Age limit on pillions?
 

Did anyone see the TV news item on the woman who wants a minimum age of 16 for pillion passengers? Whilst I obviously sympathise with the fact that her young son was killed whilst riding pillion the fact that remains that every year young children are killed in cars yet nobody wants them to be banned from this form of transport. The womans local MP has taken up the battle so this will probably be another piece of legislation for the B.M.F & M.A.G. to fight against

I think it's a case of the woman wants to blame someone. Understandable.
Not knowing the circumstances it's a bit hard to see what she is trying to get out of it. Was there no-one else involved? Perhaps if the rider was wearing green socks then she could get green socks banned whilst in control of motorcycle.

harsh :puzzled:
I dont think we should have an age limit but i have seen some very small kids on the back of bikes. with bad fitting helmets and feet that can hardly touch the pegs

I first went pillion on an ancient black/gold ducati (probably about a '77) when I was 6 (calm rider), then on a BMW K100 when I was 11 (nutter), then on a CB1000 when I was 12 (it fell over:)).

At no point do I remember feeling like I could fall off, despite the K100 rider getting it cranked right over, or even like what I was doing was dangerous.

I've a stong belief that people should be encouraged onto bikes as early as possible, either as pillions or riders. And, as much as it hurts, falling off is part of gaining some respect for what you're doing and the potential damage to other road users. If all car drivers were forced to ride bikes for a few months the roads would be a damn sight safer, regardless of whether they never rode a bike again.

On the other hand a parents' grief must be insurmountable, so it's no surprise to her someone having a go at the (possible) cause.

It's just a crying shame that ever-increasing legislation is just removing peoples need to think for themselves, leaving us with the lobotomised masses getting their kicks out of motorway on-ramps and t-boning bikers on roundabouts....

I think I need a beer! :)

Have a great weekend all.

Ali

The lad killed was on the back of a family friend's bike, without his mum's knowledge, when a car ran into the back of the bike. AFAIK there was no blame attached to the rider, who was of a similar age to the lad's father.

Whilst I sympathise with the poor woman, Rocker's point is right - no-one ever suggests there should be any restrictions on power, potential speed, passenger age limits, etc, when car passengers are killed.

If there are people stupid enough to take kids on bikes without proper equipment then the existing laws deal with that perfectly well.

[Edited on 6-8-2004 by lizzie]

Or to put it another way, the kid might have been killed whether he was 6, 10, or 16. I have a six year old and wouldn't think of putting him on the back of my bike. I can't imagine how that friend must feel.:(

I saw this in a sunday paper, I was gobsmacked by the departmant of transport (or whatever they call themselves now) spokesmans response.

"Although we sympathise with the lady concerned, this was a sad but very rare incident and we see no reason to change the law"

I have paraphrased this a bit as my memory is not that good but common sense from a goverment department? what is the world coming to, may we see more traffic police out there and use of the tax/insurance/ forthcoming mot database to take the uninsured death trap drivers off the road.

dave:flame:

Keefer There is already sufficent legislation to cover the above

Not meant to be.
Just trying to bring cold logic into the heat of the situation

I have a different opinion...
My daughter and son aged 6 and 9 have both been on the back of my bike...
A car driver can kill us...whilst we are in a car...whilst we are a pedestrian...whilst we are on a bike.
In England it's all about the "right of way"....What a load of Bo11ocks!
On the continent people are "appreciated"...as they are in India...Whole families travel on the back of a bike because the car driver is more aware....British people are NOT aware...They are more interested in who has "the right of way".
It's ALL of us...Pedestrians...car drivers...bikers...AND the way that our social system works.
As far as I am concerned I and my kids are having fun. As we are when we walk to the park and almost get mowed down by car drivers as we walk across a pedestrian crossing...

:)

[Edited on 12-8-2004 by kwikbitch]

Lisa,
Great post,thats just what I was gonna try and say.
My 7 year old daughter regulary rides pillion on my wifes Monster and has come on the back of my Multistuka.She absolutely loves it.Of course when she is on the back we ride a lot more cautiously.An extra small AGV lid fits her well and a kids jacket and gloves came from Hein Gericke.
As Lisa said,car drivers are more aware of bikes and scooters abroad,probably because there is more of them.In Italy you see whole families on one scooter.The little one wedged between mum and dad and the eldest stood on the footwell leaning over the handlebars.
Oh,and no helmets or other safety gear either.