Lawmakers in the province of Ontario have gotten themselves busy fixing the causes of traffic accidents, but for those who like to ferry kids around on motorcycles, the government may have gone too far.
Bill 117, a Highway Traffic Act amendment to prohibit carrying kids under 14 years old on motorcycles passed first reading yesterday in the Legislature. It will have to be read twice more before it is made into law. The amendment is the work of MPP Helena Jaczek (Oak Ridges-Markham).
Ontario is also warming up to the idea of banning cell phones and other e-comm devices for drivers. The ban would not include hands-free devices, though the Ontario Medical Association says hands-free doesn’t lower the risk of a crash when people talk on the phone while driving.
Fines, demerit points, and even driver’s licence suspension and jail time could result from a conviction that follows a crash.
Newfoundland and Labrador banned hand-held phones for drivers five years ago.
Another useless piece of legislation. Even the cellphone part is worthless. My kids love going for rides. They’re 11 & 12 and it’s one of the few times we get one on one time. Any other time the rest of the family is around. Needless to say the kids are pissed. Just a lame attempt from a no-name backbencher to get her name on a piece of legislation. Her vote to back the cellphone ban was bought with this bit of fluff.
If there is one thing I have noticed, and maybe it is just me, but more often than not the kids I’ve had passenge (passenging?) seem more adept at being back there than the adults.
Anyone else notice this?
If a distraction is the motivater here why not ban bad passengers….or….or….need a special licence to ride on the back, complete with graduated increments like the G1, G2, and G
Note: This whole idea is ludacris and I am just being a smart ass, which, interestingly, you also need a licence for in the province of Ontario.
Yeah, it works, we’re not up to two signatures on the petition!
When I upload the link the computer is creating a space after / and the word petition…remove the space between / and p and the link works.
Sorry, there was a space in the link for the petition. Try…
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/againstbill117/
IJM – I copied and pasted the web address but it didn’t come up, could you check to make sure it’s correct? I’m happy to sign.
Make a difference…sign the petition to express that you are against Bill 117…view and sign at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/againstbill117
Does anyone know if any other Province or State has similar legislation? I can’t believe they thought this one up on their own.
I think this is ill-thought, in as much as motorcycling will be one of the ways that we as a society respond to the increasing expense of motor fuel.Persons who conduct motorcycles have been licensed by the province to the extent that they are allowed to take passengers.The age of the passenger does not matter.There is just as much responsibility in taking a passenger on a motorcycle as in a passenger vehicle.If your intent is to reduce accidents involving young people, you should turn towards better education not restrictive, penalizing legislation. (ran out of room here)
I think the girl in that photo is a good distraction…but please don’t ban her…
And if you tell me the problem is because the government feels I don’t have the mental capacity to decide what to do with my own children then I’ll lose it. In that case, I couldn’t agree more with the horseback riding/swimming/etc. Better just take my kids away from me because I also let them play hockey in the street, climb trees, eat dirt (ok, I don’t LET them do that but they did when they were small regardless of what I thought) and so on. Let my kids and I learn from our own mistakes. When my INTENT is harm, then come and talk to me.
-Doug
Two things. First, comparing this type of legislature to swimming, horseback riding etc. won’t fly. In those cases it’s almost certain that only the person doing it is at risk. In the of a distraction on your motorcycle, should you lose control, others will be at risk (though I’m sure the socialist, nimrod politicians aren’t thinking about it that way but there you go).
Second, man this is stupid. You’re telling me a child in a car is LESS of a distraction for the driver. HIGHLY unlikely. What, exactly, is the issue with the child on the bike anyway???
-Doug (yes, Mark, that Doug)
this is an important issue.
I’ve never seen so many comments on any previous story
Just in case you want to tell your MPP what you think:
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?AddType=QP&locale=en
Perhaps only single occupancy vehicles should be allowed.
I would bet that a study would show that taking a child in a vehicle increases the risk of accident and that the risk increases exponentially with each additional child. Of course, it isn’t just children that can cause distarction to drivers ie. nagging passengers or dogs.
Perhaps only single occupancy vehicles should be allowed, that way the driver can pay attention.
Statistics have shown that 100% of people killed in motorcycle accidents started their day by leaving the house. Maybe leaving your home should be deemed an offence.
F****ing bean counters.
If you own a computer write you M.P. Its only the first reading! If you aren’t heard you can believe that this is just the start…next will be Sea Doo’s, ATV’s and snowmobiles!!
So they say it’s a safetey problem to take young kids on your street bike, but it’s Ok to bring them out to the local motocross club to ride 50 foot high speed jumps where they bust bones on a regular basis.
Who are they protecting?
I give up. :sigh
So if I ride 50 kph over and get caught I am deemed a street racer. In as much as I don’t take passengers by choice, I have asked my kids on occassion if they would like to go around the block.
I’m leaning more toward track days for my need for speed. Do you think they could add a category for parents with kids at trackdays so they can ride two up?
Why don’t the legislators get on with it and just ban everything in life?
:roll what a joke! :roll NL may have banned cell phone usage while driving but it certainly hasn’t stopped anyone from doing it. I still see it everyday. :roll Enforcement is non-existant! :upset
As for the new motorcycle law, i also think it’s BS IMO. :roll
Oh, I suppose that it (keeping kids off motorbikes) makes a certain amount of sense. But then, so does banning kids from horseback riding, riding in boats, or entering swimming pools. We all know that riding motorcycles — just like most other activities — can be dangerous. But this is the first step in demonizing motorcycle riding as _unacceptably_ dangerous. Thin edge of the wedge, Guys and Gals, thin edge of the wedge.
This year I took my 13 year old daughter on a trip to the East Coast on my bike. I Understand the risks associated with driving, and driving with a passenger, regardless of age…if we don’t stand up for what we think is right MPP’s will continue to make ludicrous laws. It seems apparent that Helena has never driven a bike, and since when is it her business if I want to take my daughter for a ride! As a further note…it was a trip of a lifetime that she will treasure forever!
looks like everyone riding 2up with a “size small” girlfriend of any age should be prepared to be pulled over by every cop that passes.
Heck, Minstry of Transportation car pulled me over and acted a little snarky towards me while carrying 2×24 Lakeport on the back of my KLR. Officer asks, “What are you doing with all that?”. I answered, “Obivously nothing seeing as there is no syphon tube heading from the sealed case into my helmet.”
Next thing you know those damn politicians will be stopping us from downing a six pack before we ride 🙁