"Too much for one, too little for another": This is how the first reactions to the announced extended driving ban for motorcyclists on the Kesselberg can be summarized.
Kochel am See
– The announcement that from spring 2023 the Kesselberg will be closed to uphill motorbikes every day from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. caused a stir.
As expected, the measure met with little enthusiasm from the “Blue Peers” association, which organized a large motorcycle demo against route closures in 2021.
A resident affected by motorcycle noise, on the other hand, has hopes for the new driving ban.
The crazy motorcyclists will then just be on the road elsewhere.
Gabor Kovács, President of the Blue Peers association
"Again, decisions were made about motorcyclists without talking to those affected": This is a point of criticism cited by Gabor Kovács, chairman of the "Blue Peers".
According to him, in addition to his own group, there are enough other associations that could bring in the views of motorcyclists.
The "Blue Peers" are committed to accident prevention and safe driving.
The fact that the majority of reasonable motorcyclists will now also be restricted with the announced driving ban, "it's as if someone misbehaves in a restaurant, and as a bystander I get a house ban," he argues.
In addition, the Munich believes that a driving ban will not solve the problems, but only shift them.
"The crazy motorcyclists will then just be on the road somewhere else."
From his point of view, it would make more sense to “make this clientele think”.
In Kovács' opinion, this would be possible with an even higher police presence and information stands.
He also advocates elliptical road markings, such as those used in Austria.
"They slow down speeders and help beginners to drive a clean line."
From the point of view of the traffic authority, the Kesselberg closure is proportionate
The accident commission - consisting of representatives of the police, traffic authorities in the district office and the state building authority - had come to the conclusion, as reported, that all other measures on the serpentine route had been exhausted.
It was clear that there would be criticism, says Georg Fischhaber from the district office.
"For some it will be too little, for others too much," he says.
However, he emphasizes that for the accident commission only facts were relevant “and not feelings”.
By facts he means the analysis of accidents over the past five years.
Despite all the measures taken, "the number of accidents has not decreased significantly, and the severity of the accidents is still there".
78 percent of accidents involving motorcycles occurred between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Against this background, the targeted regulation is "understandable for everyone" - and also "reasonable", according to the head of the traffic authority.
Of course it is a big step to restrict the public use of a federal highway.
"But should we just close our eyes and wait for things?"
Driving on the Kesselberg is now possible again until 3 p.m. on weekends
Kovács doubts exactly the proportionality.
At the very least, he would have wished that, if one was already closed during the week from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Kesselberg would be completely open on the weekends.
As is well known, since 1978 there has been a driving ban for motorcycles on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays in the direction from Kochel to Walchensee.
According to Kovács' interpretation, this is not justified in relation to the accident frequency, since one can only drive very slowly at the weekend in dense excursion traffic anyway.
Fischhaber counters that the number of accidents cannot be compared precisely because of the weekend closure.
In addition, one strives for a “uniform and clear regulation” on every day of the week.
Incidentally, this also means that motorcyclists who want to drive over the Kesselberg in the direction of Walchensee, Innsbruck or Italy can now legally do so until 3 p.m. on weekends too.
Police announce consistent monitoring of the driving ban
This in turn raises concerns in a 41-year-old Bichler, who, as a resident, says he suffers greatly from the motorcycle noise on the approach to Kesselberg.
He is "very curious" about the effects of the future driving ban, says the family man, who does not want to be named in the newspaper.
For the afternoon and evening hours he is "definitely hoping for an improvement".
For him, however, it is unclear whether the motorcyclists will rattle by at 10.30 a.m. instead.
A temporal shift in traffic and thus the accident occurrence cannot be ruled out and must be observed during the two-year test phase until autumn 2024, confirms Fischhaber.
The residents are also concerned with the question of how the ban will be monitored.
That will be the case, announced Steffen Wiedemann, head of the Kochel police station.
“Colleagues from other departments will be called in for this.” The police will be organized in such a way that motorcyclists can expect to be checked at any time between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Anyone who breaks the rule must reckon with a fine of 50 euros.
And the second time, an administrative offense report will be due.
With fees and expenses, you come to just under 130 euros.
You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.
