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Kontiki
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Canada
Aug 2001
time: 00:22
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Alberta Sikhs want exemption from bike helmet law
By DAWN WALTON
Tuesday, August 27, 2002 – Page A6
CALGARY -- Some Sikhs in Alberta are planning legal action unless the provincial government exempts turban-wearing children from its bicycle-helmet law.
Happy Mann, a spokesman from Calgary's Sikh community, said that without an amendment to recently introduced helmet regulations his members will have no choice but to file a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission or launch a constitutional challenge.
"This is discrimination," Mr. Mann said. "The turban is part of our religious identity and the turban has been considered part of religious dress. We cannot compromise the turban at any cost."
The helmet law, which came into effect May 1, saddles parents with a $50 fine if their child, aged 15 years or younger, is caught riding a bike without a helmet. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds riding without protective headgear will be issued a fine themselves.
But turban-wearing children say they cannot fit a helmet over their religious headdress. Religious leaders have advised Sikhs to ban their children from bike riding until the issue is settled.
Karnvir Singh, 13, used to ride his bike every nice day. But the Calgary teen hasn't ridden all summer.
"I'm just afraid to get a ticket," he said.
A helmet doesn't fit over his turban, something he believes should never be covered with additional headgear anyway because it holds deep religious significance. He misses riding to his friends' homes and getting the exercise.
"We want to give our kids back their childhood," Mr. Mann said.
About 60,000 Sikhs live in Alberta.
Tory MLA Yvonne Fritz introduced the law last year as a private member's bill. She saw it as a proactive safety measure in a province where bicycling tops the list of recreational activities that cause major trauma. At the time, she said no concerns about discrimination were raised about her proposal.
Once it passed into law, however, the Sikh lobbying effort went into high gear.
Since then, Transportation Minister Ed Stelmach and Ms. Fritz have met with Sikh representatives. Ms. Fritz wrote to helmet manufacturers to find out whether headgear could be modified to fit around turbans. Her office has yet to hear back.
In the meantime, Sikh representatives have rejected that proposal, worried that odd-looking helmets would subject their children to taunts. They have written to Mr. Stelmach to try to persuade the government to exempt turban-wearing children from the law.
"We are very much concerned about our kids' safety as well," Mr. Mann said, "but sometimes [we] have to make individual choices."
A turban offers similar protection in case of a fall, he added.
An official with Mr. Stelmach's office said the minister is on holiday and has yet to read the letter proposing an exemption.
Rules aimed at safety concerns or at upholding tradition have fallen to religious rights before.
Restrictions on wearing turbans in the RCMP and Legion halls have been eased. In 1996, British Columbia amended its bicycle-helmet law to exempt Sikhs who wear turbans after members of the Sikh community there lobbied for the change. Three years later, the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal ruled that a provincial law that forced motorcyclists to wear helmets discriminated against turban-wearing Sikhs.
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What do you think of this? I'm not sure where I stand just yet. I can see the whole RCMP thing (for those of you who don't know, our national police force, the RCMP, has a hat as part of its uniform. Sikhs successfully lobbied to allow the wearing of their religious turbans instead of the cap), but helmet laws are in place for public safety......
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Caligastia
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If they dont want to wear their helmet because of a turban why should anyone make them? Its their funeral.
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Caligastia
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Its up to their parents.
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Kontiki
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Canada
Aug 2001
time: 00:22
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Without getting into a debate about the merits of helmet laws (which I can see is already starting), the idea behind them is that there are far less serious injuries when helmets are worn. Serious injuries don't always mean death (although that's obviously one possible outcome), but also serious medical costs payed for by the taxpayer.
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Kontiki
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Canada
Aug 2001
time: 00:22
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I guess the bigger question really is should certain religious groups be exempt from laws that apply to everyone else. There are plenty of examples of this happening, but how far should it be taken? Note: I'm not saying that helmet laws are an extreme situation, I'm just wondering how far exemptions should go.
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Lincoln
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When helmets are outlawed only outlaws will have helmets... Oh wait, wrong thread. OK, nevermind. The nanny state needs to keep track of its own corrupt officials and not worry about what people's kids wear when they ride a bicycle. The world is full of risks -- even for kids. People need to deal with it without passing new laws.
As far as the religious issue, they have a point. It isn't exactly like they are sacrificing babies or something. Of course maybe in the eyes of socialists they are sacrificing babies on the alter of that quaint little old concept called freedom.
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Ethelred
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Evolution in action.
I guess the Sikhs will just have to breed faster or go extinct in the world of two wheeled transportation.
However if an adult wants to be a stupid fool that is one thing. Making their children die on the altar of their idiocy is another thing.
Never ride a motorcycle without a helmet. You don't have to make a single mistake for some blind driver to look RIGHT AT YOU and then make a left hand turn in front of you and claim they didn't see you. I have had people change lanes with me directly lined up with their head and in no way whatsoever in their blind spot. I even looked at the side of her head as she blithely continued on into my lane. Bicycles can only be worse.
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27-08-2002 20:05
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