I think one thing that has been an issue that has caused many injuries or even deaths for the OHV community is lack of Legal places to ride. This in turn puts people on roads with their ATV's and in direct contact with vehicles that don't watch out for them, not to mention a 13 year old running down the highway wide open on a quad that isn't made to ride on paved surfaces. (Didn't say it wasn't a parenting problem as well)

I know some areas have plenty of legal places that people can go and ride and they have injuries too, but compare the number of OHV's that use the area to injuries and do the same for places that do not and I'd be there is a big difference.

In the southeast, the idea of a trail on National Forest Service or State Park land is a gravel road. I know from working with the Forest Service and other Governement agencies that they usually have no clue of how to build a safe trail and end up building one that is unsafe, not OHV friendly, and honestly a nightmare to maintain and then they wonder why people get hurt, and the trails get worn out really quickly.

This is a sport that has apparent risks and people that ride should already know that. Honestly, if there wasn't a risk I probably wouldn't ride at all. Its usually the adraline rush that keeps me coming back. Kinda like skydiving. I mean would people REALLY jump out of perfectly good airplanes if there wasnt an adraline rush??? Lets hope not, at least not more than once. LOL!

 

I certainly can relate to that. In my younger days, I felt much like you do today. Always looking for thrills, thriving on that certain amount of fear factor... but as I aged, I kind of grew out of that. I believe this is a natural progression, and I also think that ATV riding as a sport has grown in a couple directions that reflect the types of machines that dominate the landscape these days. There is a strong element that the sport machines fit into for sure. Then on the other end of the spectrum, you have the heavy work crowd that uses an ATV to help them do chores, hunt, explore etc. And the majority of riders fit somewhere in between. Using their quads to explore and fool around one minute, do some serious work the next. And the machines are being asked to perform well in both extremes. To do that, you find motors are increasingly getting bigger, more speed is always a byproduct, and the machines are growing beyond the ability of many to safely operate. I am extremely blessed in that I can afford to own machines designed to operate at the extremes. I have sport models, and Utility models that are fit to the job I need them to handle. So I do not have to live in that compromise machine area... and I believe my safety level is better for it. BUT, the number one factor in my mind still is the tool we all have between the ears. If you don't use that, you are already at a disadvantage and a candidate for injury. Certainly, statistically speaking, safety gear is a HUGE benefit when considering injury avoidance as well. The realist in me acknowledges that convincing everyone to wear a helmet ALL the time is not a realistic goal. Even as safety concious as I am, I admit I do not always don mine if I am just dragging a tree or pulling a wagon in the back 40. I should, but I don't always do it. I have fallen victim to my own mistakes too, so I can speak from experience there. I agree with you though, as responsible adults/parents etc, we should set the example and create that safety environment and mentality for the next generation. Just remember, it wasn't all that long ago we struggled to get our kids to wear bike helmets remember? Now you see them everywhere. It is almost a rare occasion that we see a kid without one. I think we can get there, and the sport will be better for it.