Alberta – Canada – Last year we wrote that a group of Sikh motorcyclists in the Australian state of New South Wales were seeking an exemption from the mandatory wearing of motorcycle crash helmets.
Therefore we went in-depth to find out more about the helmet exemption being sought by Sikhs and the helmet exemptions that already exist around the globe, especially concentrating on the background of the 1976 Sikh helmet exemption in the United Kingdom.
News just announced from the Alberta Government in Canada means that Sikh motorcyclists, in that province, have been granted through an amendment to the Vehicle Equipment Regulation in the Traffic Safety Act, a helmet wearing exemption that gives, “Turban-wearing Sikhs the right to freely express their religion by allowing them to ride a motorcycle without the use of a helmet.”
Alberta will be the third jurisdiction in Canada to allow this exemption, alongside British Columbia and Manitoba. The exemption covers drivers or passengers (riders and pillions) who are over the age of 18 and are bona fide members of the Sikh religion and will take effect on April 12, 2018.
Good Enough For The Mounties
Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation says, “The Sikh community has urged us to grant this exemption in recognition of its civil rights and religious expression. Our government is committed to these principles.”
Kelly Ernst, PhD, president, Rocky Mountain Civil Liberties Association, stated “The government should always strive to accommodate free expression, especially when the expression does not harm others who make this choice, nor further restricts the reasonable choices of its citizen. This case is not different in this regard. We have the opportunity to accommodate differences in religious expression and free choice among options, and to model ways to reasonably make these choices.”
While Baltej Singh Dhillon, the first RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) officer to wear a turban, has said, “The decision by the Government of Alberta to allow Sikhs to be able to ride their motorcycles without having to remove their turbans, which is an integral part of the Sikh identity, demonstrates a deep respect for the traditions and customs of the Sikh community. This exemption is a testament to the Government of Alberta’s continued commitment to respecting diversity and religious rights of all Albertans.” If this is good enough for the Mounties than it is good enough for us at Motorcycle Minds!
On the Sikh Motorcycle Club in Edmonton Alberta’s Facebook group page, Gurpreet Pandher posted the following, “ It’s milestone and memorable day in Alberta’s history that all Bonafide Sikh motorcycle riders can ride the bike with their Turbans throughout Alberta.
This change will bring some new opportunities/ businesses to bike repair shops/after market accessories shops and Motorcycle Dealerships etc.
Also, this law will reveal Sikh identities on the road to educate people about “who are Sikhs” and what’s the means of Turban in Sikhism.
All the riders and Sikh community appreciate Mr Rod Loyola, his colleagues and entire team’s hard and dedicated work, done to implement-this law after so many road blocks.”
Motorcycle Minds
To repeat what we said last year regarding Sikh motorcyclists in Australia seeking an exemption, “It is hard to relate safety to personal freedoms, for whatever reason and a debate with the “safety lobby” is always a fraught one, our opinion is that road safety has to stand aside amongst the reasoning of personal freedom and liberty.”
We congratulate all those who worked to achieve this exemption in Alberta Canada, the legislators who have taken in consideration a more tolerant view regarding this request by the Sikh community which non-Sikh motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists should grasp in this world we live in.
Diversity of World Wide Motorcycling – Sikh Motorcycle Club
Original Sources
Sikhs to be granted helmet exemption
Sikh-Motorcycle -Club- Edmonton-AB
Motorcycle Minds – Australian – Sikh Helmet Exemption
Information
1. Rod Loyola is an Alberta Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) – New Democratic Party – NDP representative for the electoral district of Edmonton Ellerslie in the province of Alberta – twitter.com/Rod_Loyola
2. A similar helmet exemption was enacted in May 2017 when riding on public land through an amendment to the Alberta Traffic Safety Act and Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Regulation.
Where public land means Crown land, including areas that have been designated for public OHV use, public roadway and highway rights-of-way. In the definition of vehicles this includes motorcycles, when specifically designed for such travel.
An exemption was included that the wearing of a helmet would not be required, “Helmet use is not required by individuals who are a bona fide member of the Sikh religion wearing turbans.
This means that someone self-identifying as a member of the Sikh religion and wearing a long length of cloth wound around his or her head into a headdress is exempt.” “Examples of not complying with an exemption are: Saying you are Sikh but not wearing a turban”. Other types of exemptions have been considered if there is a medical or physical condition that prevents helmet use.
Alberta Transportation – Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Helmet Law
A report and video from the Calgary Sun – Alberta – ‘This is our religion, this is our pride’: Sikh motorcyclists now exempt from helmets in Alberta
One of the first first Sikhs in Alberta Canada to qualify under the newly created helmet exemption passed the test to get his Class 6 motorcycle licence.
Well done that man!