when i wrote that i was just sick of you and your crap just getting fed up with you and i am not saying the men and women that patrol are the ones that are lieing but the dnr does lie like every other organization that has anything to do with politics and the government when i brought up about the driving in the ditch i just used it as a reference to maybe let you open up your eyes so you can maybe see that bigger tires do mean better floatation so if there is a lil big of mud that we might not see until we are in there the bigger tires will allow us to tread more lightly. and how dare you ask me if i am on dope you don't know me and you have no right to make assumptions like that i never have and never will do any of that stuff and once again stick to the issue at hand

 

Whereas I have only responded to the missinformation and incorrrect allegations you have posted in this thread - I would say that I'm about 100% on top of the issues at hand herein as you have initiated them into the thread. Remember - if you bring it up - its fair game to be responded to.

But being an honor roll graduate you would already know the rules of debate - right?

So much for graduation standards.

 

for once i can actually agree with you i just ask that personal attacks be left out.

 

Three weeks ago, CNN had this headline (ATV deaths are on the rise, 600 killed last year).I just stared at the screen in disbelief. They still treat 4wheelers like trikes. I bet 599 of them were doing stupid stuff, i know i do.

 

If memory servers me correctly - it is a commonly accepted value of about 70% of all serious accidents happen in the first year of ATV operation.
I can see that as the first year of any recreation has the most frequent participation level - couple that with lack of expereince and the increasing power and weight of these machines and its not to hard to see how the numbers keep rising.

Novice riders are the most at risk group - behind youthful operators under 16 who dominate something like 70% of the injuries.

 

Ditto

 

OK, here comes the cavalry... I don't think anyone will argue that the number of accidents continues to be staggering. The reasons are many... some say it is just because there are so many being sold.. and that is partially true... I think everyone agrees there are more machines out there... but if considering it as a root cause.. no... Same goes for lack of training.. That one has a lot of merit.... but when combined with the first one.. now we start to see something a little clearer.

The problem is that only a percentage of manufacturers are voluntarily following the CPSC guidelines. Part and parcel in that is the focus on safety, and rider instruction. The REAL problem, and in my opinion, the root cause, is that the other manufacturers that have hit the streets with MUCH cheaper models, are not in any way concerned with safety, nor are the so called "dealers" selling them thinking that they will be in this business in a year or two. To them, it is a fast buck on the latest FAD rollercoaster of money. Parents are buying these machines like they shop for a gas grill or a dryer... they pays their money and walk out with a gleaming death trap.. totally unsuspecting and unaware that they may have just sealed their child's fate with the flick of their plastic. Little Johnny isn't afraid because mom and dad would never do anything to hurt them right? Huh, sad but true that too many of them don't live long enough to find out that moms and dads make mistakes too.

Until we force the safety issue and get the entire inidustry to focus in on safety and sell "proper training and responsible riding"... the numbers will not go down. And don't think for a moment that this isn't the key issue. To win this battle and have a sport in 5 years, we MUST lower those stats.

Now as for the tit for tat.. I have to agree with Whodat on this one.... I can't understand why the DNR is getting slammed when they are in fact working hard to keep things going... You might not agree with their politics, but they are the ones in the trenches fighting the environmental lobby right now... You might cut them some slack. Research is key.. and having the facts correct, and the players on the right sides is a start.

Whodat is like a kid who likes to rub a cat the wrong way... but if your goal is to **** off the cat and make him go away... well then, you have to admit he is successful... The neat thing about cats are they remember, and they get even... Ya gotta like a kid like that though.. reminds me of me...