September 13, 2012

Child safety seat



Believe it or not this is not a rare site in Rankin. Lots of Inuit and non-Inuit alike up here carry their children around in amautis (the traditional Inuit child-carrying parka)—but seeing a parent do it while riding an ATV? That was an eyebrow raiser.

I'm told it's technically against the law, but the RCMP don't enforce it. Fair enough. I mean, if that's your only mode of transportation, then I guess driving them around on an ATV in an amauti is safer than driving them around just hanging onto your back. But it would kinda be nice to see the children wearing helmets, too.

But I have a confession to make: I haven't been too safe riding around up here either. When I went out for a drive on the land the other night night, I didn't wear my seat belt. I started to buckle up, but then the driver laughed at me. "Um, you know the speed limit is, like, 20 km/h."

Fair enough, fair enough.

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