Police in Barrie, Ontario, say they have laid charges after stopping a man who took a three-year-old boy riding.
According to CTV, police say they pulled the motorcyclist over Sunday afternoon. Their subsequent press release said the man had a three-year-old sitting in front of him, wearing an adult’s helmet. As a result, police say they believed the boy was not safe, and charged the 55-year-old rider with child endangerment and dangerous driving.
Police say the man will appear in court next month.
I’m guilty of doing exactly that with my own 4yr old…we as parents in the 80’s weren’t so enlightened back then. Kid had a grin ear to ear though and that was what it was about. Police seen it and never even blinked an eye. The only thing unsafe then was 3-wheelers.
“Grandad? Why is the modern world slipping into a spiralling self obsessed moral decline with people getting offended about everything?”
“Well Jimmy, you see they’ve made pretty much everything fun and character building that the older generation used to do illegal. Especially the victimless crimes, they’re the worst! Did you hear about the guy from Barrie in Canada who’s been charged with child endangerment for taking a kid on a ride on his bike? That Jimmy, is what’s wrong with the modern world. Anyway, do you want to see an old photo of Steve McQueen flying through the air shirtless and with no helmet on?”
End scene
I hear what you’re saying Ed, it sounds like you’re an advocate of the “I know what’s best for my kid.” school of thought. I agree that some risk-taking and adventure are fine for kids, but not at age three.
It’s up to the parent(s) to keep a three-year-old safe, obviously at that age a child can’t advocate for themselves. If something had happened and the child had been hurt or killed would you still have the same point of view? I think that the cops acted in the best interest of the child.
I did that soo many times when I was 3…. still alive and proud biker
That was the seat of predilection when i was a child . We didn`t wear seat belts either standing on the front seat. Things changed since then.
Yep, given that we live in a place where proper child seats are mandatory, or where adults are required to wear helmets for their own good, I don’t think we can consider this acceptable.
have seen a daughter version in Rutland A little girl in a party dress sitting on the gas tank. NO one wearing any protective gear no helmet etc.
I agree with the cops. Even in Vietnam they put a cutdown cane chair in the step-though for the kids.
More secure than perching a kid on the gas tank!
Idiot.
pretty sure I did the same as a child a few times and lived…
As did I and so many others. That we lived is only attributable to dumb luck. Many did others not survive the “good old days”.
In Ontario, the law requires that passengers be able to place their feet on the passenger pegs (meaning they need to be seated in the passenger seat, and tall enough to use the pegs.
So what? It’s not any safer on the back seat
exactly!
It’s a first world problem though, if you think about how motorcycles provide transport in third world countries.
While not endorsing his actions, it is healthy to maintain perspective.
And since we live in the first world, where there are numerous choices, plopping a kid on your gas tank and fitting him with an adult helmet, is just plain stupid. Agree with the cops on this one.
I think the kid had an ear to ear grin… First he gets a ride on Grandads bike, then he gets to meet police!
I guess what gets me going is the ‘nanny state’ argument. I think we are all responsible for our own actions, but I agree that even I would think twice if my passenger was three years old.
But think what a charge it would have been for the boy.
So now we should determine by democratic vote how old a child must be before they can ride… Or let a private member’s bill attempt to take that decision away from us ‘for the greater good’ and legislate 14 or older… They tried it in Ontario, using injury statistics that were based on ORV use, not Highway.
Further, it opens us up to a Judge Dredd scenario where a young police officer, in their ‘opinion’ you have violated the law, and are guilty until proved innocent in a court of law.
Brings me back to this, I think 3 years old is too young, but I want to be the one making the decision, not an elected official nor their representatives at roadside.
Rant over. 😀
I agree with the cops, that’s totally unsafe for the child. What was that guy thinking?