West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

WV's Trail of Tears
Username= ATVrider Password= ATVrider if you would like to read any of the past articles.

According to CREM, 95 percent of accident victims don’t wear a helmet. Yet the safety wackos want to neuter the ATV's!!! Why is is so clear to so many yet not an issue to so many more?

The first article is an interesting read.

2nd article = no helmet and doubling

3rd article 4th article = no helmet

5th article = no helmet

6th article = no helmet

7th article = no mention

8th article = no helmet (not directly mentioned but this is a telling excerpt "His head hit the tree." and from the mother "....If you’re going to be on them, you should have to wear helmets and gloves and kneepads"

9th article = no helmet

10th article = no helmet and doubling

11th article = internal bleeding-----not sure what to say about this one....the read is interesting as well.


Now, not to get on a big soapbox as some may do but I would like to say.....

If you don't wear a helmet, fine, but for God's (and their's) sake put one on your child's head.

At least give them the chance.....get them as much protective equipment (MAKE THEM WEAR IT) and safety training you can. I'm not saying the all the safety gear in the world would've saved any of these children but if saved just one of them wouldn't that make it worth the cost and effort?

I'm still amazed at some of the comments by the parents (I understand grief) wanting to blame the ATV's....even though many of them go on to say that you shouldn't ride one without a helmet and gear!

It may not always save you but I've yet to read where a helmet or other gear has actually caused an injury.

(I shall now zip up my flame suit and stand by) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

bravo. There's a lot of focus right now on the very high injury and death rate of ATV riders. Helmets need to be the FIRST stop on the road to safer riding.

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

NO zipping on the ole flame suit here.
I think you are right. It does us no good to have parents who just lost a loved one give a Knee Jerk opinion about ATV's. To many times are laws made for all the wrong reasons. I do belive that parents should share in the burden of making sure theyre kids do the right thing and wear their safety gear which means sturdy boots, Helmt and i even want to go as far as chest protectors. the fact of the matter is that especially the smaller kids cannot witstand a quad on top of them. Heck, i ha trouble getting a big quoiad of of me when pinned and im 6'4" 280 lbs.


just my 02

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

Great info and appreciate the links........now why is it; that when I call the ATVA and ask them about doubling up and helmets at Windrock........they want me to "break out" the helmet issue?

Someday..........somebody's going to shove this helmet issue right up our butts and start calling us all a bunch of hipocrites........and pray tell; what are we going to come up with in our defense? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

If you aren't even willing to change the mind of the people who lead you........why should you bother worrying about the people who could benefit from that leadership?

These guys are so vulnerable on this issue; that I'm starting to question what effect that them ever getting called on it is going to have on the rest of us(?)

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

i am not knocking anyone here, but why would anyone want to ride without a helmet? i dont get it. i have been riding since i was 10 years old and i have never ridden without one. i won't let my son ride without one either, ever!! when my daughter is old enough, she wont be allowed either, ever!! i wish that some of these "helmetless rebels" can see what your head looks like after smashing into a tree helmetless. or perhaps some road rash for good measure on the side of your face. come on people! common sense needs to prevail and we need to protect our children above all else. please dont ride without a helmet and for god sake put as much protective gear on your children as possible. i would be devastated if anything ever happened to my kids. doesn't everyone else feel the same way??? these greenies have enough ammo against us with all the property damage that is done by a few disrespectful riders. we dont need to give them any more. just my 2 cents

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

if you want to see what stupidity like driving without a helmet or other dumb maneuvers do to you then go to www.rotten.com.

i must warn you though because i is not for the faint of heart. you will be exposed to some very serious images of people meeting their demise.
again, i warn you. it's not pretty.

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

I'm going to go way out here on a limb and stick my neck way......

I see that there have been several views of this thread yet only a handful of comments.

I'd like to know how:

Many of the viewers are ATVA members?

How many wish the whole helmet issue would just go away?

How many here actually ride with helmets or put helmets on their children? (BTW, I have no children)

Why can't there be CIVIL discussion concerning helmets amongst the riding public? (I'm sure I've been guilty of getting too riled up about somethings here and another forum)

Of the few people that have commented, are you an ATVA member?

How do you feel about the ATVA being non-commital on the helmet issue?


