An Elmira man who set out for a Friday the 13th motorcycle trip to Port Dover says he was unfairly ticketed and pulled off the roads by Waterloo Regional Police.
Jeff Selby claims the officers were excessive in their punishment after a routine roadside check found the tread on his motorcycle tires was point five millimetres under code.
Officials say they were well within their rights.
Although Selby says the five hundred or more dollars he’s now facing in fines, relicensing fees and towing cost is exorbitant. Police say the law is the law and you can’t put a price on safety.
“Anybody who’s got a metric tape measurer point five is actually only as thick as a human hair.” Selby says.
Selby says he offered to drive his bike straight to a repair shop to have the tire replaced but the officers said no.
“He goes it doesn’t matter. Your bike will be off the road as of today. We’re gonna take your plate, we’re gonna charge you and you’re gonna have to get a tow truck.” Selby says.
The legal regulation for tires on any motorized vehicle is that they have to have at least 1.5 millimetres of tread on the majority of the tires circumference.
Sgt. Mike Hinsperger says the law exists to keep drivers safe.
“When you have a motorcycle with only two tires in contact with the roadway, one of them is defective, it certainly brings the safety of that vehicle, both for the operator and for the other motorists using the highway, into question.” Hinsperger explains.
Selby says he understands the safety concerns but says he has a clean driving record and deserves a warning first.
“Normally with something like that they’ll give you 30 days to get it fixed and then show us proof that you fixed it which I would have had no problem doing.” Selby says.
But police say when it comes to safety there’s no room for warnings or second chances and it’s their responsibility that’s on the line.
“When we find a defective tire, break, any other piece of equipment, we have to take issue with that. That’s our job. And certainly the safety of the motoring public is something that we have taken into concern across the board.” Hinsperger says.
In spite of his frustration Selby says he doesn’t plan to fight the ticket and will pay for it.
