It’s something you don’t normally see, but a number of motorcyclists visited Cobourg minus their helmets on Sunday, July 12, 2020.
Six members of the Sikh Motorcycle Club rode from Toronto on a evening drive to visit Cobourg for approximately an hour.
One member of the group spoke to Today’s Northumberland stating in 2018 the Province of Ontario made it legal for Sikh’s to ride motorcycles without helmets due to their religious beliefs.
British Columbia became the first province in Canada to allow Sikh’s to ride motorcycles without a helmet due to their religion approximately 16 years ago.
Manitoba was next, followed by Alberta and finally Ontario on October 18, 2018.
Ontario law states the turban must be composed of five or more square metres of cloth.
“The majority of our riders are very sensible,” said one of the riders.
“The majority of us don’t take any drugs, no beer – nothing.”
“We are always on the road safe and we try to be safe to other people.”
In 2018 when the announcement was made, Raynald Marchand, general manager of programs at the Canada Safety Council called the exemption, “disappointing” in a CBC interview.
“There’s no question that if they do fall, a (a turban) will not provide the protection that a helmet would provide.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
