Cyprus - Transport in Cyprus (2)
Created | Updated Jul 27, 2008
In "Cyprus - Transport in Cyprus (1)" we spoke of the various incarnationa of the "Aftokinito". We noe tax you patience further with our second group of vehecles - the "Motora".
This is the moped or motor cycle.
These ubiquitous motor bikes generally fall into one of two groups.
1. The bedraggled, slow moving mechanically unsafe wrecks driven down the middle of the road by old age pensioners with terrifyingly little road sense. A female relative of the rider will frequently ride side-saddle behind the driver & distract him by talking loudly.
The reason for this is assumed to be an effort to take his mind of the stupendous risks he takes crossing road junctions without looking & challenging oncoming othigous (drivers pl. ) of any size of vehicle for their side of the road. The police tend to leave this group alone since their natural span is (usually) so close to expiring, why criticise their impatience?
2. The supercharged, stripped down, no exhaust baffles kamikaze riders of 14 years old & above - with no concept of personal injury & terrifyingly little road sense.
These youths apparently want to die, performing "wheelies" at fifty miles per hour in front of lorries or fifty seater tourist coaches with an enthusiasm verging on the demented.
Since these super-bikes are often purchased by the families of the “children” then modified with that families full knowledge & consent, they may be intended as an attempt at some form of postnatal abortion.
An alternative interpretation is an attempt at parental mangoscini by proxy.
(mangoscini - a manly or "macho" action or feat, usually characterised by its dangerous and/or stupid nature)
The police tend to leave this group alone on the basis that under the age of 18 there is nothing they can do, & over that age informed consent may be argued in the case of such blatantly self-destructive acts.
Strangely, when their offspring are inevitably killed or injured, the cry goes up " Theeh - YIADI;" or "God – WHY?" despite the fact that passing five vehicles at 90 miles an hour, & two on the wrong side at that, on a blind corner downhill with no helmet would suggest an obvious answer to the query even if it had not been raining that night. Unless, of course, it is the rain they are questioning.
Tourists are frequently encouraged to hire these death traps (usually group 1 type as above) allegedly for reasons of economy. The temptation should be resisted as the economy they are referring to is the local economy which they are attempting to improve by the employment of local private "ambulances", clinics funeral parlours & freight services by exploiting the individual tourists’ health insurance as a copious source of foreign currency.
This is the moped or motor cycle.
These ubiquitous motor bikes generally fall into one of two groups.
1. The bedraggled, slow moving mechanically unsafe wrecks driven down the middle of the road by old age pensioners with terrifyingly little road sense. A female relative of the rider will frequently ride side-saddle behind the driver & distract him by talking loudly.
The reason for this is assumed to be an effort to take his mind of the stupendous risks he takes crossing road junctions without looking & challenging oncoming othigous (drivers pl. ) of any size of vehicle for their side of the road. The police tend to leave this group alone since their natural span is (usually) so close to expiring, why criticise their impatience?
2. The supercharged, stripped down, no exhaust baffles kamikaze riders of 14 years old & above - with no concept of personal injury & terrifyingly little road sense.
These youths apparently want to die, performing "wheelies" at fifty miles per hour in front of lorries or fifty seater tourist coaches with an enthusiasm verging on the demented.
Since these super-bikes are often purchased by the families of the “children” then modified with that families full knowledge & consent, they may be intended as an attempt at some form of postnatal abortion.
An alternative interpretation is an attempt at parental mangoscini by proxy.
(mangoscini - a manly or "macho" action or feat, usually characterised by its dangerous and/or stupid nature)
The police tend to leave this group alone on the basis that under the age of 18 there is nothing they can do, & over that age informed consent may be argued in the case of such blatantly self-destructive acts.
Strangely, when their offspring are inevitably killed or injured, the cry goes up " Theeh - YIADI;" or "God – WHY?" despite the fact that passing five vehicles at 90 miles an hour, & two on the wrong side at that, on a blind corner downhill with no helmet would suggest an obvious answer to the query even if it had not been raining that night. Unless, of course, it is the rain they are questioning.
Tourists are frequently encouraged to hire these death traps (usually group 1 type as above) allegedly for reasons of economy. The temptation should be resisted as the economy they are referring to is the local economy which they are attempting to improve by the employment of local private "ambulances", clinics funeral parlours & freight services by exploiting the individual tourists’ health insurance as a copious source of foreign currency.
