Should children be banned from riding quad bikes?

[FJRider]

smoking kills a shit load more people than quads eva will,have they been banned? people know the risk let them decide for themselves

They have for those under 16 ... haven't they ???

[cave weta]

It would be yet another encroachment into activities on private property...fencing home swimming pools has not stopped drownings..like Mom says, its about supervision and common sense

My girlfriend is european- she is gobsmacked that our government has such power over us in our own homes with smacking and pool fencing and resource consents. fuck! you cant even put a shade sail up over your deck now without a building permit!

[tomobedlam]

On the farm kids need to learn about risk and the best way to do that is doing risky activities. However, operating a machine that could squash them to death if they get it wrong isn't really a good option. There are plenty of bikes made just for kids. The problem with quads is they have four wheel so they don't fall over and that creates the perception that they are safe for little people, when in fact children don't have the weight, strength or skill to ride these machines (remembering the average age of kids hurt or killed on quads is 9). There is a reason you don't see 400cc machines in kids size. Having said that i don't think banning is the best solution at this point in time.

[cave weta]

On the farm kids need to learn about risk and the best way to do that is doing risky activities. However, operating a machine that could squash them to death if they get it wrong isn't really a good option. There are plenty of bikes made just for kids. The problem with quads is they have four wheel so they don't fall over and that creates the perception that they are safe for little people, when in fact children don't have the weight, strength or skill to ride these machines (remembering the average age of kids hurt or killed on quads is 9). There is a reason you don't see 400cc machines in kids size. Having said that i don't think banning is the best solution at this point in time.

I bought a couple of quads to hire out.- it was very very scary watching first timers on narrow -off camber tracks. I sold them pretty quick. IMHO they belong on dairy farms and beaches.

[SixPackBack]

Banned?....FUCK NO.........Let Darwin weave his magic, kill off the weak and create a super race of riders!

[Gareth51]

I bought a couple of quads to hire out.- it was very very scary watching first timers on narrow -off camber tracks. I sold them pretty quick. IMHO they belong on dairy farms and beaches.

Had more frights on Quad bikes than I've ever had on two wheels and there bloody heavy to pick up once you've rolled it

[oldguy]

know of a few kids that wont go near a 2 wheeler, but have no hesitation to get on a quad bike, even if they have never ridden one.
It comes down to those that get them for there kids, trying to educating them the do's and don'ts , but then again there are those who buy them for there kids, and don't have a clue themselves.

[Henk]

From what I've seen the problem isn't kids on quads, it's kids on adult quads. I'm not aware of any fatalaties involving LT50s. I guess the problem is small people on full size 4wd farm quads complete with any number of agricultural attachments. If 450 enduro bikes didn't fall over of their own accord I'm sure we would see more under 12s getting killed on those as well. Every time a youngster gets killed on one of these things somebody has made a bad decision and it isn't junior, it's mum or dad.

[cheese]

From what I've seen the problem isn't kids on quads, it's kids on adult quads. I'm not aware of any fatalaties involving LT50s. I guess the problem is small people on full size 4wd farm quads complete with any number of agricultural attachments. If 450 enduro bikes didn't fall over of their own accord I'm sure we would see more under 12s getting killed on those as well. Every time a youngster gets killed on one of these things somebody has made a bad decision and it isn't junior, it's mum or dad.

Very true.

I want to get my boy a LT50 to start off on (just to get the basics) but once he can balance and stuff, he will be on a 2 wheeler straight away.

Only if he wants to ride though.

[motor_mayhem]

SixPackBack Banned?....FUCK NO.........Let Darwin weave his magic, kill off the weak and create a super race of riders!

Comedy Gold right there.


If we take away decisions for everything for kids, they will become adults with no risk assessment skills and be too old to learn any. Changing the law won't change anything and if you look at what is already in place, it is ample, people just need to adhere to it.

[L Rider]

Very true.

I want to get my boy a LT50 to start off on (just to get the basics) but once he can balance and stuff, he will be on a 2 wheeler straight away.

Only if he wants to ride though.

LT50's are great for the little ones. Alot of the problems are with dickhead parents or so called adults who are meant to be in charge. Too many people just chuck kids on any bike & leave them to it.
Just gotta spend a day on the pee wee track at the Sandpit - heaps of young kids on there with no idea with no parents in sight - normally they're out riding themselves.

[FROSTY:Me]

Ya know that this thread is even up really totally completely and utterly fucks me off.
Should kids be banned from quads -HELL NO --should dickhead parents with no clues be banned--hell yea.
An LT 50 kids quad is set up to be totally failsafe. The safety features when used correctly are far better than on any two wheeler anywhere.
The thing is becaus four wheels are stable if the parent pulls the pug out --the quad rolls to a stop.If the kid gets tired they let go of the throttle.
They have been safely opperated by kids as young as 4 years old.
Where the problem lies is in lack of decent supervision,training and dress sense.
I can honestly say I have supervised literally hundreds of hours of quads being used. NOT ONCE has a child had serious or even semi serious injury.

[p.dath]

I'd have to vote no, based on the assumption that there isn't a significant number of deaths (don't know how many child deaths occurr on quads, but I'm guessing not many).

There is already sufficient legislation around duty of care to deal with parents that are completely negligent.

Learning is what children do, and appropriate parent care and supervision should be enough.

[duckonin]

My girlfriend is european- she is gobsmacked that our government has such power over us in our own homes with smacking and pool fencing and resource consents. fuck! you cant even put a shade sail up over your deck now without a building permit!

Nor listern to music unless it is wisper quite SSHHHHHH SORRY DIDN'T HEAR THAT..

[CRF119]

No way! i lernt to ride a Suzuki 350cc farm quad before i could even reach the foot rest i had to almost get of the bike to change gear. New generation of kids are getting soft and its because of the pussy ass parents. If a kid dosent learn young whats not to say they still dont hurt him/her self when they are older. I ride farm quads and race quads its about knowing the limits and not second guessing your self that gets you into trouble and i think learing from a young age on small quad is the best way to achive this. (Or large quad in my case)