I shouldn't have responded to this right after I read it. Usually, when I read a post that makes me mad, I walk away and often don't respond and just leave it alone. That's what I should have done here. And I was surely out of line with the name calling and I apologize. But in his first paragraph he talks about how he took pictures of atv'ers tearing things up for a file to fight expansion of any atv trail use is BS. And to go on and blame all atv'ers for rutting up the trails is obsurd! Finally, now that he likes atv's, he is not as opposed to them as he used to be. Wildwest said it best (and I should be happy) that even a greeny can learn to love atv'ing!

I actually had no problem with the reference to the fatality. It was the combination of his bio and post that angered me. Sorry I threw up!

 

Wow, Koerbs, did you think of that big fancy word all by yourself!

 

Ok guys we are all atvers here and some snowmobile also. We need to stay united against the hard core treehuggers.

Years ago when I was sledding up in that area I came across some rutted up trails from what I did not know at the time, until I came across a group of atv's. I was fuming by that time about the snowmobile trail being rutted up. Now I sled, when I can and atv also. Doing both I can see both sides. Do I like riding my sled on a rutted trail... heck no. But I know we have to co-exist in the area. It is not often it happens but it does and I realize that is the way it is. I have learned to be more tolerant and see both sides.

 

we all ride at our own risk, and before i even get on a quad i think of all thr risks im about to take. if he ( the atv rider ) should have known the risks of going around a blind turn. but some people think with their thumb and not their brain, so odds are he had it opened up quite a bit, and should have been more cautious. and if he was going slow then he was not fully at fault because the other vehicle must have been traveling at excessive speeds. i mean one of the must have been speeding, which ever one it was is at fault more then the other... if they were both driving safley then dont hold this against me, im just saying what most of you are thinking...

its a shame to die like that, but like they say....$h!t happens..

 

Hey, for me, Deeplaker, I am glad you've come around. Although I can honestly say that I've never been a treehugger (cutter, yes, hugger no), I am glad to see that you've had a change of heart. I now have two bad knees and a bad disc in my back. I cannot hike for miles, climb mountains, play full court basketball or do a lot of the sports I used to play. For me, ATVing has become a favorite way to get out and enjoy the woods with my son and my friends. It's a nice way to unwind. Our ATV group has worked with the local snowmobile group on some projects. It's almost an uneasy truce but it's better than the usage wars that were much more common just a few years ago.

 

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

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



Had this been a motorcycle, would it even be newsworthy???</end quote></div>



No, but everyone know motorcycles are dangerous. Thats why no one puts their young child on a CR500.</end quote></div>

Well, if one is not "bright" enough to know what is dangerous or not, then maybe "natural selection" will just eliminate one from the gene pool?

Many many things we do in life evey day are dangerous! What it comes down to is what is the "calculated risk" involved.

For example (there are few things we ever do that are as dangerous as getting into a car (yet everybody takes them for granted!). I drive my car to work, and if I didn't work I wouldn't eat, or have shelter, or health care, etc, and that would be detremental to my health....so the benefits of driving to work each day outweigh the risks.....

Same with my rec vehicles. Sure they are dangerous, but not so dangerous that it makes the pleasure I get from riding them not worth the cost.

 

these days you can die from anything and everything you do, so im happy to put my life at risk on a quad for a thrill, atleast if it kills me people will have a story to tell. they can say i died riding my atv through a thunder storm or somthing, opposed to catching Escherichia coli from the salad bar at the local olive garden. yeah i like the atv related death better.

still sad about the guy dying, my sympathy goes out to the family

 

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

Well, if one is not "bright" enough to know what is dangerous or not, then maybe "natural selection" will just eliminate one from the gene pool?

Many many things we do in life evey day are dangerous! What it comes down to is what is the "calculated risk" involved.

For example (there are few things we ever do that are as dangerous as getting into a car (yet everybody takes them for granted!). I drive my car to work, and if I didn't work I wouldn't eat, or have shelter, or health care, etc, and that would be detremental to my health....so the benefits of driving to work each day outweigh the risks.....

Same with my rec vehicles. Sure they are dangerous, but not so dangerous that it makes the pleasure I get from riding them not worth the cost.</end quote></div>

Youll get no arguement from me on any of that reconranger. Its the "perceived" level safety of a quad that get's people into trouble. That same "perceived" level of safety that ended the ATC's life. Its why the CPSC is so invloved with the Quad, yet has no involvement with motorcycles.

I personally think the dirt bike is much safer than a quad. Especially at higher speeds. The quad is more stable at lower speeds because of its 4 wheels. At speed, those same 4 wheels contribute to its instability.

I dress for the crash, not the ride. Dosnt prevent injury but helps a lot.

In getting back to the topic of this thread Id assume the rider who died was not following 1 simple rule when riding on a 2 way trail or fire road.

Stay To The Right. As far to the right as possible.

 

This sport is risky we all know that and we all take that risk when we ride.This is sad.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: wildwest1011

Hey if more greenies rode ATV's we would be in a better position. Tell your friends its fun too!

Talk about it at the whole foods market in the vegetable section.



Seriously, I agree..post is fine, bio is a little different. But at the same time it shows a ATV hater can become a ATV Rider...</end quote></div>

What is sad is that a lot of "greenies" do ride..... but they seem to think that their riding is OK because it is related to nature and somehow ours is related to destruction.

I was on a trail once, and two "environmentalists" flagged us down and were yelling at us because they claimed our "sport" machines were too destructive. Meanwhile they were sitting on top of HUGE 4x4 Polaris machines - and I pointed out that 4x4s are just as guilty by making massive ruts in the trails.

One of them said "well those people are going too fast" and I started to laugh. I said not in the mud they aren't.... they are just trying to get through without getting stuck.....

Point is that for some reason people think what they are doing is always OK and other who are doing the same thing can fool themselves into justification...... there is no way you can tell me those "environmentalists" were not having any fun riding because I know they were......

People get such a hard-on for ATVs that they get blinded by the reality and make up their minds based on a few idiots out there.......