we're all preaching to the choir... guys like us have a few things in common - we're involved with our kids, we understand our machines and their limitations, and appreciate proper safety guidelines. our very existence on this forum is proof of that.

we are not the problem.

the problem is those parents that bought a machine to occupy their kids while they're busy drinking beer (not a bad thing, mind you). it's the yee-ha types that have no regard for safety and common sense. it's the type that's willing to let their 12 year old ride a 400ex without a shirt or helmet and a buddy on the back.

these are the types that are going to visit hospitals and create sobering statistics. and unfortunately, you can't talk sense to them and big brother has to make us all pay for their indiscretions. our gov't has no choice but to create laws that address the lowest common denominator.

 

I'd like to see all kids riding with a helmet even on there bikes and skateboards along with whip flags and daytime running lights. Of course no whip flag or lights for skateboards... Granted my kids only have to wear helmets while riding. But a whip flag and lights would be safer... You could make it available to all kids. PTA's at schools could raise money for these items instead of raising funds for swingsets each year that they never put in. My kids school raises money for the same items year after year.. They reach there goal and yet never purchase the items. Anyway why limit it to atv's.

 

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Does anyone feel the fronts of mini-ATVs should be wider then their current factory design? Thus, less tippy on the corners?

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I live in IOWA and any child can ride a dirt bike anywhere in the park. The day the local DNR asked me and my 7 year old daughter to leave the park[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I watched a small boy on a dirt bike with training wheels TBone a parked van.(Unhurt thank god) I think the sport has 2 problems. 1. The tree huggers HATE ATV's. 2 The sport has grown so rapidly and shows no sighn of slowing down , the DNR has thrown soft money at financialy strapped local ATV clubs to take over managment and and regulate the parks. The DNR here has no desire to build any parks on it's own. They site statistics but will not and do not supply data (ie specifics on accidents). Dirt bikes (which I own) far outnumber ATV's and incure many more accidents and deaths yet are allowed far more riegn in who can and cannot ride them in the parks. My theory there is they don't want to anger the motrcycle crowd along with ATV crowd. The DNR here still does not offer any saftey classes....I registered all my small ATV's and paid the park fee to support the parks, however the DOT told me I did not even have to register the quads by law??? The DNR says its the law to register??. There is alot of work to do before ATV's will be allowed the same access as motorcycles. Its a family sport...but not all family members are allowed access. And it sucks!!

 

These new regulations all stem from a death of a child memorial day weekend. Some a$$hole lets his kid ride an adult size atv (not a youth atv) no helmet, no safety gear. I dont see how limiting a youth atv will stop that from happening. These people have to understand that the majority of us only let our kids ride with strict supervision with all the right teachings and safety gear.

What's next "No bicycles for kids under 13"?