Supposedly, Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall is actually listening to riders who are unhappy with his province’s egregious proposed rate hikes.
According to the Canadian Press, Wall says he “wants to lessen the impact of the hikes, while addressing costs associated with motorcycle insurance.” One way he’s suggesting doing that is to let riders opt for a lower level of insurance coverage in the future.
Under the proposed rate hikes, riders could see their rates triple, depending on which motorcycle they run. Even slower, smaller bikes could have seen rates jump as much as 73 per cent. Now, rates are supposed to be capped at 15 per cent.
Safety advocates in the province are also taking advantage of the hubbub to make a case for changes to licensing.
Right now, Saskatchewan riders only need to pass a short written exam to get aboard a bike. According to CBC, industry insiders say that’s not enough.
The Saskatchewan Safety Council’s suggestion is that the government make rider training mandatory, and offer reduced insurance rates to those who take it.
[…] Some of that mess seems to be cleared up, and rates aren’t climbing as much as expected at first, but how fair is that claim of financial woe? […]
Maybe they should do something about the cagers that don’t pay attention and kill or maim bike riders. Is their insurance going up? No. Because politicians drive cars.