The mini-motorbike menace

mkpdavies · 02-08-2006, 02:55 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5234468.stm

Quote:

The bikes stand barely 2ft high, can travel at speeds of up to 60mph, make an ear-splitting noise as they fly past and have become a modern-day menace.

Also known as mini-motos or pocket bikes, they are marketed as children's toys and youngsters do not require any formal training or licence to ride them.

But if a child is caught riding one on the road, pavement or in a public place they will now face prosecution, just like adults do. Any penalty points handed out by the court will be kept on file and activated as soon as they are old enough to apply for a driving licence at 17.

Is this not a farce? Punishing a kid, when he is an adult (nearly) is hardly a good solution.

How about confiscating the dangerous piece of equipment from them on site, then making them attend boot camp for a couple of weeks?

Don't the parents have some repsonsibility in all this ?

harryaldridge · 02-08-2006, 04:34 PM

How about a crack down on Bonzi trees?

Or a crack down on the thousands of properties left vacent - doll's houses!

I think there are too many doll houses. Left vacent they draw crime to the neighbourhood. And we could reposess them and house immigrant dolls in them.

Or am i being silly now!!

eublues · 02-08-2006, 04:39 PM

Surely we have plenty of existing laws to handle such problems (if this really is an issue) - noise/nuisance laws if on private land, road traffic acts if on the highway, etc.).

MarkR · 02-08-2006, 08:24 PM

I was actually surprised to see John Reid being fairly sensible on the matter this morning. The girl from the BBC was spouting the bleeding heart 'shouldn't facilities be provided' line and Reid rebutted saying people shouldn't buy the things unless they have somewhere to use them.

The children using them absolutley should be punished, in this there is no difference to any other crime such as burglary or mugging. Sure it would be good if the parents were to share the punishment but there is no mechanism for this in law that I am aware of.

eublues · 02-08-2006, 09:19 PM

Presumably asbos or parenting orders could be used (not that I have much regard for either).

adrianwainer · 02-08-2006, 09:26 PM

harryaldridge wrote

Quote:

How about a crack down on Bonzi trees?

I am sure it might have happened but I just have not heard of it, like someone being seriously injured and left in a wheelchair by a Bonsai tree traveling at thirty miles an hour and being riden by an eight year old.

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer

eublues · 02-08-2006, 09:38 PM

Clipping bonzai (?) trees is probably prohibited without a licence by EU waste management directives.

Mikeuk · 03-08-2006, 07:48 AM

I read in the Evening Standard last night that an 11 year old died with appalling burns weeks after his mini-bike crashed and blew up.

These things are a nuisance and nobody but a total moron is likely to ride one or give one to his child.

Ban all future improts and seize and crush the ones already here.

Well done John Reid.

MarkR · 03-08-2006, 09:21 AM

Can't agree there. If ridden (is that even a word?) responsibly then I'm sure they're good clean fun, but if people step out of line then they should be punished appropriately.
Punishing everyone who might wish to have one because some people can't behave is precisely the sort of thing that authoritarian governm,ents like to do. Fascism/communism/whatever but precisely the opposite of what I thought we were about in UKIP.

eublues · 03-08-2006, 09:31 AM

Agreed. Leave it to natural selection.

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02-08-2006, 04:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
harryaldridge Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Sussex Posts: 1,912	How about a crack down on Bonzi trees? Or a crack down on the thousands of properties left vacent - doll's houses! I think there are too many doll houses. Left vacent they draw crime to the neighbourhood. And we could reposess them and house immigrant dolls in them. Or am i being silly now!!

02-08-2006, 04:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,100	Surely we have plenty of existing laws to handle such problems (if this really is an issue) - noise/nuisance laws if on private land, road traffic acts if on the highway, etc.).

02-08-2006, 08:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
MarkR Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: West Cumbria Posts: 143	I was actually surprised to see John Reid being fairly sensible on the matter this morning. The girl from the BBC was spouting the bleeding heart 'shouldn't facilities be provided' line and Reid rebutted saying people shouldn't buy the things unless they have somewhere to use them. The children using them absolutley should be punished, in this there is no difference to any other crime such as burglary or mugging. Sure it would be good if the parents were to share the punishment but there is no mechanism for this in law that I am aware of.

02-08-2006, 09:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,100	Presumably asbos or parenting orders could be used (not that I have much regard for either).

02-08-2006, 09:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,100	Clipping bonzai (?) trees is probably prohibited without a licence by EU waste management directives.

03-08-2006, 07:48 AM	#8 (permalink)
Mikeuk Uber Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Fareham Posts: 5,737 Party: Conservatives	I read in the Evening Standard last night that an 11 year old died with appalling burns weeks after his mini-bike crashed and blew up. These things are a nuisance and nobody but a total moron is likely to ride one or give one to his child. Ban all future improts and seize and crush the ones already here. Well done John Reid.

03-08-2006, 09:21 AM	#9 (permalink)
MarkR Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: West Cumbria Posts: 143	Can't agree there. If ridden (is that even a word?) responsibly then I'm sure they're good clean fun, but if people step out of line then they should be punished appropriately. Punishing everyone who might wish to have one because some people can't behave is precisely the sort of thing that authoritarian governm,ents like to do. Fascism/communism/whatever but precisely the opposite of what I thought we were about in UKIP.

03-08-2006, 09:31 AM	#10 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,100	Agreed. Leave it to natural selection.