A motorist luckily survived lynching in Nakuru on Tuesday after he veered off the road before bumping into a motorcycle at the Sailo junction.
According to eyewitnesses, the driver; a middle aged man who was evidently drunk, tried reversing to escape using the Njoro rout but was apprehended by other operators who were on the opposite side of the stage.
It is said that the man driving towards Nakuru failed to control the car which led to the car swerving off, hitting the motorcycle that was packed at the stage.
“It’s lucky that the owner was not there, it could be a different case because the driver was too drunk to evade the impact,” said Jairus Mwaniki, who operates from the stage.
He further accused motorists of hitting them and running then later blames them of being reckless and disorderly on the road.
“Hit and run has become a common thing in Nakuru especially along the major highways because once you are injured, you have no capacity to give chase or even recording any detail about the car,” he added.
The operators, who roughed up the man before officers manning the nearby Kabarak road block arrived, accused police of mishandling them while the real perpetrators of traffic offences go unpunished.
“Every day, you will hear them complain of us (motorcycle operators) of driving under the influence of alcohol, ignoring traffic offences among other things. Now look at this; who is to blame?” wondered Sam Gitira, who is still nursing injuries inflected to him by a hit and run car in Njoro two weeks ago.
An officer, Dan Kakai attached to Kabarak called on the operators to desist from taking the law in their own hands saying that it worsens the situation in most cases.
“Nobody wishes to be involved in any form of accident while on the road but in case it happens, always inform the authorities and ensure that the injured persons get medical attention than attacking each other,” he advised.
The car and motorcycle were towed to the Kabarak police post with the operators still following suit to beat up the drunk driver.