雪橇禁令将适得其反
在雪坡上玩平底雪橇是深受欢迎的冬季娱乐项目，但是由于加国各市政府愈发担心此项运动会引发人身伤害和法律诉讼，不断发布禁止雪橇运动的禁令。但是据Oatley Vigmond律师事务所资深合伙人雷曼表示，这一禁令可能会促使更多人前往高风险雪坡，并导致市府面临更严重的法律诉讼。
Hitting the tobogganing slopes is a popular and fun winter pastime. But there is a growing trend that municipalities, which worry about injuries and lawsuits, impose tobogganing bans on city properties. But according to Troy Lehman, senior partner at Oatley Vigmond LLP, a full tobogganing ban may effectively put more people on high-risk slopes, and create greater municipal liabilities.
在过去几个月，平底雪橇禁令成为安省各地居民热议的话题，因为许多居民都担心当局会禁止这项深受欢迎的冬季娱乐项目。但加国各地市府越来越倾向于颁布平底雪橇禁令，实际上可能会导致当局承担全新的无谓责任。由平底雪橇引发的伤害诉讼案很罕见，并且因难以审讯往往都是以失败告终。除非是出现灾难性伤害，否则大部分知名律师都会建议客户放弃索赔。因此，禁止平底雪橇的市府所采取的极端措施无效且多余。
Tobogganing bans have become a hotly debated topic all across Ontario over the past few months with many residents upset at any move to ban a popular winter pastime.The growing trend of tobogganing bans being created by municipalities across Canada may in fact create an entirely new level of unnecessary liability. Injury related lawsuits from tobogganing are rare, difficult to bring to trial and often unsuccessful. Most reputable lawyers will advise clients not to pursue a claim unless a catastrophic injury has occurred. Municipalities that ban tobogganing are taking ablack-and-white approachthat is ineffective and unnecessary.
全新责任
A new level of liability
市府颁布平底雪橇禁令，实际上可能会令其自身承担新的不可预见的责任。因为市府往往拥有大量物业，因此要在其物业范围内的所有斜坡都张贴上禁止平底雪橇标牌并非易事。
By creating a tobogganing ban municipalities may in fact be creating a new and unforeseen liability for themselves. Municipalities tend to own a lot of real estate making it difficult to post signage banning tobogganing on all city owned hills.
如果当局在平底雪橇爱好者经常光顾的斜坡张贴禁止标牌，但其他一些斜坡却没有，可能会由此导致疏忽问题。而在深受欢迎且更安全的斜坡禁止玩平底雪橇，可能也会迫使平底雪橇爱好者前往未有张贴禁止标牌的高风险斜坡，从而更有可能受伤。此外，如果相关官司开打，当局未有通过标牌和市府附例执行禁令可能也会导致市府承担更多责任。
Posting signs on popular hills frequented by tobogganers may in fact create an issue of negligence on hills where signs are not posted. Signs on a popular and safer hill may force tobogganers onto less safe slopes where signs are not posted and they are more likely to get injured. Failure to enforce the ban through signage and by-law enforcement may increase the portion of responsibility attributed to the municipality if a case goes to trial.
自我责任
市府运营的公共游泳池也存在类似情况。用户决定使用这些设施时需要承担一定的自我责任。市府所能承担的照管职责是尽其所确保避免伤害，并保证市民在相对安全的情况下享受游泳池设施。
Similar situations exist in public swimming pools operated by a municipality. Users are accepting a level of self-responsibility when choosing to use the facility. An acceptable level of care obliges the municipality to ensure that it has done all that it can to prevent injury and ensure people enjoy the pool facility in relative safety.
目前，渥太华市府和卡尔加里市府对平底雪橇采取了同样的措施，当局指定了一些适合安全玩平底雪橇的斜坡，并向市民提供了相关的安全贴士。这种做法更完善也更合情理。
The municipalities of Ottawa and Calgary take the same approach to tobogganing by designating hills that are safer for tobogganing and offering tips on how to stay safe. This is a much more sophisticated and common sense approach.
适得其反
汉密尔顿市虽然早就实施相关禁令，但却未能有效遏止平底雪橇活动。奥兰治维尔市颁布的禁令不但未能阻止这项活动，反而促使当地居民成立了平底雪橇组织，以抗议该禁令迫使更多人上山玩平底雪橇。颁布一纸禁令并不能让平底雪橇消失，现在已经有越来越多开明的市府清楚地认识到这一点。
The long standing ban in Hamilton has not been an effective deterrent to end tobogganing. The ban in Orangeville was an irritation to local residents that created tobogganing parties to protest the ban effectively putting more people on the hill. Simply banning tobogganing does make it go away and more open-minded municipalities are becoming increasingly aware of this fact.