Kids On Motorcycles–Good Or Bad?
A bunch of people tried to shame the mother who let her little girl ride.
I happened to see this and thought it was kind of interesting.
It seems a girl of seven was filmed riding on the back of a motorcycle and someone posted the video. Then the stuff hit the fan.
While many people gave it a thumbs-up, others said the mother should be charged with child abuse or something for putting her child at risk like that. They tried to shame her on social media. The mother has responded by organizing a biker parents rally this weekend to promote the idea that “Kids Are Bikers Too.”
We are having a day of fun with our family: blood, bikers, and supporters to spread awareness that KIDS are bikers too. Everyone is welcome to come out and share the love of riding.
The mom, Mallory Torres, initially responded to the attempted shaming with this comment.
Some of you may have seen this picture on Facebook, and some of you may have even seen this in person…This is my 7 year old daughter riding home from school on a motorcycle. Yes. She’s 7, and she’s on a motorcycle. ‘Why?’ Some of you may ask… Because I love my daughter. That’s right… I LOVE MY DAUGHTER and she loves to ride, so I allow her to ride on the back of a motorcycle in full gear with my boyfriend who has 20+ years of experience.
So what do you think of the whole thing? I know that I would have been totally thrilled to get to ride on a motorcycle when I was that age.
At the same time, that image of the two of them on that sportbike makes me a little edgy. If there was a sissy bar of some kind, a backrest, to help keep her on I’d feel a little better about it. I know Judy has not been comfortable on any of my bikes until I got something on there behind her. Or if there were something substantial for the girl to grip, rather than just putting her arms around the boyfriend’s waist.
Clearly I disagree with the folks who would say no child should be allowed on a motorcycle at all. Heck, I think having a kid riding their own bike at five is a great thing at the dirt track or somewhere else where that is appropriate.
Anyway, I just thought the whole thing was interesting and thought you might think so, too.
Biker Quote for Today
If you don’t like motorcycles then you probably won’t like me, and I’m OK with that.
Tags: kids on motorcycles
June 16th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
I agree with your thoughts, Ken. I’m not opposed to children on bikes per se, but I wouldn’t put my niece or nephew (or any other young children) on the back of my bike without a back rest or sissy bar, or at the very least something substantial to hold on to. I’m not opposed to others doing it without those precautions, but I just wouldn’t feel safe doing it myself.
Interestingly, the bill considered by the Nebraska Legislature this year to repeal mandatory helmets included a provision that children younger than the age of 8 could not ride on a motorcycle. That part of the bill troubled me since 8 is an arbitrary number and in no way takes into consideration the size and weight of the child and what sort of safety measures are taken (protective gear, sissy bar, etc). It wouldn’t have directly affected me, as any children that would ride above me are older than that age now, but it still seemed like a last minute thing to tack on.