Now, I'm not jumping on BB's wagon but he does bring valid points and facts to the table----sometimes in a rather heavy handed way [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Does anyone here ever get to talk to the "leadership" of the ATVA outside of any official capacity? Is it mere chit-chat or do you ask pertinent questions about the fate of our sport?


I'm no ATVA expert but I was a bit perturbed after reading the article in last issue DirtWheels.....they may be doing worlds of good out there for all us, I don't really know because I don't here about any of the good.....only the deaths, maimings and cripplings ATV's do because of something careless.....

If someone can enlighten me as to some of the good the ATVA is involved with please do so.....I'm not a member yet but I'm not opposed to it either....

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

The ATVA does do a world of good; if only because they are the only people out there doing it.

We've got an atv club up here in Michigan that has turned away more willing volunteers than they will probably ever get back "even with" in that same future time period......obviously, the quality of the people in that membership cannot be very high when you have people sitting around with their lips zipped and continually letting good people walk out the door.

The ATVA is in the same predicament.

They can be an association that "coddles" helmet-less behavior and leaves issues like the rules at Windrock "alone" (as this issue is a huge part of the problem)...........or they can become a group of people (as I sense RookWV feels) THAT WILL NOT SPEND ONE MORE MINUTE arguing helmets and WILL GO AFTER THOSE THAT DO, FOR OUR CHILDREN'S SAKE (you can make all the laws you want and train every kid in this nation about helmet use........yet when they see their "role model" adults not only riding unprotected; but sticking their finger up to enforcement?.......a lot of kids aren't developed enough to make the determination that (father, uncle, friend) Billy Bob; is a dumba$$). [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

I am sick of arguing about helmets and especially when there are so many other issues that this subject is taking our valuable free time from addressing. There comes a time when you have to separate yourself from those that don't give a damn about how their behavior affects the next generation of riders and the continued long-term health of our sport.

And after my experience here in Michigan with people who, although might believe in things like helmets........are totally non-committal and non-responsive on the other issues that have made our sport the unorganized laughing stock of Michigan off-road recreation?

There is "dead wood" which will always need culling.........if just for their effect on others who are discouraged from speaking their mind by an uninformed "pack" mentality ("well, 'gee'......the club president did bring us 'weenies' to the trailhead today... and I did get away from my wife for the day.......why should I be bothered about where this club stands politically or philisophically?......mmmmm.....good weenies!).

You can characterize my comments as you wish.........I would just like to be a part of something that you don't have to continually keep apoligizing for and have brothers who I am proud to stand beside and acknowledge as such.

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

RookWV,

I'm not an ATVA member. I DO wish the issue would just disappear (by means of everybody suddenly wearing helmets). I don't have kids yet, but ANYONE riding on my property must wear one. there is no option. My cousin's life was saved by one (U.P. of Mich) and my friend's brother (Maine) was killed because he didn't have one on when his head "encountered" a tree.

My opinion: "the masses are asses". You can't count on anyone using common sense. It is frustrating for me because this seems SO simple. Maybe the answer is that the manufacturers should include a helmet with every ATV? Or maybe the dealers are required to sell a helmet "at cost" with every ATV. When I bought mine, my wife and I spent hundreds on 2 good helmets. I can see where it is tempting to procrastinate on that purchase - especially when you have a brand new ATV in your garage and you're waiting for UPS to deliver!

One comment, "95% of accident victims don't wear a helmet" can be misleading. In that statistic, what constitutes an accident? It implies that wearing a helmet would help 95% of accidents - especially to people who are anti-ATV. I think a more relevant statistic would be the "% of injuries/deaths that would have been avoided with the use of helmets". On the other hand, the 95% number indicates that people who are careless/reckless riders, who are the ones most likely to get into an accident, are also the group that doesn't wear them. That's a STRONG correlation!

West Virginia's Trail of Tears----Sad reading
 

I wear a helmet, my kids wear a helmet. I do try to set a good example.
The only way good information will get out is if we sperad it. Invite a reporter on a ride. Call the local papers and tell them how much you your family and friends enjoy riding SAFELY.
Put your helmet on even if your the only rider in your group the wears one, it just might be contagious.
It's most likely to late to reach the grown-ups but lets keep reaching (yes not trying) the youngsters we come in contact with.
No I am not an ATVA member.
More laws won't reach people, examples will.