Ban on Kids ATV

[Dave S]

many of the full size machines have a throttle block on them. All you need is the screw and a jam-nut unless it's already there.

I know my KFX700 had one.

I had to go check the Rincon. That doesn't have one.

[Tyler23]

idk what there trying to acomplish with this bill. if they ban these mini atvs and snowmobiles then people are going to start doing what i grew up doing, riding a snowmobile and atv thats wayy to big for me and someones going to get hurt worse. luckly i never did.

[mrfish1991]

I still bite my lead sinkers...and nothing has happened to me

I think it is time to lock ourselves inside and wait for the end. If more bills like this are to be passed, pretty soon we will banned from walking outside because the sun could possibly hurt our sensitive skin....gahhh bunch of snit if you ask me

[paul pachowicz]

well, c'mon fellas, what is wrong with all of you!!!???? Do you NOT have any conception that the Gov't is the only entity that can protect you from yourself? You can NOT decide what is prudent for you, your wife or family. We have lawmakers that can think for your welfare. [Note From ADMIN:Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank You]

[sparkyaber]

All right, lets move this to the "political disscussion" forum.....

As for the bill, when we were kids we did not have toys that were made in china with who knows what in them. I have a 9 month old and be darned if I found out that one of his toys that came over on a slow boat from china was laced with lead, or any other hazerdous chemical. I would be furious. So all of you guys that just chimed in, what do you suppose be done??? Let these companies put what ever they want into toys for infants??? Let them police themselves? As a parent I don't have the resources to sample and check every toy that comes into my house How are we to know. Maybe just give them toys filled with all sorts of bad things, time will tell if it was ok for him. He lives, it was ok, he dies or gets sick, it was bad for him.

When we were kids, people had a conscious,(would never make a toy that would harm kids) nowadays people don't think or don't care about the next guy, as long as they take care of themselves.(monitary)

Amy Klobachar did sponser the bill allow this council to work on the lead thing, the council them put a blanket ruling down on everything designed to by used by a child (under 12). It is common sense that no 12 year old is going to eat, or rub on battery terminals (yeah, you can absorb some lead through the skin, not like ingesting it, but to some extent). This council overstepped their bounds, and it is being fixed. I read on Monday it will take about two months to get it straitend out.

[Tyler23]

well, c'mon fellas, what is wrong with all of you!!!???? Do you NOT have any conception that the Gov't is the only entity that can protect you from yourself? You can NOT decide what is prudent for you, your wife or family. We have lawmakers that can think for your welfare. [Note From ADMIN:Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank You]

WHATS WRONG WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you can not honestly say that this is right?? even with this ban they still arent going to hold people back from letting there kids ride 4wheelers and snowmobiles. looks like my kids will just get to start on a 500cc sled or 4wheeler vs. a 50cc now is that right? because thats what people are going to have to do if they want there kids to become involved in this sport.

[Macgyver55]

I'm thinking sarcasm was involved in his post.

[rundrave]

I am not sure if it relates to just the machines themselves, but I was recently told that this ban will also restrict a dealer or private individual from providing parts or service, to these affected machines, in which there is a possibility that those same parts may contain lead...no oil changes, plastic, levers, engine cases, etc, etc..goggles, helmets, clothing, knee braces..you name it. You may think that is just for new machines, but it is for everything new and used.

There isn't one good thing to come from this! dealers will lose, manufactures will lose, the kids lose, aftermarket loses, tire manufacture lose, mechanics lose, etc

I see a press release from DDR that you can still buy their kids quads because they went through the legal paperwork and tests to prepare for this ban. I have no idea why the big companies have not done this. This is all crazy! I beleive we need to regulate some of the [PoorWordUsage] that comes over from other countries, but not an atv because it contains lead.

If you don't start them young maybe they won't start at all. The lifeblood of our sport are kids and if they cannot participate, they will find something else to do, and we will not get them back in our sport. They will not race, watch, or buy products. That means Mom, Dad and older brothers/sisters won't be doing it either.

What really makes me mad is that its killing the family oriented sport. There is no family that is closer then a family that races. Its not a one person sport its takes dedication and support from the entire family. I feel bad for the kids because alot will miss out now on some great times!

[crothmeier]

Its rediculous, pretty soon we will be a communist county, being told when to work, eat sleep and answer the call to nature.

