Consumer Reports is Anti ATV

[JOEX]

In the January 2007 issue of Consumer Reports President Jim Guest listed what he and Consumers Union feel are '5 Serious Safety Concerns' in his 'Have You Heard' column on page 5.

"At Consumers Union, we're not shy about sharing our opinions with the federal agencies responsible for product safety. As we enter a new year, we're focusing on some of teh dangers that, with enlightened regulatory action, shouldn't be dangers. In some cases, the agencies are already deoting varying amounts of resources to these issues. But we'd like to see decisive action on the following in 2007:"

*snip*

One of the safety concerns involve ATV's:

"ATVs. All-terrain vehicles caused an estimated 740 deaths and 125,000 injuries in 2003, the latest year for which data are available. Thirty percent of victims were under 16. The current voulntary industry standards should be mandatory. And three-wheelers, tandems, and child-sized ATVs should be banned"


I don't have a problem with some regulation such as selling to minors but banning child sized ATVs is unneccessary and short sighted. I belive if a child is introduced to ATVs with the oversight of a responsible parent or adult the child will have a much better understanding and respect for the ATV than an older person riding an ATV for the first time.

The parent should be able to purchase any ATV they choose for their child as long as the parent is held 100% accountable for thier minor childs actions with the ATV other than manufacturers defects. I know this may be difficult with so many people not willing to accept responsibility for thier actions and instead choosing to sue the company with the big money because they were either stupid or ignorant.

Since I can't knowingly support a company that is lobbying against a hobby I enjoy i'll be cancelling my print and online subscriptions to Consumer Reports.

[F-16Guy]

I agree. They've always been anti-ATV. They are trying their hardest to regulate ATVs into oblivion (sounds like the Sierra Club). Jim Guest's statisitics also lacked perspective. 740 People is a lot, but compared to the number of people in the country who operate ATVs, it isn't cause for banning. Maybe we should also ban cars and street bikes. I would like to see helmet laws in every state for operating all motorcycles/ATVs over 50cc, and for riders under 16 years of age regardless of the machine's engine displacement. Closed head injuries would, in my opinion, be almost entirely eliminated. It basically all boils down to personal responsibility. If you let your 14 year old ride your Banshee, you have to expect the worst. You have to teach respect and proper operation, and keep your child on an age/skill appropriate machine. Simple as that.

[EX lvr]

Originally posted by F-16Guy
If you let your 14 year old ride your Banshee, you have to expect the worst. You have to teach .


i was 14 when i bought my first quad.... my banshee:D

[HondaATC500X]

Bah here we go with the three-wheelers need to be banned crap again. :( Never ending I suppose.

[honda4life72]

why don't tell stay out of our besiness? if we want to take the rick of riding a tv then let us do it ...its our falt if we die not theres

[250rAL]

I wonder how many of those 740 were drunk? They don't stop to mention that. I know almost all of the deaths in my area were DUI's.

bahh hum bug !:p

[bradley300]

if atvs have killed 740 and they are on the list, i hope to god they ban cars trucks and suv's at the same time. seems they kill a few more people than atvs

[bwamos]

They jsut need to start passing out more DUI's.
I garantee at least 70% of the child deaths were a result of some drunk idiot in the sand dunes with his child on the back of the atv while he's drivin the atv drunk in the dunes after dark.


I personally would also like to see an ATV endorsement on Drivers Licenses to operate a full sized ATV on public lands.

Banning child sized atv's will only promote children to ride full sized atvs.

All child sized ATV's should have a mandatory remote kill, and a minimum width. Some of the cheapo walmart/generic versions are extremly skinny and unstable.

In 2003 889,000 ATV's were sold. 740 deaths.

That's 1 death every 1201 atv's sold.

In 2003 40,000,000. 44,000 deaths. 1 death for every 909 automobiles sold.

ATV's are statistically safter than automobiles.

You are 32% more likley to die in a car than on an ATV.

However the alarming statistic is the percentage of child deaths. less than 1% of deaths in autos.. 30% of deaths on ATV's.

Simply getting awareness up.. and reducing child fatalitys would easliy make it 50% less likley to die on an ATV. ;)

most child deaths are because parents seem to think that raptors, grilzzleys, 450r's and other big, heavy fast quads are good abbysitters for little 5 year old johnny and his friend...they say here is the key, go, i don't wanna see ya for an hour...but hey that is the atv's fault , not the parent...i mean there shgould be warnings on the atv saying that it is not suitable for minors...oh wait there are...honda just shouldn't have made a bike so big if they knew that 70 lb johnny was going to be riding it...get real, learn true responsibilty

[parkers30]

I don't know about you guys but most of the deaths I see are:

2 people on one fourwheeler, on the pavement, without helmets

How can you expect something to be safe for conditions it is not designed for? they are not designed run on pavement or with two people :rolleyes: bunch of drunk idiots ruining the fun for the rest of us.

[bwamos]

Originally posted by parkers30
I don't know about you guys but most of the deaths I see are:

2 people on one fourwheeler, on the pavement, without helmets

How can you expect something to be safe for conditions it is not designed for? they are designed run on pavement or with two people :rolleyes: bunch of drunk idiots ruining the fun for the rest of us.

Agree.

That's why I would like to see an ATV endorsement on your drivers license.. just like a motorcycle endorsement.

If they risked higher insurance, and loss of their license, or not being able to get their drivers license until they are 18 if they do it under 16.... they may think twice.

Right now the most you get is a non-moving violation for operating an unlicensed vehicle on the streets. Also make helmets mandatory.

[bradley300]

there are too many idiots hat think being made to wear a helmet takes away from their "freedom" PLEASE

i think a thorough and intense safety course should be required for anyone on an ATV whether it be new or used. get into trouble on your quad and dont have proof of your safety course completion? 500$ fine, no helmet? 500$ fine, riding with passengers? 500$ fine. dui? JAIL TIME. riding atv's in an unsafe manner needs to be made so exspensive that no one would think of doing it

[TGW_400ex]

I don't see why people don't wear helmets? It keeps the dirt and **** out of your face and with googles you can see.

[Rider-trx_250ex]

banning child sized atvs? Ya right, its better to get a child a small atv to learn on. waiting till a kid turns 16 and buying him a 400 or 450 for the first atv is like kill me now, I think i know everything and have absolutely no experience because child sized atvs were banned. Plus some of those people writing magazines just find current stuff to write on and bash it just to have something to write and only state half the facts.

[honda4life72]

when i was like 5 i use to have a lot of crashes (well not alot but enough to tell em not to do that again lol) and i always wore my riding gear and never got hurt..just got back up and went to it again ....

[Pappy]

consumer reports is anti anything or anyone that doesnt grease them

[Aceman]

Originally posted by Pappy
consumer reports is anti anything or anyone that doesnt grease them

Seems like the same could be said about Dirtwheels magazine.

[wilkin250r]

Someone should write a letter.

Bwamos, where did you get your statistics from?