Motorcyclists Angry About Police Profiling

It is cut and dry, the City of Nanaimo and the Nanaimo RCMP (British Columbia) are anti-motorcycle.

In recent news reports, The RCMP are on record as saying “Nanaimo RCMP’s traffic services have started a year-long campaign focused on motorcyclists.”, and “He (Cpl Norm Smith) said motorcyclists can expect to be pulled over and inspected for compliance with Motor Vehicle Act Regulations ¹”.  Other words such as “The town’s RCMP force recently announced a motorcycle inspection program; if they see you ride by, they can pull you over for a spot check. ²” and “Motorcyclists can expect to be pulled over for brief inspections, the RCMP said. 3”.  This amounts to nothing more than profiling then targeting.

The definition of profiling is “The recording and analysis of a person’s psychological and behavioural characteristics, so as to assess or predict their capabilities in a certain sphere or to assist in identifying a particular subgroup of people.” The definition of targeting is “Select as an object of attention or attack”.  The definition of discrimination is “The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, age, or sex.” 4

Based on the comments and on the definitions of profiling, targeting and discrimination, it can now be concluded that the RCMP and the City of Nanaimo are in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 15 which guarantees equality rights and prohibits discrimination perpetrated by the governments of Canada.  Since the RCMP are employed by the Federal Government and contracted by the Municipal Government, this perpetration is in fact instigated by the governments of Canada and this must cease.

This is no different than profiling and then targeting ethnic groups because of a perceived involvement with terrorism.  A good example of this is the Japanese of the WWII era. They were rounded up, sent to concentration camps only later to be released, and finally after all of these years, with nothing more than an “I’m sorry” and a nominal cheque to those that are still living.

The RCMP are not targeting diesel 4×4 trucks with noise emissions that far exceed the limits as set forth by provincial regulations.  They are not targeting cars with stereos that are short of live concerts.  They are not even targeting bicyclists that do not wear helmets.

As I write this I think to myself, the RCMP are targeting bikes because of modifications and wonder if I will get a ticket because I removed the whimpy horn from the bike and installed an air horn.  This is a modification to the machine.  I also wonder if I will get ticketed for replacing my stock H-4 headlamp with the much brighter PIA lamp.  This too is a modification.  The addition of the antenna on the rear of the bike so I can be in communication with the rest of the people I ride with is also a modification.  Oh about all the bling?  Where does this start and where does it stop?

This is not 1947 and we are not in Hollister, California.  Most motorcyclists are hard working people who choose to ride motorcycles because of the freedom.  Not the freedom of rules and laws, but the freedom to be in the open air.  A motorcyclist will see things people in cars and trucks cannot.  If a cow farts, they will smell it, when it rains the feel it.

There is a saying, “Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out the window.”  Unless you ride, you will never know.  It is like trying to tell someone how chocolate tastes – you can’t.

1 By Chris Bush – Nanaimo News Bulletin Published: May 01, 2011 4:00 PM
2 CMG News Posted on May 6, 2011 by Zac Kurylyk
3 Times Colonist Wednesday May 11, 2011
4 Google Dictionary

By Mike Horner

11/05/2011