In a way, this series of posts is not unlike the perpetual discussion over abortion........In spite of legislation, laws, rules, regulations, enforcement, policies, and public opinion the ultimate decision maker is the individual or individuals involved up close and personal at the time the decision is required. The posts on this discussion range all the way from "turn it all over to the government" to "I will do any damn thing I want". Age requirements and limitations?? At 12 I was driving hay trucks, tractors, pickups, and motorcycles. By the age of 15 I was operating a D-7 logging cat, skidding logs and building roads.............also drove log truck before I was old enough to have a legal drivers license.......Age?? keep the little kiddies home and safe?? My goodness lets not take any chances?????? Reality is that proper training by a responsible individual with a vested interest is what is required for almost any activity. Actions now being taken by government agencies will soon make it a moot point anyway.......public land is being locked up more each day, soon you will only ride where big brother allows and you will do it absolutely by their rules............or you will ride on private ground where the land owner will dictate the options..................The ultimate decision maker is the person with the throttle in their control.....................Tass

 

Oh how I wish it was so simple. And that nobody ever got hurt.... You are correct in saying that from one perspective, the person that jumps on and is hell bent to get hurt is making a choice. However the adult in me says OK, but the person making the choice must be legally responsible for their own actions. There in lies one major issue. A 13 year old jumping on his dad's Raptor 700 and ripping down the street probably can drive the thing... but what if a child walks out in front of him, and he kills them? Now we are in a legal quandry. Adult versus juvenile etc... nothing is going to satisfy the parents of the dead child. Are this kid's parents liable for leaving keys around etc? Way over the 13 year old's legal status now.... This does happen. Where was the responsible action? No, I do not agree with all of that argument. At least not when we are talking about Juveniles. The liability the parent just got tagged with is enormous. Just because Junior could not control his urges...
No I think we need some measure of common sense.. whether it is age limits, speed limits what ever.

 

You are correct.......We as adults can set the example....whether good or bad the children watch us. Many of the same arguments hold true for ATV that are used in the gun control question. Keys laying around?? Bullets laying around?? Sneak a ride? Sneak a shot? Folks get hurt, children get maimed or killed. I agree absolutely that a measure of common sense is essential but that has to come from responsible individuals. Laws on age limits and speed limits set the standard but common sense and responsibility insure they are followed....Tass

 

Not but 3 months ago gear save my ***. My friend was pushing down his ds650 off the ramp and its started to fall back on me. The bike pend my leg up agaisnt a close by trailer. Lucky for me i had my fox racing pants on with more padding and leather on the inside. It put 5" cut in my pants and hurt my leg like hell. If i was out in the desert not wear gear i would of been screw. Just wear your gear and try to be ready for anything. Hell you can fall in the shower on your way to work.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Tass

You are correct.......We as adults can set the example....whether good or bad the children watch us. Many of the same arguments hold true for ATV that are used in the gun control question. Keys laying around?? Bullets laying around?? Sneak a ride? Sneak a shot? Folks get hurt, children get maimed or killed. I agree absolutely that a measure of common sense is essential but that has to come from responsible individuals. Laws on age limits and speed limits set the standard but common sense and responsibility insure they are followed....Tass</end quote></div>

You are so right about adults setting a good example but here I don't think I have ever saw anyone over 5 or 6 wearing a helmet. I am guilty too. When My 2 sons were riding small dirtbikes They wore helmets but when We swapped to atv riding I guess I was foolishly thinking(or not actually) that an atv is safer. They are grown now and it is scary thinking about how They could have been hurt as easily on an atv. You can bet when My grandson starts riding He will have a helmet.
Drinking and riding is another problem I have seen. Younger riders out for an afternoon of riding and older riders mainly at the deer camp.
The manufactures seem to be doing about all They can to warn and educate Us. All They should be responsible for is manufacturers defects. We need to accept that no matter how safe We are that accidents do happen but We must use our heads and not increase the possibility of injury by riding without a helmet, drinking, or doing anything else that increases the risk. Thanks. Ride smart and be safe.

 

You know that is just the thing... Why do we as parents think that if a machine has 4 wheels, it is safer than 2? Persoanlly, I feel if they made quads 4 inches wider, they would really increase teh safety factor, and is why I bolted up spacers on my son's 80 right away. Even so, he found a way to flip it once in a while.

Dirt bikes are so much lighter.. and when you crash one, your body tends to take another path than the bike, but on a Quad, your body and the quad travel together and share the same space. Guess which one wins?

Someone above indicated this is a no win argument that will continue forever... YUP. He is right there. As long as we are allowed our own opinions, and can make our own decisions... it will always be there. The sport is starting to take a stand, and it is getting tougher on non compliance. People are starting to complain about having their so called rights taken from them.. Well just remember that it was people just like them that got us in trouble in the first place.

Someone also indicated that on your own property, you should be able to choose. Does it matter if a kid dies on public or private property? He will still be dead. You have to fix the things that are in your control. You can make sure the gear is worn. You can make sure the child gets professional training, YOU too for that matter. You can introduce rules and limitations and enforce them. In short, we can all learn how to BE THE PARENT.

I think the scariest thing I have come across is the attitude that some kids have that they do not have a future and they actually are looking forward to dying young.. probably in some kind of accident while they were getting a thrill. As a parent and grand parent, I have problems with that on many levels. I just don't understand it....

 

Tass is so right on everything. No amount of laws or guidelines are going to do any good without personal responsibility. People being accountable for their own actions is what works. Not laws, legal action, fines, or restrictions imposed by government!

 

Just for any reason why people would think it was my parents who let Jeremy on the ATV, they didn't so you can stop being a bunch of *%$holes and blaming it on our parents. He was dropped off at a friends house and while with friends he visited a family friend who has an ATV. Knowing that Jeremy liked riding the damn thing he let him do it with out my mothers or fathers permission. I was with my mother when Jeremy was dropped off at his friends i know for a #$%@#$ FACT no one knew he was going to ride it, if he would have asked she would have said NO like every time he asked. So please stop acting like you know what you are talking about when it comes to my brothers accident you really don't, you only know what you read and it was not the whole truth. Next time ANYONE decides to write on this make sure you know the truth and think about what the family of this child has to read so don't post anything $%%^&*. Okay that's enough from me all of you can go ahead and talk about others life since obviously don't have one of your own.

Sincerely,
Jeremy's Older Sister

 

Manufacturers should /could help things, but what it boils down to is.. people are always going to want to take away your fun. People are grossly jealous of what they dont/ didnt have. No should ruin my fun. We know the risks. There are always going to be crazy people who get themselves hurt, no matter if you take away their quads, or what. The govt is already limiting too much.

 

more people are injured on trampolines every year than on atv's-
don't get me started on skateboards, freestyle bmx, pogo-sticks and football.

other than my kids safety- it's none of my business what someone does on their atv- if I agree with them or not.