I hitched the puppy up at 3 at 4 I was a terror on 2 wheels [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

WhoDat. Age should not be a defining point for anything in our lives. while young our parents should judge our abilities. I am not recomending people start at 2 or 3 or 10. Age is irrelavent. everyone knows all children develop at differnt rates.. All mamals within their own species develop at differnt rates. whats good for one kid may not be good for the next. But why make it illegal for the first kid who is perfectly capable? ATVs are not the problem. its the parents. some just dont care nore take the precaution. Ive been fortunate to be around some amazing kids with amazing parents who love them and would never inentially put them outside their abilitys. Id personally rather see kids outside being physically challange than hiding in a house away from the world playin games or watchin telletubbies.

we should all want to do everything in our power to keep restrictions off of us. how is that freedom to be told you can't all the time?

 

Some good points for discussion here as well, These are the meat of the issue without the emotion. This is good.

Let me mine those points out first.
1) Age should not be a defining point for anything
2) Children develope at different rates
3) why illegal if capable
4) ATVs are not the problem
5) Parents
a- never intentionaly put kids outside their abilities
b -Parents should judge our abilities
c -Some parents dont care enough to take precaution

1) Age should not be a defining point for anything. Unfortunately the question then becomes what is the defining point? History has demonstrated VERY clearly that we need to set the bar to maintain a socially accepted level of tolerance for just about everything. When a young boater drove over a pontoon with teenage girls sunbathing - it became a law that you must be 14 to operate a boat. We must be at least 18 to drink - there is no test to see if you can handle it. 21 to be a transport pilot. (my example of socially accepted level of tolerance) ie "sorry folks but the pilot was delayed because he ran a little late on his paper route - again " There are many many layers of testing to demonstrate ability to becoming a ATP – but do we accept a 14 year old flying our 757 because “he can”. I vote – nope.

2) Children develop at different rates - They do? By what measure? This is the problem. If the parent is a loser crack-addict and doesn’t' give a rip - do we rely on their judgment just because they were the egg and sperm donor? The best answer is - there needs to be a generally accepted measuring stick that is clear and concise that is set apart from the bias of the parent. Age is one. I prefer a hybrid of age + knowledge + demonstrated ability - that’s what we do for children between the ages of 12 and 15 who want to ride larger then 90cc quads but that’s a tough nut to crack for a 4 year old. They don’t test well. To accurately decide there must be some measure of knowledge and demonstrated ability that parents can hold in their hands and society can be comfortable with that would be adequate to make the RIGHT decision. Sadly most parents are guessing if their child is ready or not in IMO because most don't know the risks and factors of buying the youth an ATV - Yes I have had parents ask me if they can ride the ATV in the house. I get asked to help out at testing events, sales events and competitions so I'm VERY familiar with many of the non-ATV knowledgeable dumb questions these Icons of parental wisdom are asking. Not all biological reproduction units are as smart and ATV savy as you folks. Consider yourselves in the top 5%. But without some new measure… - Age is the only tool that is generally accepted.

3) Why illegal if capable - Exactly. Now how do we measure that?! Again - the parents? No - parents are the problem on this one. Every day some parents are puting there kids who is are NOT capable on machines that results in hundreds killed and tens of thousands seriously injured. They do it so much that states have passed laws to act as safety nets to protect the children and PUNISH the parents who are failing to make the right decisions. Someone show me a standardized measuring tool for a 4 year old on a ATV and I will support it. And thats a quote (in kind) from my state senator whom I discuss this with often. The Consumer Safety and Protection Agency has set guidelines that many states have made law. You don’t have to follow the laws – but it will sting eventually.

4) ATVs are not the problem – Yes they are. They are because that’s what is on the front page of papers and on the news. Youth on ATV’s has become the best tool for the anti-ATV groups to WIN their battles to rid their public land from the evil smelly noisy machines that are destroying mother earth. It is the reality of the perception that makes ATV’s the problem. Not much different then the argument over who kills – guns or people. The perception is guns. So we banned guns in Washington DC and all the people killing have stopped. Right?

5) Parents
a- Never intentionally put kids outside their abilities
b -Parents should judge our abilities
c -Some parents dont care enough to take precaution

Here we go –

a- Never intentionally put kids outside their abilities. Yes they do. About 40,000 times each year. A fact finding effort into the causes for child ATV injuries has identified that parents allowing access and operation by children of to large of an atv is the #1 factor in 70% of incidents. That’s a very powerful discovery. Now you might not – but tens of thousands of others are doing it. Every day.

b -Parents should judge our abilities - Why don’t parents hand out drivers licenses? Pilots licenses? Semi-truck licenses? Why don’t parents decide if you are a doctor or lawyer? Why not? They know you best don’t they? I think society requires a more standardized and accredited method of recognizing the competency and demonstration of a minimal level of ability. And I think we would agree that this is a good thing. Again – holding parents up as Icons of unbiased decision making for their children – hasn’t been working out really well in ATV world. That’s why we have the problems we do.

c -Some parents dont care enough to take precaution. Don’t care – don’t know – wasn’t told – never imagined… There are hundreds of reasons why. Ever talk with a crazy person? I mean someone who is really nuts? THEY DON”T THINK THEY ARE CRAZY. They think everyone else is. Kind of scary isn’t it.

 

wow this post has turned into a big stink