New BC helmet laws June 1st.

[Steve G.]

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/0...ycle-laws.html

Not super happy with the new "no standing on pegs, bike will be impounded" aspect of this. Helmet laws will make sense though. I'll have to check my helmets to see which are Snell 2005 or 2010.

Steve

[ragtoplvr]

Quote from the linked article

"Motorcycle operators and passengers must be seated with their feet on foot pegs or the floorboards at all times (even when the motorcycle is stopped at an intersection)."

My balance MOJO is not that good, so much for the BC vacation.

Did not see a reference to the standing thing.

Rod

[TorontoDude]

how do you stop at an intersection with both feet on the pegs or floorboards ?

[Hockeygod]

Originally Posted by TorontoDude

how do you stop at an intersection with both feet on the pegs or floorboards ?

Great question...

[Cody1771]

maybe they should quote the actual regulation properly...

The operator of a motorcycle must be seated astride the driver’s seat. Passengers must be seated behind the operator astride the passenger’s seat with their feet on foot pegs or the floorboards at all times (even when the motorcycle is stopped - e.g., at an intersection), or be properly seated in a side

both feet on the pegs while stopped at a light does not apply to the driver...

[jackd]

Good on the new helmet laws.

I'm having a little trouble with the 'no standing' issue. Maybe it's my early riding 'trials' skills that I still use but I will on occasion get up on the pegs to lower my centre of gravity to cross over angled railway tracks or other uneven road surfaces. It also protects my lower back from the jarring one of these irregularities can give. I guess I'll be looking out for the cops before I stand up but I'm sure I'll still be doing it.

[swellguy]

- Maybe I'm missing something but I can't see where it says no standing. It just seems to make reference to the fact that when the driver is sitting, they must be seated in the driver's seat (as opposed to the gas tank or handlebars).

- Feet on footpegs at all times makes reference to the passenger. While riding, there's a big difference between stretching a leg that's fallen asleep, dropping an inside foot to stop from falling over on a turn and riding with your feet over the handlebars.

I'll probably enjoy reading some of the comments on Times Colonist and Vancouver Sun website tonight.

[H96669]

Originally Posted by jackd

Good on the new helmet laws.

I'm having a little trouble with the 'no standing' issue. Maybe it's my early riding 'trials' skills that I still use but I will on occasion get up on the pegs to lower my centre of gravity to cross over angled railway tracks or other uneven road surfaces. It also protects my lower back from the jarring one of these irregularities can give. I guess I'll be looking out for the cops before I stand up but I'm sure I'll still be doing it.

Yes that....the GS rode so well for many Kms standing on the pegs on bad roads, much better control.

Not fun if they start applying that on forestry roads/gravel Hwys and they do patrol some of them once in a while. I also feel safer standing just so I can see the ruts or potholes better and possibly avoid them. And turning one of the mirrors so I can see behind standing up....them offloaded logging trucks on the Island may just be wanting to go faster than you, I like a warning that they may be on my tail.

Don't know about the new regulations but there has always been one in the books, 194(1) Operate motorcycle-not on seat, $121.00 and 2 demerits. Sure is open to interpretation that.

[OneWheelDrive]

I got into this with the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV) over twitter a bit, standing is illegal. That the cops don't enforce it on unpaved roads is a courtesy, which means it could be revoked to control dual sport access without a change of the law. I was upset enough to do a little writing on the subject.

[offworlder]

Neil, well written as always. Thank you for your special mix of science, sarcasm and sincerity.

Please, we all need to speak our mind NOW ! You can reach Attorney General Shirley Bond at: AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca

[E-town dirt dude]

Originally Posted by offworlder

Neil, well written as always. Thank you for your special mix of science, sarcasm and sincerity.

Please, we all need to speak our mind NOW ! You can reach Attorney General Shirley Bond at: AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca

I sent them an email and received confirmation. The correct email address is :
JAG.Minister@gov.bc.ca

[OneWheelDrive]

Originally Posted by offworlder

Neil, well written as always. Thank you for your special mix of science, sarcasm and sincerity.

Please, we all need to speak our mind NOW ! You can reach Attorney General Shirley Bond at: AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca

Offworlder,
Thanks man, and here I thought I'd dialled down the sarcasm ;) Also thanks to E-town, I updated the e-mail addy in the piece. Good catch.
Cheers,
Neil

[It'sNotTheBike]

No standing ?

There's nothing like an absurdly broad law such as this to convince me that there are idiots at work
writing the laws.

I bet the busy-bodies who wrote the law don't even RIDE.

I'm not Canadian, but if I was I'd get enough riders together to see that this law was struck down. Don't
you guys have something analogous to the AMA in the US ?

One thing is certain, as long as people sit there passively, governments everywhere will hand out abuse until the sun
dies. They key is to make enough noise that it becomes easier for the lawmakers to change the law than to maintain
it.

[H96669]

Yeah....had to stand up a couple times yesterday to adjust my raingear and clear up the water puddling under my butts. Nothing better than a little windstream action at XXX Km/hr for that.Also had to stand up for better control the whole 2 kms of gravel road home, it was very slippery from all the mud, I really had to see the ruts/potholes from a longer way. Idiots....!

[DaveBall]

I for one, am very happy with the changes. It is obvious that trying to educate has not worked. We keep seeing and hearing about some "biker" that was involved in a mishap and squashed his head because he was not using a proper helmet. Then you see a picture of what the "biker" was using. Some little beany type thing that would not protect a bocci ball. So the government finally realizes that educating did not work, so they legislate. This will hopefully help to cut down on some of the health care costs associated with head injuries as well as lower the death toll.

I was visiting a friend last night and the helmet law came up in conversation. This friend is of the cruiser and Harley type, but has always worn a proper helmet. He said that he was in the local bike shop yesterday and that helemts were flying off the shelves. Lots of "bikers" were buying just about anything that is DOT approved. The bike shops must be very happy with the sudden increase in sales.