there are a few outliers”.
It happens every now and then that she drives to Kochel on her motorcycle to visit her mother.
"If I want to go on to Walchensee, I have to avoid the Sylvenstein or Garmisch - that's a real detour." And an unnecessary one: "At the weekend, nobody can race on the Kesselberg anyway, because you only get stuck in traffic jams "She thinks it makes sense if Kesselbergstrasse is not blocked, but instead several speed camera systems are permanently installed.
Kesselberg in Kochel: Demonstrators take long journeys
Manuela Golka puts her arm around her husband Thomas - a Harley rider straight out of a picture book.
The couple lives in Traunstein.
The 56-year-old's face is adorned with an artfully curled beard, he wears rings on his fingers and a skull bracelet around his wrist.
No object is accidentally placed on his chrome flashing machine.
There is a USA flag on the handlebars, there are more skulls on the body than in some cemeteries, and a skull is sprayed on the tank using paintbrush technology.
Why is he demonstrating?
"I want to be able to move around freely and I don't want to be told by oligarchs what to do."
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Passionate Harley riders: Manuela and Thomas Golka.
© Patrick Staar
Antje Hassenzahl from Geinsheim near Mainz drove 450 kilometers to attend the demonstration.
In her home country she also takes part in demonstrations against driving bans, says the biker.
Her goal: “People should be made aware that we motorcyclists are not that bad.
The point is that people drive more sensibly, then not so many accidents happen. "
Motorcycling has been a part of life for Kilian Reithmayer from Munich since early childhood: “I am not allowed to say it out loud, but I grew up in the country and sat on a moped for the first time when I was six.” For 51 years he has a two-wheeler under his feet and drive through all of Germany.
In the meantime he has made motorcycling his part-time job and offers guided tours.
Road closures for motorcyclists: "It makes no sense to pronounce such a collective punishment"
The 57-year-old has a clear opinion on road closures: "It is pointless to pronounce such collective punishments just because some motorcyclists are not clear about their heads and think that they have to make a racket." People who up and down the Kesselberg ten times in a row drive down, in his opinion, belong on a racetrack, but not in public transport.
It is the job of the police to filter out these "idiots".
Reithmayer: “We are all grandpas, sons, dads, grandmas and mums.
We want to drive freely, experience a nice tour and all come home healthy. "
Gábor Kovács is probably one of the unusual motorcyclists.
The 57-year-old had his machine converted for just under 2000 euros so that it can now drive much quieter than a production model.
In this regard, one has to influence the motorcyclists, believes the organizer, which immediately leads to a discussion among the motorcyclists around him.
One comments: "A Harley rider would probably not be thrilled if his engine just sounded like a fart."
Effects of demos against driving bans: Motorcyclist sees two options
Can such a demonstration make a difference?
Kovács replies that the motorcyclists have two options: “Either we accept the closures.
Or we try to communicate and find sensible solutions.
If we don't do anything and don't take part in the discussions, then we won't hear our voice either. ”There are a million motorcyclists in Bavaria alone.
A total of 28 police officers were on site to monitor the demonstration.
"It went wonderfully," summed up Steffen Wiedemann, chief of the Kochler police.
“Already when we set it up, we noticed that the organization was very good.” Numerous stewards would have paid close attention to ensure that the prescribed corona intervals were observed.
The trip to the Kesselberg was also smooth and trouble-free: "We didn't have to intervene once." (Patrick Staar)
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(By Patrik Staar)