In Michigan recently:

(1)..Over 750 miles of trails to lay down....yet nobody willing to state (publicly) where exactly those trails should be located or even what make-up percentage they should consist of....

(2)...A move to change the funding formula for the largest trail system in this country that literally affects thousands of miles of trails...yet not a word from anybody as to exactly what criteria is being used to formulate these millions of dollars in future funds or even HOW same can be formulated without so much as even the DNR's release of <U>their</U> multi-year master plan for the orv program itself.

Again, we're talking the future health and well being of massive amounts of land here involving 10's of millions of orv dollars (if not more) over possibly 25 long years...yet where is the debate found within this community on any of this?

Is this <u>why</u> these environmental types chastise us for not being proper stewards of our environment(?)
And is this treatment a result of issues like <u>improved</u> maintenance on our trail systems (ie. for-profit <u>privitized</u> programs) being behind-closed-doors thrown <U>out</U> as "unacceptable" for the simple reason that motorcycle clubs would flat out <U>lose</U> a big chunk of their revenue and (effectively)...their power over the rest of us?
What would happen in these funding formula committee meetings if the public were actually given the right to EXPECT answered questions from board members proposing the future expenditure of these millions of dollars at this crucial time....or any other?

I do know that neighboring states such as Wisconsin put these issues right out on the table and stand up like men/women to discuss them....yet what could possibly be the difference here in Michigan (is it the "red-headed-step-child" syndrome as related to our strong AMA presence?) and do many of you out there experience the same arrogant "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" treatment in your own orv communities?

 

If most states have absolutely no problem with their orv community membership being shamefully apathetic concerning the issues which concern them...how about those same folks volunteering to get their wallets out when it comes to maintenance, damage restoration, enforcement...or a host of other realities which continue to grow larger by the minute?

Does your local atv club or national organization ever discuss cutting the "get together money" or "racing involvement" (see the lop-sided ATVA) to put a larger focus on any one of the three above?

Is there a parent out there who has <u>ever</u> day-to-day preached "pay-to-play" as being <u>just</u> <u>as</u> <u>important</u> to their children's understanding of the sport as any other concept?

I guess I'll just keep asking the questions here that everybody (evidently) seems uncomfortable talking about....because I can guarantee that a greenie will be throwing the exact same ones in front of this community before to long.(this is kind of like meeting the guy who claims he knows plenty of trails off the pay-to-play....yet who doesn't necessarily feel comfortable 'preaching' to those who presently use same concerning either proper land stewardship or the fact that nothing is truly free).

 

Most of us republicans are too busy with the really important issues...like flag burning(up to 4 cases of this in america last year), g@y marraige ban, reducing the taxes on the wealthy, and kickin out foriegners.
When we get that accomplished, well deal with the woods. Maybe well sell the land to our rich friends...and they can privatize the land, and then we wont be dependant on the public, taking care of the trails.
My 2 cents

 

Yet another "issue apathy" question that those 'agin us' will someday ask:

Why does every national orv organization in this country fall all over themselves to sing the praises of areas like Windrock in Tennessee....yet show up at these Consumer Product Safety Commission hearings waving their 'safety bibles'.... while at the same time refusing to set up booths at these Windrock events which simply tout common safety sense and which denounce the exhibition of what goes on <u>every</u> <u>day</u> right in front of tens of thousands of young <u>impressionable</u> children every single year?

Isn't it sad that any one group would seek to get into our pockets over "ideals".....yet when the time comes to stand up like a man over <u>that</u> <u>exact</u> <u>same</u> <u>hipocracy</u>....the raw fear of experiencing their own membership's <u>wrath</u> for taking that stand...suddenly becomes a 'career revenue decision' for those garnering their income from these national orv non-profits?

If you question a national atv group long inextricably linked to some 'right' to go helmetless on our highways and byways by their parent motorcycle organization...as to exactly <u>why</u> they won't set up one of their promotional booths in Windrock to spread the message they supposedly preach anywhere but there.....why do they come back with:
'...we don't feel the helmet issue is actually as important as others we're working on; yet let me tell you about the $100 I have in my wallet for anybody that catches 'me' riding without a helmet!....'

Again, why do you think that not even the word "helmet" was used in this last petition circulated (years ago) when the CPSC meetings were held in West Virginia to focus on all the atv-related deaths there?

 

You gotta wonder if the apathy is because of the issues?


Or the originator of ths thread?

MWQ

 

Why would you not want to wear a helmet?

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: blue660
My question would be...why would our #1 front man in the nation choose playing a game involving the use of helmets and a hundy forever in his wallet....instead of setting up national organizational booths at huge venue events such as those held at Windrock outright <u>SHAMING</u> these people into self-compliance? Is a parent who allows his kid to ride doubled up with his little friend and helmet-less at a "look-the-other-way" hugely busy place like this...EVER get any other sane message in-person exhibited to him at these good 'ol boy venues?
And what do you think that future membership projections in a national organization who 'dared' do such a thing like a man and in person....would turn out to be?
Could these people possibly tear themselves away from 'racing' and their much more lucrative manufacturer related pursuits...AND GET DOWN TO THE BUSINESS OF CREATING <u>FULL-TIME</u> THE TRAIL/SAFETY/MAINTENACE/ENFORCEMENT LEGACIES WHICH WILL SUSTAIN US IN THE FUTURE? (or does simply turning these kind of issues over to unaccountable leaders in the <u>motorcycle</u> community seem much more efficient to them and obviously easier when the legitimate questions begin to be asked?).

If you don't have the stones to stand up to these helmet-less/doubled up riders or take your message right to where they brainwash <u>other</u> kids every single day with outright unresponsisble behavior reflecting terribly on the majority of this community trying to keep their image clean...then don't expect the 4-wheeled community to look at your organization as anything other than a "puppet" of your parent non-profit pushing every day to get rid of the helmet laws on this nation's roads.

It's no different and quite similiar to what's happening here in Michigan. If the 4-wheeled community continues to be "we're only-in-it-for-the-trailside-party" apathetic concerning the issues which affect who ultimately rides multi-use where and who forever <u>doesn't</u>....then the 2-wheeled "me-only" trail community will be more than happy to define those issues <u>for</u> <u>them</u> in a heartbeat.

 

Cant you atleast answer a question in YOUR thread?

 

So what is next?

Remove the requirement to wear a helmet?

 

From the horse's mouth: http://www.amadirectlink.com/legislt...ons/helmet.asp

Question: If you're a non-profit who's paycheck is signed by another non-profit this screwed up on the helmet safety issue...are you going to risk your livelihood over literally thousands of people every month witnessing these Windrock kids tear up a mountainside doubled up sans any kind of brain bucket?

Or would you finally break good people free of this nonsense and finally stand for true "legacy" v.s. continually being the red-headed step child?