Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Fort Good Hope (Nov 19/01) - Fort Good Hope wanted to set an example of good snowmobile safety after a devastating accident there last year.

Now, some community members are saying paying for insurance is too expensive.

Many in the community vowed to change the rules that apply to high-performance machines on streets and roads when chief coroner Percy Kinney made recommendations earlier this year.

He listed them after investigating the accident. Although many of those recommendations have been adopted by the territorial government, communities can pass their own snowmobile bylaws.

"There is no consistency in the laws," he said. "I believe there should be universal regulations."

A new band council was recently elected in the 700-person hamlet and as the snow began to blanket the community this fall, residents decided they did not want to pay for registration or insurance.

Fort Good Hope RCMP said that makes it difficult for them to charge drivers.

"If both pieces of legislation are in place and the territorial legislation says they must be insured, but the bylaw says they don't, do I lay a charge or do I not lay a charge," said Cpl. Mark Crowther of the Fort Good Hope RCMP detachment.

It was almost a year ago that three men died in the community because of a devastating head-on collision of snow machines.

Two other people were injured from the accident and the community is still recovering from the shock that swept the small hamlet.

Kinney called on the Department of Transportation to make helmets mandatory for all snowmobilers.

He also advised insurance and registration, enforcing manufacturers' age and passenger restrictions, and requiring snow machine operators to have a valid driver's licence or certificate.

"They were digging their sleds out and all of a sudden they were hit with this new law," Crowther said about residents.

"We counter by saying there is lots of money for bingos, gambling, gas and buying a new snow machine every year."

A public meeting was held last month. About 75 people showed up to oppose only the insurance aspect of the bylaw.

Kinney stands by his recommendation.

"It's expensive to register my car to drive on the highway but I still do it," he said. "Twenty years ago when people were putt-putt-putting on Bravos it wasn't a big deal. Now those things are faster than my car."

Police in Fort Good Hope said there are still too many people driving snow machines around town hazardously.

Const. Guy Lagimodiere said police are getting tired of stopping people for the infractions, mostly not having driver's licences, so designated Nov. 2 a day to go and get the written portion of the test done. About 25 people showed up.

"We have been stopping people, warning people and seizing snowmobiles," he said. "We are taking these steps because we want this community safe this winter."

It costs $75 to become a licensee.

Lagimodiere said he stopped over 50 people last week and warned or ticketed them for not having driving permits or properly functioning headlights.

Snowmobiling is the primary mode of transportation in Fort Good Hope, darting along roads and off them.

Crowther said he is disappointed the community opposed insurance and registration but "can live with it."

"The bottom line is we don't have 13-year-olds out there driving their parents' machines for fun," he said.

The bylaw office is open every Tuesday and Thursday for written driving permit examinations. A person to administer driving tests travels from Inuvik when there is a need.