Sikh Fights for Right to Ride Bike with Turban

Rick Patterson

Attorney

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Should a Sikh be permitted to lawfully ride a motorcycle without a helmet due to the fact that it won't fit over a turban. Consider the fact that the turban is a tenant of his religion.

That is a questions before the Canadian courts. Baljinder Badesha, 39, of Brampton is the first to challenge Ontario's motorcycle helmet. Although, it is certainly not the first time the law has been challenged in general. Badesha is a devout Sikh and wears a turban at all time when he is outside of his home. He feels he is being excluded from a favorite pastime due to his religion.

In 2005 he was given a ticket for riding his Yamaha motorcycle on Queen Street near Highway 10 without a helmet. " There are exceptions to motorcycle helmet laws for devout Sikhs in British Columbia, Manitoba, the UK and Northern Ireland, the court was heard."

He shrugs off concerns about safety, and says his wife does not worry about him, either. (I'd look into that in depth!!) Although, one can certainly understand the state's lack of enthusiasm for subsidizing the health care costs of people without adequate protection and without adequate insurance to pay for medical bills arising from preventable injuries.

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