.

My 10 year old 135ish lb son on his '03 Pred-90 and I went for a little trail run yesterday. We went down the main path (mostly because the deep trails were too wet / muddy), visited our sand based race track, did a few laps and headed back - the same paths we used in the morning. On the way back, we came around the corner at "put put" speeds and there they were. 6 cops staggered along the side of the trail. Two to wave people over, 2 further back who performed inspections and 2 down the trail for possible chasers. Since we were "put putting", had safety gear on and my son was the proper physical size for his Pred-90, each of them "waved us through". One of them even gave us a thumbs up for doing it right.

While loading our machines into our trailer, 4 ATVs come flying down the parking lot road - coming towards us. The lead ATV was a factory single seat Utility quad that had 3 people on it. The driver, his wife in the rear and a toddler (yes, a toddler) sitting on the gas tank. Not only where they triple riding, they was doing fast speeds. They were heading towards the direction of the trail patrols - hidden around their next corner. What would you do? For example:
1 - Flag them over and tell them about the patrol sitting around the next corner.
2 - Flag them over and worn them that triple riding (especially with a toddler) is dangerious (and against the law). If they don't stop now and load up on their trailers, they will get caught. If they ignore your warning, tell them to continue down the path. It will be a very "memorable experience" down that path thing.
3 - Ignore them, and let them take their chances. re: It isn't your problem and since there's 3 other ATVers in their pack, they could get hostile with you.

What would you do????

BTW: I slept great last night. Things like this really don't bother me. I've sure others blow gaskets over stuff like this.

thanks.

.

 

No brainer - I'd go with #3.

I sometimes wish that I were more proactive with the issue of safety and other riders but while I will talk safety if I stop alongside the trail with another riding group, I have never chased someone down to give them the 'helmet lecture'. Most people who are doing something unsafe on an ATV don't really want to get a safety lecture from another rider - even less will change their riding habits because of it.

Now getting a lecture from a cop on the side of the trail, or getting a small fine, just might do something.

Jaybee

 

Im a ORV Safety Instructor and I have NO PROBLEM informing anyone in regards to what is safe and responsable use on an ATV..I first introduce myself,than the lecture will start..I have NEVER been turned down yet and have NEVER had anyone ever tell me to mind my own bussiness..It all about how you APPROACH riders when you do this.

IMO,its ALL of our bussiness to police the sport we so dearly enjoy.

 

Well Spike you sure brought up a good one here. (this is surfdude. I am at someone elses comp and didn't want to forget to throw my two cents on this one so I am under a differant handle) I live at the gates of the Pismo Dunes. I am out there all the time either surfing or riding with my little rats. Hopefully you went with #3 on this one. I have to dissagree with Muddyforlife. Maybe I am jaded because I see all kinds of stupid things every time I go out there but I think that unless another rider is going to harm anyone but himself or those ultra cool idiots he calls friends, that rider should be left to learn his lesson on his own. This is a very accurate statement "If I spent time warning each knucklehead I run across of the impending danger to himself or the other knucklehead behind him holding a beer and playing metal mulisha, I would rarely have any time to go enjoy myself."

I think that if the person in question is a minor then we adults have a responsibility to have a trail side chat with them. If that person is a full grown adult just leave'em be and let'em pay.

 

Actually,
your statement is very INACCURATE [IMO]..

QUOTE-I think that unless another rider is going to harm anyone but himself or those ultra cool idiots he calls friends, that rider should be left to learn his lesson on his own-END OF QUOTE


I'll tell you WHY..Its the jerks and idiots just like the ones you mention above that have a severe NEGATIVE impact on the current and future state of our riding priveledges in America..Everytime one of these a-holes get injured or wind-up hurting someone else,this gives the enviro folks,doctors,and forest service managers all the fuel they need to adopt MORE restrictions on Off Road use..

The rider does'nt 'learn his lesson' he just screws it up for other responsable users,in the long haul..

 

.

