I must ride in some really crappy areas. I can't imagine riding without a helmet and googles. All the mud, water, and gravel thrown up at my head. Not to mention the low hanging branches that I've hit with my helmet. I wouldn't think of riding without it. Actually, where I live, I've only seen a handful of people without them. Also, with the graphics & styling on helmets, they've gone to being the cool thing to wear.

I was on a riding area web-site last year reading their FAQ section. The last Q was "I'm an experienced rider, do I need to have a helmet?" A: "If you're an experienced rider, that's a pretty stupid question". AMEN!!!

 

It's been snowing for several hours here in NW Wisconsin, and I'm going to fire up my snowmobile for what will probably be a last ride of the season. I will be wearing my helmut...and watching out for ATVers.

 

Amen, my friend.....I guess what my problem has always been with others arguing this issue is that I DEMAND these helmetless riders answer that first question....not just 'ask' it of them. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] (which is exactly what helmet legislation has done in states which have adopted it...because every one of these people... <u>couldn't</u> <u>answer it without bowing their head in SHAME</u>).

I've said it before and will say it again....if pure, analdulterated SHAME can't bring a man to his senses...the government has absolutely no choice but to draw up a conscience for both him AND the next generation to follow.

 

BEAUTIFUL! I love that.

On new helmet graphics, I have to second that. I just bought an '05 Fox Tracer in matte silver. It's not as beautiful if it had actually been airbrushed, but it looks sweet. And it fits SOOOO much better than my old cheap THH that I had. Going to "break it in" this Sunday. Hopefully I never need it, but I'm sure I will. Mine saved me from more bumps from tree limbs than I care to remember.

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well ya got to stand for something and not ever body will see eye to eye but i reckon thats whats makes america great.so you guys keep those helmets on and i'll still ride like i always have but happy trails to everyone and no hard fellings, just my point of view

 

In NH it is voluntary to wear helmets on motorcycles, Harleys etc. for street use. I think it is different for offroad and snowmobiles. I wear helmet on my atv and snowmobile. We also have speed limits for atvs and snowmobiles and fish and game[ nicknamed fish cops] have radar. Some dirt bikes atvs don't have speedometers so you probaly use tach or guess how fast you are going. The fish and game have more authority than local police for search and seizure.

 

Yeah ... the laws around the country are all different... it doesn't mean they make sense or not. I don't thin we will debate the street bike issue here. As far as ATV's go though, where you are talking a much higher incidence of injury, it just makes sense to wear one. If your law allows it I guess I have to accept it.. it does not however mean I necessarily agree with it. All kids riding an ATV should have one period. We owe it to them to make sure they live to adult hood.

 

Just got off the phone with a national off-road group president who brought up the point that in states with no helmet laws; most riders believe everywhere they go in that state must be the same (with no exceptions for organized riding areas). Throw this in with the fact that some "pro-choice" groups will dole out a knee jerk reaction to the issue itself no matter where it is debated (on or off road).....and we have some serious educating to do as a group for the hearts and minds of those with an already formidable PAC who may not have ever considered the differences between street and trail (I don't see any; yet why fight any more people than you might not have to?).

And again, the dirty little secret here (that nobody wants to talk about) is the fact that our largest lobby group right now doesn't have not only the guts to unify the sport (motorcycles and atvs under one organizational roof)......but stand up on an issue they've fought on the other side of many times before.

There is a lot more division among our ranks than people realize and nobody can tell me that this hasn't been a HUGE factor in the amount of work we've been able to accomplish over what is turning out to be a significant amount of time.

 

I hear ya loud and clear Blackballed... however I think we are starting to see some changes in attitudes... and some encouraging actions on teh part of several professional groups.... For example, almost accross the board, the major ATV magazines that print pictures of readers riding their machines have taken teh stance that they refuse to print a picture of someone riding without a helmet. Several of them will not print a picture of illegal two up riding either... (Machine not designed for it, or dad riding with a small child in front of him etc... these are good signals.

We will always have some that will resist until the day they die.... without a helmet, that will probably come sooner then later.. but it was their choice. What isn't their choice is when they affect the attitudes of young riders giving them teh impression that it is OK to ride without a helmet... That is where a lot of us draw the line... Like you said.. if they can't do it on their own, the government will assist them in ways that nobody wants...

 

Agreeing 100% with the rest of your post....yet I wonder if it isn't time to start "assisting them" WITHIN the community (pushing legislation that is at least 'reasonable') instead of holding back because these national organizations don't have the guts (or character) to make a stand on what matters (which <u>isn't</u> superdome/cross country races or avoiding pissing off anyone so that they still send in their membership money and keep another non-profit worker perpetually employed).

Again, what is wrong with folks within our community simply standing up for issues like heavy fines and true enforcement? You make that penalty <u>severe</u> enough and not only does that money go back to the resource itself....it encourages law enforcement to see it as a revenue source (good investment) that is actually worth pursuing with extra resources of their own (and God help us if this strategy actually gets the majority of these nimrods off the trail or teaches our youth that there actually IS a consequence for their actions).

It always amazes me that nobody wants to talk about the best thing any riding area has ever come up with and with which they have had just HUGE success.

The H/M Authority figured out a long time ago that there is one thing that local and out-of-town riders respect like nothing else....a sworn officer of the law on duty <u>with the authority to enforce it!!!</u>. Was <U>that</U> kind of forward thinking really all that hard to figure out???