[DanR]

Ugh this is SUCH a pain in the arse... I have been posting on Craigslist, Kijiji and other forums for 2 months trying to find ANYONE that uses their bike for their daily work commute from the east end of Mtl and I haven't had a single response. This accompanying rule in Quebec is beyond stupid...

Anyhow, figured I would try here. If anyone on here lives in the east end of Montreal and you use your bike to get to work and you take the 40 highway, I would love to see if there any way I could follow you as a probationary driver.

Please contact me or post if you can help. If you have friends in Montreal, please hassle them for me

Thanks!
Dan

 

[OneEyedJack]

Hey Dan... I can't help you but I'm certainly curious as to what this rule / law is. Any chance to can clue us in?

 

[Unkle Krusty]

Montreal.

If you were closer like LA at 1250 miles I might be able to help. But you are 2400 miles away and there is a bunch of mountains between here and Alberta even. Pity, because I always wanted to go to Montreal.
Standard Life of Endinburgh Scotland, a company I deal with, is there. They are the oldest Federally registered Life Insurance company in Canada. 1833.
Canada Life, 1842, is the oldest Canadian company.

I think they have a similar law in BC. But it varies if you took a course.
I would probably flunk if I had to do all the modern written stuff.

Unkle Crusty*

 

[Critter]

One Eye - The rule is there has to be a licensed rider with you the first six months.

 

[DanR]

Hey Dan... I can't help you but I'm certainly curious as to what this rule / law is. Any chance to can clue us in?

Basically Quebec is anti-motorcycle... it's crazy. So here's the process for getting your license:

1. You must take a mandatory MC driving course sanctioned by our version of the DMV, which is called the SAAQ in Quebec. The course is around $600 plus tax. The course instructor must give you a passing grade, otherwise you redo the course.

2. Once the course is done, you must register and pass a closed circuit test arranged by the SAAQ.

3. If you pass the circuit test, you are given a probationary license where the 2 main restrictions are you are not allowed a passenger (totally understandable) and you must be accompanied by another rider on their own bike who has had their full license for at least a year.

4. After 11 months of passing the circuit test, you are allowed to schedule a road test (the system doesn't allow you to even schedule this test until the 11 months are up) with the SAAQ. Once you pass the road test, you are then restriction free. If you fail the road test, you have to reschedule and there's a minimum time before you can reschedule like 50 days or something like that.

I should also mention once you go through all this crap, your plates for your bike cost $575 for a non-sport bike and $1200 for a sports bike... and that's per year! That's not including the cost of your license and insurance.

So basically after having a professional driving course and judged that I am competent to drive by a PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTOR and then PASSING a circuit test, again graded by a professional, I then have to be monitored like a child by someone with god-knows-what driving abilities and habits and who can basically do nothing should the **** hit the fan. It's a complete farce and finding an accompanying rider on any day but a sunny Sunday afternoon is pretty much impossible. So riders are forced to either park the bike until passing the road test, or driving without another rider and praying you don't get caught.

Dan

 

[DanR]

If you were closer like LA at 1250 miles I might be able to help. But you are 2400 miles away and there is a bunch of mountains between here and Alberta even. Pity, because I always wanted to go to Montreal.
Standard Life of Endinburgh Scotland, a company I deal with, is there. They are the oldest Federally registered Life Insurance company in Canada. 1833.
Canada Life, 1842, is the oldest Canadian company.

I think they have a similar law in BC. But it varies if you took a course.
I would probably flunk if I had to do all the modern written stuff.

Unkle Crusty*

Nah, the written stuff is simple logic, even people who know jack about bikes can pass the written theory. It's when people start learning to use the clutch and brakes to navigate a simple slalom as slow as possible that you start seeing who's OK and who's going to eat pavement. I was actually shocked at how many people completely lost control of their bikes and sent the bike flying out from under them simply trying to maintain 5-10km p/h and go around cones.

 

[OneEyedJack]

I'd freakin move.... seriously.

 

[DanR]

I'd freakin move.... seriously.

