Bikers Against Road Carnage, enough is enough
The group spray potholes, rubble, unmarked sinkholes and other dangerous obstructions that can be fatal to not only to bikers but cyclists, runners, motorists and all road users.
Modderfontein bikers from the Fire Fighters Motorcycle Association (FFMA) launched a worldwide movement called Bikers Against Road Carnage (BARC).
The group uses bright aerosol spray paint to spray potholes, rubble, unmarked sinkholes and other dangerous obstructions that can be fatal to bikers, cyclists, runners, motorists and other road users.
The bikers ride together to the location where they use paint to mark dangerous areas.
On the morning of March 10, FFMA members were up early to mark potholes on Herman Road in Meadowdale.
“If we know there’s an area where roads are particularly bad, like Herman Road, we go out and organise riders in larger groups to spray the area,” said deputy chief of FFSA Jaco de Wet.
The BARC movement was founded following the death of TC Frankenberg, a fellow motorcyclist who died after colliding with a wall of rubble left after roadworks.
“BARC was founded based on the attitude of the council and contractors.”
“They do not put up signposts. They just leave rubble lying around and they don’t do proper repairs on the roads in general,” said de Wet.
“The ‘enough is enough’ slogan emphasises that BARC has had enough of poor road maintenance and people who cause accidents by disobeying the rules of the road”.
“Most of the guys that support BARC carry spray paint with them and wherever they see potholes they will stop and spray them,” said de Wet.
Community members are encouraged to join the movement and buy their own spray paint and mark hazardous obstructions on the roads.
“We ask community members to identify potholes, rubble or shoddy work, spray the area and post the photographs with a pin of the location on the BARC Facebook group”.
Sgt Sharon Tsotsotso spokesperson of the Sebenza SAPS said: “BARC is actually helping the community.
“They are creating awareness because the paint alerts drivers.
“They are not breaking any laws from SAPS’s side. The metros would have brought the matter forward if it were illegal.”
The NEWS requested comment from CoJ mayoral communications but did not receive comment by the time of going to print.
According to the latest CoJ press release from Clr Herman Mashaba’s office, the rainy season in Johannesburg is beginning to wind up, but the heavy rainfall that was experienced has wreaked havoc on the roads.
