[Munch]

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2009%20%20&BillID=h920
Yet another bill to take away our rights… as riders and this time as parents!

[Munch]

To sum it up… apparently we are no longer able to judge for ourselves if our kids should be able to ride with us.
Also from AMA:
Take Action

04/12/2009 Action Alert – No Passengers Under 16 Years Old!
North Carolina Legislation Affects Parental Rights

House Bill 920, introduced by Representative R. Van Braxton (D-Kinston), would prohibit motorcycle operators from carrying any passenger under 16 years of age. The bill was filed on March 31 and referred to the House Committee on Transportation April 1.

If you believe that a parent or guardian, not the government, is best qualified to determine at what age their child is able to be a passenger on a motorcycle, you MUST speak out and stop this legislation.

Many families travel and recreate on motorcycles. To deny parents or guardians the right to include their own children in a form of transportation and recreation is an infringement on parental rights.

Here’s what YOU can do to stop this bill from becoming law:

1) Contact Representative R. Van Braxton’s office (919-715-3017 or [email protected]) and respectfully tell him why you OPPOSE HB-920.
2) Contact Representative Becky Carney’s office (919-733-5827 or [email protected]) and respectfully ask her NOT to bring HB-920 up for a hearing.
3) Contact your representative to encourage him or her to OPPOSE HB-920. Use the AMA “Issues and Legislation” page Issues & legislation of interest to motorcyclists or the North Carolina General Assembly’s “Who Represents Me?” North Carolina General Assembly – Home Page link to obtain the telephone and email address for your representative.

Here are a few talking points:
1) Responsible motorcyclists with children, not the government, know how to safely transport their own children and know at what age their children are ready to be a passenger on a motorcycle.
2) Passenger age restriction bills such as HB-920 often result from domestic disputes; an ex-spouse suddenly decides that his or her child is not safe on a motorcycle operated by her or his ex. This issue should be resolved in the courts between the disputing parties, not in the legislature.
3) This bill is not about safety – it’s about parental rights.

If you don’t take action NOW, you may lose your rights as a parent or guardian to transport and recreate on a motorcycle with your own children. Stop HB-920 NOW.
__________________

[SantaCruzRider]

Was there some recent report showing that child passengers are suddenly dying? Is taking a Saturday ride with dad now more likely to end in tragedy than having your kid hang with the local gang bangers behind 7-11?

This is typical non-sense — legislators trying to stay busy and satisfy a minority of constituents by addressing a non-problem.

If they really wanted to make it safer for kids, they’d do something like create passenger/rider training programs and make triple traffic violation fines when you’re carrying a minor.

Besides, what kind of ID is my 14-year-old supposed to show (library card??)?

[TerriKhali]

I have never heard of the 14 law here in Canada. But I think you might be getting it confused with what DID just happen up here. Now, its a provincial thing, but its in 4 now, that I know of.

You must be 14 years of age, WITH a learners license, to operate a ‘scooter’ under 50cc.
You must be 16, with a valid license, to operate a motorcycle.
(and I’ll also through this one in here, just cause it passed to)
You may now get a learners license for a motor vehicle at 14 with parent/guardian consent. You may then take your road test at 16 to get a restricted license, with the knowledge that you may NOT drink, consume drugs, be a teacher for any learner, or have a full class without restrictions until 18 years of age.

Its called graduated driving. Its here in Alberta now.

This is for STREET only.
You can still tear up the grass on farms or other private property with consent of the owner of the land, and owner consent- bike or farm equipment.

Thats what DID pass…. as of Jan /09

And frankly, its been good- so far. Lets just hope these new drivers are more aware of us, then their ignorant parents are.
I say this from all my close calls.

As for packing your children, its just another example of “big brother knows best” and it STINKS! Whats next, Your going to tell us what clothes to DRESS our kids in? Freeking ludicrous!

Oh, and what happens when people from other states or provinces TAKE our children with us, on our bikes, INTO these restricted states? They walk beside us now?

GRRRR!!!!!!

[Elias]

+1 and a good laugh as well…lol, a library card

[Author]

Posts