I have heard nothing but anger and in some cases outright ignorance over the helmet exemption in Alberta. (http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/sikh-motorcyclists-get-helmet-exemption-in-alberta)
The problem with the riding community here in Canada is we are comprised largely off people who are too busy to do anything meaningful to affect change so we whine instead and let our resentment and anger grow.
No one is passionate about the rights of motorcyclists it seems, at least not in Alberta, BC or Manitoba.
OH, People bitch and make stupid racist statements like "them damned Muslims"...only problem Sikhs are not Muslims. Let's face it, if you like riding lidless, if you are not Sikh, you are jealous and pissed off right now. BE HONEST.
But you aren't looking at this situation in a thoughtful way, you are looking at it through the lens of emotion; hurt, frustrated, feeling discriminated against emotions.
Right?
So here are some things to consider:
1) If we had any real riders rights groups in Manitoba, BC & Alberta, any group that had some teeth and drive, this would open the door for helmet exemptions for all, since no requirements for additional medical insurance exist, it would be a fairly straight forward argument.
2) Riders in BC, Alberta and Manitoba need someone in each province to stand up a credible rights organizations and lobby the government hard.
Are you willing to stand up to do the work that needs to happen? Do you have the money to fund this push? If not are you willing to help raise the money?
3) Battles like what needs to happen to repeal a law are expensive and time consuming, the wheels move slowly, but it can be done.
What are you willing to do? Provide money or put in some grunt time?
4) If having choice is really important to you and going through the legal fight isn't worth it to you, then form a religion. It's expensive to do, it's time consuming, but it can be done.
Either way it's time riders start learning to work together.
If we don't learn how to protect our rights, we won't have any.
We are after all citizens and taxpayers, we have a right to a vote, to a voice and to lobby...we can also do what we have done for years, sit back, bitch, whine and snivel and get on with the new normal.
The choice is yours.
In other news, Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest has begun it's hunt to find the most rifer friendly community from last riding season.
Over 140 communities to vote for...
Who will win? We find out May 31st...
www.riderfriendlycontest.ca
And visit our sponsors pages please - they make this contest happen!!!!
#RiderFriendlyContest
Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider
The problem with the riding community here in Canada is we are comprised largely off people who are too busy to do anything meaningful to affect change so we whine instead and let our resentment and anger grow.
No one is passionate about the rights of motorcyclists it seems, at least not in Alberta, BC or Manitoba.
OH, People bitch and make stupid racist statements like "them damned Muslims"...only problem Sikhs are not Muslims. Let's face it, if you like riding lidless, if you are not Sikh, you are jealous and pissed off right now. BE HONEST.
But you aren't looking at this situation in a thoughtful way, you are looking at it through the lens of emotion; hurt, frustrated, feeling discriminated against emotions.
Right?
So here are some things to consider:
1) If we had any real riders rights groups in Manitoba, BC & Alberta, any group that had some teeth and drive, this would open the door for helmet exemptions for all, since no requirements for additional medical insurance exist, it would be a fairly straight forward argument.
2) Riders in BC, Alberta and Manitoba need someone in each province to stand up a credible rights organizations and lobby the government hard.
Are you willing to stand up to do the work that needs to happen? Do you have the money to fund this push? If not are you willing to help raise the money?
3) Battles like what needs to happen to repeal a law are expensive and time consuming, the wheels move slowly, but it can be done.
What are you willing to do? Provide money or put in some grunt time?
4) If having choice is really important to you and going through the legal fight isn't worth it to you, then form a religion. It's expensive to do, it's time consuming, but it can be done.
Either way it's time riders start learning to work together.
If we don't learn how to protect our rights, we won't have any.
We are after all citizens and taxpayers, we have a right to a vote, to a voice and to lobby...we can also do what we have done for years, sit back, bitch, whine and snivel and get on with the new normal.
The choice is yours.
Over 140 communities to vote for...
Who will win? We find out May 31st...
www.riderfriendlycontest.ca
And visit our sponsors pages please - they make this contest happen!!!!
#RiderFriendlyContest
Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider
Living in BC I see first hand, helmetless, unskilled young sikh males riding motor cycles, not because they have an interest in motorcycling, but ONLY because they can and so then thumb their noses at the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteConsider the power that the very small minority (Sikhs who ride motorcycles) has in Alberta to be able to mount an attack on helmet laws on the basis of religious discrimination by the Government. An ponder why the Alberta Government would find it so high a priority to make an exception. And how does one Police it? Today, I declare myself to be a converted Sikh! How would any police officer not accept my declaration of faith prima facie on the spot. Would the police officer not be violating my religious freedom by issuing a ticket to me, and thereby requiring me to show my face before of a judge and a crown prosecutor to establish the genuineness of my conversion? No, I say that all motorcycle riders in Alberta, by the very act of choosing to risk life and limb by riding without a helmet obviously must be of the Sikh faith. They certainly could no longer be considered to be Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, or the adherents of any other religious order. It is self evident that if you can keep a turban on your head at highway speed, you have some kind of conviction other than a conviction for breaking a helmet law!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how religion found its way into motorcycle safety. First of all,lets make one thing clear: riding or driving is a privilege NOT a right. With both riding and driving, one inherently knows there is a series of written and practical tests one has to successfully complete in order to obtain an operators licence. So, why would someone apply for a license when they knew already that their religious beliefs would prevent them from riding ? So, Mr. Mason's dept agreed that religion will trump provincial laws. Well, then here's a simple arguement for all Christian riders. Corinthians 11:2-16 reads something like this depending on the version of Bible you refer: "For a man ought not to cover his head for he is in the image and glory of God". Well, a religious man I am not, but, do believe we need freedom of choice when it come's to helmet laws but if the Alberta government wants to open the door to religious arguements and motorcycle safety, then here ya go!
ReplyDelete