The Ha Noi Police stopped three motorbikes loaded with unwieldy goods on Tran Nhat Duat Street in the vicinity of Chuong Duong Bridge early this morning following a traffic jam.

Police stopped motorbikes plying the road and bearing these long steel sheets, which resulted in a massive traffic jam in Ha Noi. — Photo vietnamplus.vn 

The motorbikes, which were following one another in a line, were passing through the avenue at around 6.40am, just when the traffic peak hours were beginning, which caused a heavy traffic jam.

The motorbikes, with registration plates 33N1-6897, 31S-3730 and 31V-6625, bore auxiliary steel bars, each about 13 metres in length. All the bikes were carrying the long, cumbersome corrugated iron sheets.

Initial reports from the police revealed that each motorbike was even longer than a bus. Even the police were curious as to how the drivers had managed to drive the vehicles.

The motorbikes belong to Nguyen Thanh Cong, Chu Van Dang, and Ta Vang Cuong, who are all residents of Bac Tu Liem District, Ha Noi.

The drivers told police that a shop owner of corrugated iron sheets in Son Tay District had hired them to transport the goods from Son Tay to the Bat Trang pottery-making village.

In order to escape relevant authorities' notice, the three had managed to ride throughout the night. However, after avoiding getting caught several times, they were stopped this morning.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Quy, of the Traffic Police Team No 1, said this was the first case where the police had seen such a contraption, with specific features mentioned above.

"In this case, the vehicles and their owners will be dealt with in accordance with legal regulations. The vehicles will be seized," Quy said. 

Crackdown on three-wheelers

The Ministry of Public Security has asked traffic police and relevant authorities to make sure the drivers of all modified three-wheeled vehicles across the nation not only have licences, but also certificates proving they are war invalids.

Five years ago, it was decided to ban all drivers who did not have the proper papers - and to seize their vehicles.

However, despite reports that most drivers are too young to be war veterans, the numbers of the three-wheelers changed little.

Police will now patrol the roads to check driving licences and vehicle registration certificates.

The crackdown follows the continued appearance of the self-modified, three-wheelers on the streets of Ha Noi and HCM City.

In 2010, all three-wheeled vehicles were banned in big cities to ensure road safety, ease traffic jams and accidents.

But those run by wounded soldiers were allowed to operate if the owners registered with traffic police and received vehicle plates.

This was done to help war invalids earn a living. However, the situation has again got out of hand.

In Ha Noi, many three wheelers driven by young men ply streets such as De La Thanh, Minh Khai, Mai Dong, Truong Chinh, Tran Nhat Duat, Tran Quang Khai and Tran Nhan Tong in Ha Noi. They lack number plates, often carry bulky goods and are carelessly driven, causing traffic chaos.

Colonel Dao Vinh Thang, head of Ha Noi's Traffic Police Department, said that crackdown was high priority.

Last October, police launched an inspection of three-wheeled vehicles and seized 193 vehicles operating without correct papers.

VNS