i agree with csamayfield55

 

I agree glimp.. but the problem we face now is that we are way past the point of common sense with our legislators and the tree huggers... Like it or not, we are in a battle right now.. and within our own community, we have to police ourselves to prove that we are responsible.. because in their eyes, we are a bunch of miscreants and hooligans. Because they only see the bad stuff.. It isn't newsworth to print the benefits that the sport brings to communities. I can name area after area that was dead after the local industry panned out, and ATV riding saved them. Wallace Idaho, Paiute trail in Utah, Hatfield/McCoy and on and on... all these areas are showing tremendous gains because the dollars being spent for gas, food, hotels etc are investing dollars back into local economies.... But will CBS or any other national media pick up on that? Some local politicians are getting the word, but many are still listening to the tree huggers that have been greasing their palms for years.

The only way we can fight to survive is to go at his with one concerted voice, and not let them put all ATV riders into one category. I can't see how we as a group can stand up and complain about being mistreated when Joe idiot is out there tearing up the rose garden of some little old lady, or doing donuts at the local golf course etc. Even national ATV magazines recently had on it's cover a Rhino jumping at a golf course... I am sure they thought it was cute.. but it was plain dumb. We don't need it.

Hey, I don't like Uncle Sam coming down on me with bogus stuff any more than the next guy, but we have to learn which battles to fight and which ones to let go of. Helmets and safety gear are ones that we will never win.. we are stuck with them, so lets put our efforts to where it can do us the most good. Like pressing states and federal agencies to invest in riding areas, and force them to keep them open. The Blue ribbon coalition is doing just that! I recommend everyone support their efforts. (just last week, they won a major case that forces the gov to keep a large area open.)

 

THATS my point. You guys can bash away and try to make me feel guilty all you want. I NEVER said helmets are dumb, dont wear them, etc. I just meant Its not the governments (or anyone elses) place to decide. What if they do- Then later just having helmets isnt good enough, soo they want to ban quads altogether???

Some of you are too quick to throw in the whole, "I'm gonna laugh when your in a wheelchair, poopin in a bag," kinda stuff, Its my right to protect my self as I see fit. NOT someone elses. If parents all had common sense to not let children ride unsupervised and undertrained- as well as under protected, we wouldnt be debating this topic in the first place. I am fully capable of deciding for myself and my kids what it takes to be safe, I dont need someone making my decisions for me.

And, yes, when my kids are old enough they will ride WITH gear, I dont even let my 6yr old outside by himself, let alone on a quad. So dont preach to me about How I need someone to make a law to keep me safe. When they turn 18 it'll be there choice to do as they wish, just like it is mine. By then I will be confident I did all I could as a parent to show them the proper way to ride responsibly, instead of sitting on my butt like many do and not actually "raising" their kids.

 

The reason I'm not shooting for one concerted voice and no idiots acting like idiots is simple. Reality. There will always be idiots. We won't get rid of them.

The answer is not to say, "ATVing is not bad, were good people, look at how safe we are!"

The answer is to say, "Why are we even talking about taking away personal freedoms for consenting adults?" If we want to say that in one concerted voice, I'm all for it! But it has to apply universally and not only where it suits us.

It's a basic tenent of America's Bill of Rights. "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness..."

 

I agree with both of you.. but the reality as you put it, is that we are past that point with laws etc. They are there, and more are in the planning stages. Once a law is on the books, it is rarely taken off. Only modified and interpreted. I don't like my ability to choose or decide what is best for me and my family to be usurped by the government, but it has been. I don't like the fact that ATVs as a class of motorized recreation has become the most regulated and governed sport in existance... that is unfair... and we are trying to fight that tooth and nail... All I am saying is don't make it harder on those that are actively in the fight... Don't give the self rightous back to nature lobby and insurance industry any more ammunition. And especially do not give the media cause to report their one sided "News stories"....

 

I get your point about about not wearing a helmet, doesn't mean I agree with you. You can make that choice for yourself and I am sure you must no the effects that can also come with not wearing one...So I am not gonna lecture you. Already tried that.

In our state helmets are mandatory on street bikes(never really checked into atv's)Seat belts are mandatory, you can be pulled over here for not wearing either one and Ticketed. So maybe if these laws didn't exsist here then we would have alot of head injurie cases. Who know's???

I just think slapping down more restrictions on ATV's is going to hurt everyone involved.

 

I just think there are so many more important agendas out there than if an adult wears a helmet....

....for example, mandatory castration of men convicted of sexual assault might be a cause worth fighting for.


Just think we should pick our political battles a little more wisely. Both sides. You know? Injuries are only an excuse to get rid of atv's. It is not the root of the problem. The root is the environmental effect. Tree huggers want them to go away. They try to find as many excuses as they can for their cause. Truth is, they could give a rip what happens to you as long as the blue-speckled mosquito survives. But scare tactics gain support. Why try to meet anybody half way when it won't satisfy them?

To heck with it. I'm with Glimp.

You're going to eventually lose your rights on public land. Period.

But, they can't enforce these laws on private land. Period.

Informing people is good. Thinking you can change people's behavior is respectable. Thinking you can change it by unenforceable legislation is delusional.

 

Let's make it illegal for any unmarried couple to have intercourse without wearing a condom! I mean it would save lives right? We could stop, or at least slow the spread of disease!

Why don't we pass a law that say's every time we get in our car we have to take a blood test for alcohol, sleep deprivation and mental acuity. I can see it now, "Well boss, Im not gonna make it into work today, I couldnt get the damn car to start! " I bet we'd have alot less accidents.

We could ban the use of radio's and cup holders in vehicles. This alone could save hundreds of lives!

How about this, we get rid of cars and motorcycles altogether and have everyone walk to work! If you live in the country you can get a permit to ride a bicycle if you pass a state test!

 

Quote

"just think there are so many more important agendas out there than if an adult wears a helmet....

....for example, mandatory castration of men convicted of sexual assault might be a cause worth fighting for."


Well, this is ATVConnection, we talk about atv issues here. If you want to talk about castration go to www.********-de-connection.com.


To all of you that think you can do what you want and you shouldn't be brow beaten. Please give me your address so that I can buy a house next door to you. I will start by painting it hot pink, I'll let the grass/weeds grow to 3 foot and I'll park my collection of parted out AMC Matadors up on blocks in the front yard. When you finally get enough nerve to approach me about it, I'll tell you to pound sand. You see, I'm from Western Kentucky and where I'm from, that's called art.

 

Talking is fine. Lobbying is rediculous. There is a difference.


If you want to lobby go talk to your representative. At least talk to someone who gives a flip.


ps- I look at zoning laws when buying a house, but the people who want to paint their house pink have that very same freedom.