[theabstractmind]

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

Heckle me if you may, but saying one absolutely must travel below 40kmph even with a safely harnessed & helmet-ed kid, in a poor country like India is like effectively denying them meaningful mobility.

Forget the rules, it is about whether the person values life and believes in being prepared or thinks it won't happen to me and chooses to ride at higher speeds with or without a harness alongwith a kid. Better to be safe than sorry, isn't it?

In any case, one must remember that in two wheeler accidents, it is usually the pillion who suffers to a higher degree, many times fatal. So it's inarguably a good rule. And anyway within city limits a speed limit of 40kmph is more than enough, barring ring roads. Who follows the rules, is well... (Intentionally left blank)

[FHW]

Any guidelines for enforcement of safety measures are a welcome step.
The child pillions should normally be discouraged.
If we has option of a car then one should should never ride a two-wheeler with our child.
If we don't have option of a car, one should try to travel via can/taxi when our young kids are accompanying.

[Vitruvius]

While it is true that two wheelers are exceptionally unsafe and dangerous in our (wild) driving conditions, not everyone can afford a car. This is a step in the right direction for sure. In a massive country like ours, where implementation would also be sketchy, this simple step would still translate to many innocent lives being saved.
In a similar vein, I'd like to point out the menace of cycle rickshaws ferrying a dozen kindergarten kids, each. My blood pressure shoots up whenever I see one and I'd rather the rickshaw guys were relieved of this duty. Children are being subject to extreme risks due to no fault of their own.

[rajivr1612]

Disregarding social status, there comes occassions when one has to travel with a kid on two wheeler. I knew I had to based on my circumstances, so I bought a Mother Care safety harness for my son when he was around 4-5 years old for occasional rides. I continued to use it till I was confident that he will hold on to me tight - till around 7 years. Thereafter I stopped using it. Now he is 10. I still keep it in my scooter to use if need arises. Ofcourse during the early years I didn't make him wear full face helmet, but a normal cycling helmet, but later on I got him a open face helmet for local errands.
However, as BHPians rightly said, the police will be licking their lips in anticipation of a goldmine.

[DicKy]

This is the quandary that our authorities find themselves in.

Ofcourse, when we see even months old kids being carried by their mother riding pillion on a two wheeler, the only thing we wish for is to ban such a practice. Let people who have kids use an autorickshaw/taxi or public transport instead of balancing their family on two wheels.

But in reality, it won't work in India. Even if petrol was ₹50/l or if the concerned people already has a car at home or even if public transport is free, people will continue to ride triples and quadruples, confident that their whole family is secure when they hold those two bar handles. Truth is, it is the norm for most of our population.

So in such a situation, steps like safety harness for children is a step in the right direction. Yeah, sounds weird. And I really don't know how the harness helps when the whole motorcycle tilts over. But then, seatbelts were weird stuff for people back in the day. The lower speed limit is wholeheartedly welcome

[Indian2003]

Here is one. The lady has gold bangles and jewelry. She has even taken care of her scooter by fitting light guards.
Alt least she invested in a plastic chair for the child.

[TheVegabond]

While this looks a right step on paper, I am afraid not much would be achieved on the ground. People in India travel with a kid on a bycycle let alone motorcycle/scooter and that too on highways.

20km/hr or 40km/hr, it really does not make much of a difference when riding with a kid on a two wheeler. I booked my first car the day I knew I was going to be a parent.

As much as I may sound against kids on 2 wheelers, we have to look at the actual picture. With a poor public transport system across the country, people with limited finances are not left with many choices when commuting from one place to other.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

The Motor Vehicle Act has been amended to provide safety to a child being carried on a 2 wheeler. This mainly pertains to child up to 4 years, nothing has been said about over 4 years.

The only safe rule in this case would be: prohibited. Or, the only safe speed limit would be three or four kph: walking speed.

But, as commented, who would take any notice anyway.

[anjan_c2007]

Intentions are good though, but it's implementation will be thrust upon quite many bikers who openly flout even the most rudimentary traffic rules.

If a child has completed its age of four years and is four years fifteen days old, the biker will have to carry a birth certificate to seek exemption.

And let's hope BIS enumerates its specifications at the earliest for compliance by the manufacturers. Here again, we could find fake BIS stampings just like we have in those cheap helmets. And the cops may not be able to recognise the fake ones very soon, unless they get used to. How many bikers are by the way penalised for wearing those cheapie, non BIS helmets?

Hence, in a very complex milieu like ours, we may find many startling facts getting revealed once the implementation is done.

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

Here is one. The lady has gold bangles and jewelry. She has even taken care of her scooter by fitting light guards.
Alt least she invested in a plastic chair for the child.

Attachment 2224188

This is far worse than the first pic.
Lady drives through a pothole. Poor kiddo bangs his head on the pillar.
Worse, the vehicle is involved in a head on collision.

Some people really need to pass an IQ test before getting their license.

[landcruiser123]

Sounds good, doesn't work!

I understand the intention behind the law, but I'm afraid this will become another reason for policemen to fill in their pockets. Would the rider have to carry birth certificate/aadhar card/passport of your 4 year olds?

[ishan12]

Originally Posted by darkfantasy

IMHO, a child below the age of 4 years has no place in a two-wheeler.
And if present, the safe speed limit is ZERO.
No amount of safety harness is going to make a difference.

Quite surprised at the ignorance of the concept of poverty.
Most of those who are carrying a toddler on a two wheeler are not doing it for fun, its because they can not afford a car. Move out of the relatively well to do states like MH, GJ, KA etc and you would find that even having a motorcycle is a luxury for many. People carry their family of 4 on a bicycle too.
What is a low income family supposed to do? Not have a child until they are rich enough to buy a car, or rich enough to afford a taxi when they want to travel/ commute with their kid?
What is needed is to raise the awareness of the concept of safety and safe practices for rider and pillion, specially if carrying a child.

The law is certainly in the right direction, but as usual it will just give another excuse to the traffic police to harass poor commuters and extract money.
Given that in most states even the helmet rule has hardly been successfully enforced in all these years, I have no hopes on the implementation of this one.

[Old_Salt]

I don’t think I care much about how much money the police walas will make.

For me if the ruling helps to save even one kids life, it would be a start.

At least it will make the parents think, before the fine or after the fine, that the driver is responsible for the passengers safety.

Why should a child loose his/her life just because the parent was careless or unaware that such a device could have saved a life.

Definitely a step in the right direction, how well it will be executed, is a topic for another day.

[giri1.8]

I disagree with some here, yes one needs to keep their children safe, but I don't want to restrict my children inside a small bubble and make them feel entitled enough to avoid two wheelers at all cost. Will surely take them on few rides every now and then while following general safety guidelines.

[WorkingGuru]

I only accept the Helmet + Safety harness part. I strongly disagree with the 40kmph limit. I wouldn't agree at any limit less than 60kmph.

To suggest that we actively put children in extreme danger even with a helmet + harness by going at 41kmph, is absurd beyond imagination. While the average speed of a biker on city roads may not be more than 12-15kmph, with plenty bottlenecks to slow down to 5-10kmph there often come sections where open roads can very safely permit 50-60kmph.

If stifling people under the garb of safety becomes a norm, soon we'll find ourselves tied up in closed containers with food being dropped 2 times a day. I don't see it as an extreme scenario when the post above is in the same lines & seems its becoming a normalised idea to propose. Anyway.