I should "move" someplace that will take my probation license as a full permit, give me a new license for wherever I moved, then a month later "move" back to Quebec and change my license to a full lol! I could theoretically do this with some family in Ontario but they have a probation type license too, so it's useless.

 

[riden1966]

I'd freakin move.... seriously.

But....But.....then you wouldn't get to pay the highest taxes in North America!!


I lived there two years.......Quebec loves lots of government and tons of red tape to justify it.

 

[hawkaholic37]

I'd freakin move.... seriously.

Me too

 

[hawkaholic37]

l personally think that the way it is done in my state is very reasonable. You can just take a test at the DOL, but they encourage you to take a class by making the DOL test more difficult. The class is $250, but all money from endorsements goes into a pool to subsidize classes and make them half price. lf you take the written test at the DOL you can get a permit, which allows you to ride for 90 days as long as it is light out and you do not have a passenger. All in all l think it is a good system, and motorcycles are more popular than ever.

 

[NHclayshooter]

>>I lived there two years.......Quebec loves lots of government and tons of red tape to justify it.<<

How are the rules in Ontario then?

 

[Eye_m_no_angel]

I'd freakin move.... seriously.

Or make sure you don't get stopped. Ride like you have warrants out on you.

 

[NordicMan]

Wow that is absolutely nuts! Yet in other aspects.. Quebec IS allowing Polaris Slingshot trikes to be registered & driven, and Ontario is not

I should "move" someplace that will take my probation license as a full permit, give me a new license for wherever I moved, then a month later "move" back to Quebec and change my license to a full lol! I could theoretically do this with some family in Ontario but they have a probation type license too, so it's useless.

Ontario sounds a bit more relaxed at motorcycle licencing.. Once you have your "M1" training licence (the 1st step) you are already allowed to drive without a chaperone although you have other restrictions. No passenger, no night driving, no 'major highways'.

Come to Ontario & get licensed! & I'll come to Quebec for Slingshot registration

 

[riden1966]

>>I lived there two years.......Quebec loves lots of government and tons of red tape to justify it.<<

How are the rules in Ontario then?

I'm not sure what you are asking?

Bike rules (never really lived there)?

Or generally?

 

[DanR]

Wow that is absolutely nuts! Yet in other aspects.. Quebec IS allowing Polaris Slingshot trikes to be registered & driven, and Ontario is not



Ontario sounds a bit more relaxed at motorcycle licencing.. Once you have your "M1" training licence (the 1st step) you are already allowed to drive without a chaperone although you have other restrictions. No passenger, no night driving, no 'major highways'.

Come to Ontario & get licensed! & I'll come to Quebec for Slingshot registration

I prefer those learner laws a LOT more. I'm fine with no passenger, I don't even want one as I build up my skills and I want to commute to work, so not worried about night driving either. I would gladly accept those restrictions in exchange for losing the babysitter.

 

[DanR]

Or make sure you don't get stopped. Ride like you have warrants out on you.

Pretty much lol! The problem is that they have machines that scan plates as you drive past a squad car and it can flag the officer if your permit is expired, restricted etc. No idea if it would flag a plate as "owned by probationary MC rider".

Dan

 

[Eye_m_no_angel]

Pretty much lol! The problem is that they have machines that scan plates as you drive past a squad car and it can flag the officer if your permit is expired, restricted etc. No idea if it would flag a plate as "owned by probationary MC rider".

Dan

Now that's just creepy.

 

[hawkaholic37]

Now that's just creepy.

Yeah, the city where my sister lived just north of Seattle has all the cop equipment that Arlo Guthrie was talking about and more. They have a scanner in each car that allows them to pull up to a red light with a hundred cars piled up and scan the whole crowd...if someone with warrants or a suspended/revoked license pops up, they are dead on the spot.

Meanwhile, back at the courthouse, they have a hanging judge that only works 4 days a week, therefore he is a "part-time" employee and was not voted into office, nor can he be voted out of office. Before marijuana was legal he really liked throwing kids in jail for 6 months for finding a pot pipe in their car.

 

[DanR]

Btw today I found out the accompanying rider must have his license for at least 2 years, not 1...