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Are we out of our minds to ride motorcycles in Quebec?
As we all know, our beautiful province offers great landscapes to discover on a motorcycle, and countless sublime regions to explore. It’s not surprising that motorcyclists in Quebec are so passionate about their sport; but while there are plenty of reasons to want to ride in Quebec, there are also many factors that make the activity particularly expensive, dangerous, and at times, downright unpleasant.
This raises the question: do you have to be out of your mind to want to be a motorcyclist in Quebec? Am I not a bit crazy to keep doing it year after year?
Our Famous Potholes: our Province is a Minefield
If there’s one thing Quebec‘s roads are known for, it’s their pitiful condition. Dotted with cracks and holes, our roads are crumbling and resemble Swiss cheese wedges thanks to the famous potholes we all know too well.
You only have to cross any border that touches Quebec – whether it’s eastbound, westbound to our friends in Ontario or southbound to the United States – to see that Quebec’s roads are particularly appalling.
The most annoying thing is the claim that the weather is to blame: an excuse that is constantly given as an explanation for the sad state of roads. Yet, as soon as you cross the American border to the South, the contrast in road quality is undeniable (and this, within the same climate; it deserves to be pointed out).
If you’ve had the pleasure of driving outside of Quebec, you know how fantastic it is to be able to look around and admire the scenery while driving. In Quebec, however, it’s best to keep your eyes carefully fixed on the road ahead and be ready to counter-steer at any given moment.
When you’re on two wheels, these potholes are unforgiving.
In fact, if you talk to Quebec motorcyclists, chances are they’ll have a horror story to share about these abominable holes, which are a real public hazard. Riding a motorcycle in Quebec means being on the lookout at all times; so why do we keep doing this to ourselves?
A Season That’s Over in the Blink of an Eye
In Quebec, we have a saying that comes from an old, popular song: “Mon pays, ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver.”
My country is not a country, it’s winter.
From December 1st to March 15th, it is mandatory in Quebec to have winter tires on your vehicle, and from a safety point of view, it is definitely a good thing! However, even beyond these dates, weather and road conditions mean that very few motorcycles actually ride from March 15th to November 30th. The weeks leading up to December are very cold and snow is not uncommon. By March, the snow is mostly melted, but the roads are still peppered with salt, sand, and small rocks, all of which are very dangerous for motorcyclists.
Many motorcyclists therefore prefer to wait for rain, wind, and street cleaning trucks to do their job before hitting the road on two wheels. Considering these factors, in reality, our motorcycles spend about half of the year in hibernation, which results in a very short motorcycle season for Quebecers. There’s pressure to get a lot of mileage in during a season while it’s possible to ride in order to make our activity worthwhile!
Crazy Costs
… because let’s face it, it takes a certain level of financial ease to be able to ride a motorcycle in Quebec. Whether it’s to get a class 6A license, or to pay for your driver’s license and registration every year, riding a motorcycle in Quebec often seems to be a bottomless pit of expenses.
Although the SAAQ offers good coverage at a relatively reasonable price when compared to the fees paid by motorcyclists elsewhere – where insurance must come from a private provider – one can’t deny that annual fees have been trending upwards over the years.
Many motorcyclists are forced to scramble to save money on registrations, for example by keeping their motorcycles unregistered for a few extra weeks, so they can continue to enjoy their beloved activity. We all know people who don’t ride motorcycles because of associated costs, or people who have had to stop in order to prioritize other expenses. This makes riding a motorcycle come off as a luxury, while other modes of transportation seem less subject to this viewpoint.
Infantilizing Laws
I was talking to my colleague a few years ago about motorcycling in Quebec. As a newcomer to the country, he couldn’t understand why people rode motorcycles here. We talked about the obstacles discussed in this article: the short season, the huge fees, and the dangerous roads. However, he also mentioned another factor that I found very telling: our infantilizing laws.
He asked me: what’s the point of riding a motorcycle when it takes as long as driving a car?
Because in Canada, lane splitting (the right of motorcycles to ride between cars) and even lane filtering (the right of motorcycles to weave between cars at a red light) are forbidden, while these concepts are successful elsewhere in the world.
Yet, lane filtering has the potential to greatly contribute to the safety of motorcyclists, because by placing themselves between cars instead of at the back of the queue, it creates a sort of shield for them against oncoming traffic.
Having lived internationally myself, I often have difficulty accepting our laws in Quebec.
➡Highway speed limits have been the same for decades, which seems to ignore the technological advances we’ve seen in road engineering, vehicles, and tires.
➡We are very restricted in the modifications we can make to our bikes, even if it is only cosmetic and done safely.
➡ Rather than being educated and equipped to make good decisions autonomously and logically, we are kept in a tight frame of laws.
This creates a vicious circle: the more infantilizing the laws are, the less we have to learn to make good decisions and develop good reflexes. Lane filtering, for example, can be very safe and beneficial for everyone, provided that road users are well educated and empowered to go about it safely.
Every Spring, when I prepare my bike for the new season, I am torn between two feelings. On the one hand, I look forward to it and am filled with happiness at the thought of riding on two wheels. On the other hand, I wonder if all the danger and money is really worth it.
That’s why, in this month of April, as I’m getting ready to go on my first ride of the year, I’m back to asking myself: don’t you have to be a little crazy to be a motorcyclist in Quebec?
What do you think?
Em
Here’s a few links to help you develop your reflexion on the subject.
CAA is well aware of the potholes problem and made a contest out of it! https://www.caaquebec.com/fr/sur-la-route/interets-publics/les-pires-routes
You CAN find snow tires for motorcycles, but they are rare! https://www.amazon.ca/Motorcycle-Thickened-Non-Slip-Replacement-Accessories/dp/B0B6G367WM?th=1
On Alexmoto.ca’s website, you can find a well constructed review of the costs of the sport and if they are justified.
1 Comment
Pretty dumb lane filtering hasn’t been legalised yet and even if it would be legal, most people would get pissed getting filtered at red lights when they’re gonna lose 0 sec when it turns green…