It is probably about to wrap up, but if you haven't been watching and have a chance, you should check out the legislature webcast. They are having the debate on the bill to bar use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) by children under the age of 16.
It is refreshing to instead of seeing politics, see a true clash of ideas. You can tell they are speaking from their hearts as we see the fundamental ideological argument of "government knows best" vs. "people know best".
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5 comments:
"......fundamental ideological argument of "government knows best" vs. "people know best"."
Or perhaps it is "people under 16 know best" vs "people over 16 know best", as in "dad's drunk so lets take his ATV for a spin".
How many of those kids do you think will say "oh, but we can't, its against the law!"
In my opinion, these kids should be required to walk or run 5 km before they even get their fat asses on those ATVs.
And if you're wondering, I am on the side of age regulation. But anon above has a point, especially in hinterlands like the North and the Miramichi. When I was down in that neck of the woods last fall during the election, I couldn't help but notice the high rates of young kids driving those ATVs. But what struck me more was, there is absolutely nobody around to stop them.
Ghost town, after ghost town, they were driving these things. At times I felt like I was in the middle of a Mad Max film. A bloody wasteland bloke, a bloody wsteland.
To many people though a wasteland is an opportune place for recreation.
However, this at least requires more thought. For example, the age limit is ten in many states. As the tory speaker said, most 14 and 15 year olds have twice the bulk of,say, an eighty year old. And none of these kids killed were 14 or 15.
Moreover, making it illegal simply gets the government 'off the hook', so they don't have to regulate. But what are the RCMP going to do? Have an 'all terrain squad' available in every hick town to go after these kids?
As a former motorcyclist from the time I was 12 I can tell you the likelihood of these people paying attention to this law is as likely as these same people registering their guns!
If you have required training and safety regulations then that is a good step. Most ATV deaths and accidents involve not wearing a helmet, and in Newfoundland, trying to drive over an unfrozen pond. Pushing it underground does nothing, in the future there will still be stories about deaths, but with the addendum that they were breaking the law. That's small consolation.
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