After reading wvsporty's introduction post, I have a question.
What about car seats and sidecars?
Here in Michigan, and I'm sure many other states, we have a carseat law. Little kids must be in one, and as they grow they must move into a booster seat above a certain weight, before progressing to unaided seating.
I'm unsure of the cut off weights, but that really has no bearing on the question. To ride pillion one's feet must be able to reach the foot pegs, but I can't find where a hack is addressed in law.
Most states have few regulations concerning sidecars and use solo motorcycle rules where applicable. Some use child carriers and /or seatbelts with small passengers. Most use helmets if the state has a helmet law.
Lonnie
Comet, the Michigan Traffic Code does not address sidecar passengers, instead considering them motorcycle passengers. So a passenger has to wear a helmet and eye protection and have a proper seat and footrest. A lot of folks I know use seatbelts for small kids more to restrain their movements than for crash protection.
Al Bond
Retired Police Lt
05 V-Star with Texas/Ural hybrid
comet, up here,..or should I say east of you,..hehe ..I started my daughter off at age 4 in her child/car /safety seat secured into the hack,..a couple of times the local law enforcers smiled and waved at her and so noted how she was safe and secure in there,...as a secondary safety I teathered her helmet to the seat like a Haans device ( see Dale Earnhart) to prevent the great Gazoo look-a-like from snapping her head, allowing for serious neck injury in an impact,..we did test it on a few panic stops.,..here the Highway Traffic Act states that children under 40lbs ??? need a safety seat, and a booster up to 65lbs,., so she used one until then,..she is almost 10 and just uses the lap belt now,....but common sense and good judgement goes a long way,....sidecars here are looked at as an accessory to a motorcycle and not really elaborated on,..good luck and ride safe,..p.s. Happy Thanksgiving to our american friends , cheers crawf.
Thanks guys!!
A policeman that rides a hack, in Michigan, what better source of info.
I did finally find the reference to motorcycle exemption in the MI. code.
If I take the granddaughters it will only be around our small town. Maybe to the DQ. Just trying to avoid a ticket. Grandson is over 6' no problem there.
crawf most people don't believe it when told Detroit is north of Canada.
I know! as is northern California too,..of coarse when we are done wrestling polar bears for fun,..scrounging for our food in the bush and dragging the fresh slaughter back to the igloo to cover it in maple syrup for dinner,..who has time to look at a map anyway? LOL!!! be well, cheers crawf.
Hey crawf I also use a "Redneck" Hanns device. I attached a key ring to the helmet and the short end of a break away neck lanyard. the Long portion I attached to the "roll" bar behind the seat . This gives Aiden room to look around with out the helmet becoming to heavy , also it is perfect for when he falls asleep. I reach over and cinch up the lanyard a bit and he lays back real good. I have only had the hack since July but I have passed many city , county and state police and have had no issues. As long as the kid looks safe in the rig they don't pay no mind to you.
