Freedome of choice. Wear a helmet, don't wear a helmet. Who cares. But like YoDaddy said, protect our sport.

 

This is something I feel pretty strongly about. I personally will never ride anywhere w/o my helmet on.(with the exception of from the garage to the water hose. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] ) And my kids DEFINATELY will not be allowed to ride w/o a helmet on. Barlett, I'll agree with most the other people on here as well. If you don't want to wear a helmet when you riding around the trails at your home, or riding across the pasture you are right it IS YOUR RIGHT. I am very disappointed that we have to worry so bad about making the greenies happy. But the helmet situation is just another piece of ammunition for the tree huggers to use towards us. Look around us? They are closing land/trails everywhere. And now in many areas they're enforcing 96db ratings. They ARE winning........ The helmet situation is just something thats easy for us to do that prevents just another thing for them to throw at us.

 

Thanks Guys,
It's good to see that there are so many good and responsible ATVer's out there! Presenting a positive image is so important. We work with the local DNR and the other land users in our riding areas, and just talking to them in a group setting has changed perceptions from all sides. In all, ATV's are viewed as family oriented and as a good group in general. Let's keep up the good trail manners, and educate those who are either new to the sport, or are interested, in proper use and responsibility to ATV's. Those of us who are experienced riders have this responsibility. I want to thank all who have responded to this post, and let's keep the dialogue going, both on this post, and among your clubs and riding buddies.

John

 

Oh yeah, Raptor8, it's funny you should mention the horse people. We seem to have a better relationship with the horse crowd than the dirtbikers believe it or not. I understand the dirt bike perspective (I raced bikes for over 20 years on everything from mx, flat track, desert and woods hare scrambles, to enduro's), but it has become extremely close minded and short sited. The quad explosion has arrived, and it can be a little bit of a threat.

John

 

It's probably best that BartletRacing doesn't wear a helmet.

 

Taught I'dd Had my 2 Cents (Canadian) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]
Here in Canada it's mandatory in... I would say every provinces to wear the helmet. I'm a police officer [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] and I see both side of the coin's. Receiving all kinds of public complaint on daily basis about erratic ATV driving and I'm also doing lots of ATV on my own time. The biggest problem we had around are 16 y.o. to 20 y.o. driving big machine and disrespecting everybody. They are driving without helmet, on peoples property(lawn, farms land etc...) on the road at high rate of speed passing car's, popping wheelies everywhere. We receive request to chase them away and off the street but we are not properly equiped and cover in case one off them get hurt in a chase. A respectfull ATVer will drive around on the road to go get his trail will get ticketed for behing on a public roadway because of the frustation by the police and the public. They (We) all put us in the same basket. What I try to do is go to every local ATV club and educate them, we need to work together and stop to erratic, disrespectfull ATVer because we will be blame for all of it...

MTD[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]