If wondering, I went with number 2. I ran out to them with my hand up. They immediately stopped - probably because they thought I was asking them for some help. I told them that "if `they` get caught with a toddler on the gas tank, they WILL patrol this place even more. And after a while, they will shut the place down". It was kinda funny to watch their reaction because as soon as I spitted out the last words, the wife (who was sitting on the back) immediate said to the driver (who I assumbed was her husband), "see - I told you it was a stupid idea". I walked back and finished strapping down our ATVs to our trailer. Two of the ATVs pulled up to their trailers (including the 3 some ATV) and the others drove down the path - heading directly into the hidden check point. Sure hope those other 2 ATVs were fully legal. Anyway, I think that family of 3 learned a valuable lesson that day. I saved them from a very large ticket and each of them learned that we do look out for ourselves. If wondering, the family on the ATV was very approachable. So were the other riders. They didn't get upset or tell me to "go blow". Some listened and some didn't. But, I did my part - and didn't loose any sleep over it.

.

 

Muddy- living here at the dunes I cannot deny that you have a valid point regarding each idiot causing the rest of us more resrictions. However the enviros I know couldn't care less about the health and saftey of irresponsible riders. In my area they are more concerned that a gun toten redneck like myself may bar-b-que a snowey plover than anything. Obviously you and I will see things from different teeth on the sprocket when it comes to whether or not we the "responsible" rider should warn someone of his own impending doom. I say let him forget about the direction of the wind and yell yeehaa all the way to the bottm of a really big slip face if they don't want to think saftey first. I dunno maybe I am part of a bye gone era. I was taught to unload and break down my guns before I clean them. Each man should be aware and trained and fully understand the dangers involved in the sport we all enjoy. If he is only going to hurt himself let him do it. Cheers.

 

.

To approach or NOT approach another rider??? The proper answer to this question could be debated for many years.

I do know that in "my area", most of the Adult drivers have a calm nature. Yes, there's the odd character who gives the bird to me and my young rider but from a general statement, "the adult riders in my area are vary calm". In the southern part of my region or if they were young teenage kids, I'd pick number 3. From experience, "they pull out the guns and shoot first" is their base nature. From experience, I've noticed that if a gang of ATVs have women drivers and/or double riding with a women, the men are much calmer in their resonse. Not always but most of the time. Perhaps that's why my inner voice told me it was safe to flag them down????

Which is the right answer??? It all depends on the culture of the area and if you feel its safe to flag them down. I'm sure each place is different.

.

 

QUOTE--I was taught to unload and break down my guns before I clean them. Each man should be aware and trained and fully understand the dangers involved in the sport we all enjoy. If he is only going to hurt himself let him do it. Cheers--END OF QUOTE

See,
you and me aint that far apart with our thinking[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I totally agree with that,BUT,the problem still remains that IF folks continue to cause injury to themselves on ATVs,than GOVERNMENT will SOON intervene,this I can gaureentee you..And when government steps in to legislate OUR sport,they will also take many riding priviledges ect, from the GOOD riders like YOU and ME.

Let me just bring you back to the mid 1980s?Remember the 3 wheeler era and all the folks that were not trained to fully understand the dangers involved in operating a machine like this?What happen to the 3 wheelers?

Can you say--------BAN! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

I was out riding last weekend with some people. One guy wasn't registered and when we were loading up a fishcop pulled in. He was very nice, but still gave that guy a ticket. He hung out and chatted with us about some great places to ride and the politics of atv's and trails, trail making, etc., etc. Then another group of riders came back, while he was still there, to load up. They were one atv short. The guy in that group that wiped wasn't wearing a helmet. He had been knocked out momentarily. Then another group came back to load up, when they saw the fishcop they turned back around. The fishcop could see they were registered so had no reason to go after them, besides he was in a truck. What he couldn't see is everyone in that group was drunk.

So the guy in our group gets a ticket.
Guy in second group drives like an a-hole and crashes helmet-less. No helmet requirement in this state.
The drunks were registered.

Being un-registered was the least dangerous thing here. (He should've been registered like the rest of us and actually he did stop on the way to register but that shop was closed.) Irony.

I don't think a mandatory helmet law would be a good idea. Because if I'm just putting around the yard, I don't feel like I have to wear a helmet. On the trail is another story. We didn't rat out the drunk people, but we did tell the guy that wiped out he should've been wearing a helmet.