Here is a link to a new article out of Minnesota WCCO radio and TV, and Iowa input about ATVs riding on secondary roads. ATV enthusiasts are getting together to get riding privileges at the local level. I think the article articulates both sides of the debate pretty well.

The bottom line is irresponsible riding. Many injuries and deaths are totally avoidable with adult thinking. This is certainly true on the trails as well.

Take a read and let us know your views...

David

ATV Riders Challenging Ban On Public Road Use « WCCO | CBS Minnesota

I can see Kansas from this road:

 

Some people don't seem to realize that you can't legislate poor judgement. And people with poor judgment are going to get hurt no matter how you try to protect them. If ATVs are allowed to travel paved roads at say 25 MPH you won't have the kind of accidents that people going WOT will have.

 

Common sense is not so common, unfortunately. ATV's should not be allowed on roads with a speed limit over 50 mph, or at least given a speed limit of 45 mph. Already the trail systems in Maine have a speed limit of 45. I see lots of people getting tickets for speeding with ATV's on the trails, also in Maine, the 2 up rider must wear a helmet. Kinda strange, as motorcyclists don't need to wear a helmet. Bottom line, you can't legislate common sense. To me 45 seems fast enough anywhere on an ATV, in fact, my AC Diesel is maxed out at 45, I have to back it off a bit as the pyrometer will hit 1,200F.

 

hydrex: You have one hot Arctic Cat. Almost all of us have enough common sense to ride safely so we don't break every bone in our bodies. An ATV can do that to you. I fully understand there are foolish people who like to stunt ride in front of the buddies or claim the fastest ATV of the day. Sometimes a beer or two can make you very brave.

I think we ought to have the freedom to assess the risk, take the risk, and enjoy riding our ATVs on secondary roads. Only very, very rarely would an ATV be a risk to another person. I agree with the posted 45 mph roads or less being appropriate. I can imagine many of us would ride at a lesser speed. In Colorado, we "share the road" with slow moving vehicles, like bicycles. We have to be courteous of our fellow citizens who pay for the roads too.

My Can Am owner's manual talks about the importance of the two up rider wearing a helmet with a good chin protection. The issue is jostling from bumps and jolts that jerks the rider.s head into the back of the operator's head. I could see that happening. It is an injury risk we can easily mitigate without a "requirement" law, just common sense.



Jumbo: You are right. Higher velocities results in more energy dissipated when you hit a tree, or power pole, or ditch. And you can't legislate all the risk out of living. It is tragic when a teenager gets serious injuries while riding a motor scooter, or driving the family car. It makes us feel bad.

I thought the linked article in post #1 certainly discusses the pros and cons. We ATV riders want to ride, and there ain't enough trail miles available for everyone who wants to take a weekend ride. We have one trail close by and southwest of Denver that looks like a freeway at rush hour on Saturdays. Lots of dust. There is no room to park your ATV trailer. Secondary road riding in scenic areas done responsibly can be just as much fun in my view. ATV owners ought to "demand" it.

David

 

My understanding of the physics of a crash are this. If 2 ATVs crash into a fixed object and one is going twice as fast as the other it will have 4 times the energy, and if it's going 3 times as fast it has 9 times the energy. Naturally your body will absorb a part of that energy and if you're going fast enough you'll either die or feel like you're going to. When people say speed kills it really does.