Road Safety (Pillion Passengers) Bill

We can all write to the homourable member for Eastbourne
to suggest improvements to his bill:

http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alcm.cfm
http://www.nigelwaterson.com
http://www.publications.parliament....cm050209/debtext/50209-10.htm#50209-10_spnew2

 

Woe betide us, we'll all be driving Nissan Micras then.

 

Bear says...

 

Then I think we'll have to agree to differ.

 

Not everyone, though. I assume you're not talking absolutes - that we
agree that some people will ask parents' permission and others won't,
but that we differ over whether or not the (likely, seeing that we're
both guessing) incidence of those that don't is sufficient to warrant
legislation?

Out of interest, how do you see this applying to the wearing of
seatbelts?

 

Oooooooh can I come, Can I, go on, lemmi lemmi?

 

Sure. Where you setting off from?

 

Sorry, I should have phrased the question more clearly.

You don't want people to be compelled in law to ask parents'
permission before taking a child as pillion because you prefer
education to legislation. I can remember many campaigns on another
road safety issue - trying to educate adults into making children wear
seatbelts. Eventually the government gave up trying to educate and
legislated instead. I just wondered whther you thought they were wrong
to do so.

 

I disagree with that as well.

One example. I imagine handguns were responsible for very, very few
deaths each year, yet they are now banned. I happen myself to disagree
with the ban, but I wouldn't call it blatantly stupid.

A second example. I would call a 30 mph speed limit everywhere
blatantly stupid, even if it did save thousands of lives.

 

But, with the 30mph limit, many of it's occurances do not save lots of
lives and could be raised.

That's why the law's an ass on this point

--
John

SV650
Black it is
and naked

 

Possibly. But, comparing our situation with the Merkins, reversing the
decision would be low on my list of legislative priorities. I'll stick
with bad idea, not a blatantly stupid idea.

Because it would be routinely flouted, be impossible to enforce and, I
believe, be repealed in short order. A bit like prohibition in the
States.

 

That, I have to say, is fair comment.

I must admit that, working in a hospital as I do, I have a jaundiced
view of parents. An extreme example of stupidity I admit, but we had a
baby in burnt from being too long in front of an electric fire. Its
mother found this an easier way of drying nappies than taking them
off.

 

All well and good but unfortunately we live in a society where the baying
mob cries: "Something must be done".

This Tory is listing "something to be done"; he'll be the darling of the
local papers with a story of bikers, death and with added dead children
it's too good to miss.

That and it'll certainly raise his local profile in the run up to an
election...

 

Could have been worse: they could have tried the microwave.
"What's black and taps at the window?.."

--
John

SV650
Black it is
and naked

 

There ought to be some law against this baying mob crying out.

Perish the thought that someone would try and pass a law because they
thought it might be a good thing.

--
John

SV650
Black it is
and naked

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Colin Irvine

Utterly stupid; she should have used a rotisserie.

 

Not what they seem to be proposing. They are using the term "Parental
responsibility", from S.3 of Children Act 1989.
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890041_en_2.htm#mdiv3
It seems to be equivalent to "legal guardian", although there
is a clause in there about a person who has care of the child
may do "what is reasonable in all circumstances for the purpose
of safeguarding or promoting the child's welfare".
This would seem to preclude the riding of "motor bicycles",
as it seems the state would consider this contrary to the
"safeguarding" of the child's welfare.

IANAL,NDIPOOT, and I have no idea about the case law, but
it would seem they are proposing the the permission must come
from the person who is basically the legal guardian.

I'd suggest that if this passes any motorcyclist in the UK will
have to get written permission (or verbal with several witnesses)
from the legal guardian in order to give a lift to anyone under
the age of 17, or they may be liable for 6 points and 6 months.

They'll be fitting seatbelts next...

 

I think I could see a good case for IQ test before:
Voting.
Breeding.
Becoming a politician.................

 

centre 't universe ce thi

AKA Barnsley

 

"Moral Turpitude"