[kr8r.tom]

it's obvious to me the lawmakers didn't take into consideration atv's and motorcycles having lead parts on them. when the oversight is realized it will be revised.

[Dave S]

Thanks to everyone for posting and keeping things relatively civil on this issue.

It is maddening to say the least. But it does appear that Klobuchar is working on rectifying the problem.

The best we can do is contact our Representatives and then watch how it all pans out.

In no way do I feel this was a malicious attempt to do away with any form of recreation. It was an oversight on the part of the elected officials who didn't take the time to understand the far reaching effects this bill would have.

I agree whole heartedly that we need to continue to improve our ways and find new technologies to manufacture the products we buy.

We'll never see the day when some kid has his mouth on a valve stem on a dirtbike or ATV trying to inflate the tires or gnawing on the battery posts or using a brake cable for dental floss.

[jigging-matt]

The reason that the laws that our representative make are so ridiculous is that most of them ate the led when they were kids. Hopefully they will get this fixed. Was nice to see that Klobashar realized how ridiculous this was and is trying to get it fixed.

[walleyeslayr]

That's what you get when you put clowns like her in office. Watch out for what you wish for, you're gonna get it now.

[Rippinlip]

So if you already own one, then what are we grandfathered in?

How is this going to help Minnesota now that we passed a law that 10 year olds can ride on state trails.

[Dave S]

I believe it's only that machines cannot be bought or sold under the this law.....for now. If you alrady have one in the stable, you should be ok.

Just don't let the kids eat the valve stems, brake cables or battery terminals.

[Rippinlip]

Just thinking of this situation, are we going to have some ban on rididng lawnmowers too?

What about our kids licking the weights on tires for balancing?

Holy C%$(!, don't we really have better stuff to worry about?

Speaking of which I think I am getting hungry for my daily doseage of iron, better go to the garage and see what I can get a bite of.

[CFRay]

Senator Klobuchar called in to a radio show last week and tried to explain what happened to the original bill. Another example of what was originally a good idea "stop lead trinket toys from China" that got morphed into a much different issue from our lawmakers. She made it sound as though the USA ATV/Motorcycle manufacturers got into this and helped write the bill to make it tougher for their foreign competitors to bring bikes into the US. The lead restriction was intended for paints/coatings but once the non elected Washington types got hold of it now it contains the valve stems, battery posts, etc. Thus is the issue that is before us now

[sparkyaber]

Thanks cfray for posting that. I really like the term "nonelected Washington Types" I may use that in the future.

[JeffB]

Now instead of having kids ride an atv that fits them we will just seeing them riding bigger machines and more likely to get hurt.

[kr8r.tom]

how does a non elected type make a law or change the elected types intention.

[Dave S]

there's strength in numbers. I'm not sure if the numbers have changed, but let's believe that 86% known as the nonriding public see an activity they don't approve of. In this case ATVs in the ditch.

Said group (86%) gathers at local governing authority meetings whether it's township, county or the state level to plead their case that something needs to be done. Through a little research, damage is realized and now the ground-work has begun to close riding areas.

This is why we often hear people tell us to contact our legislators or to mail them to plead our case. If you don't stand for what you beleive in, you'll lose it.

[castmaster]

"there's strength in numbers."

And those numbers may come in voices of citizens or pictures of dead presidents!!!

You wonder how "non elected types" can influence a bill, can you say CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS!!! [Note From ADMIN: Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank You] The drug manufacturers influence bills on prescription drugs, the oil and coal industries influence bills on energy(heck remember hte secret energy council meetings??). Even the resort industry here in MN influences bills concerning our outdoor resources, for example a few years back when there was a proposal to raise the price of non resident fishing licenses the resort industry lobby got that shut right down.

Happens EVERY day.

[croixflats]

how does a non elected type make a law or change the elected types intention.

Non elected types = Lobbyist I assume or special interest groups.

Bill like this goes to comity. Then other elected types, who may be influenced by the non elected type, get their fingers on it then changes from original concept.

[Black_Bay]

The other thing is that many, if not most, of these bills are actually written by staff and not the actual legislator. This isn't the first time unintended consequences came about with poorly written or quicly written legislation.

[crothmeier]

it was a "hey lets do something quick that people will think is us doing something positive so they will like us quick! pass it pass it dont read it just pass it!"

kinda like the stimulus bill, why slow down to make sure we do it right, just pass it so it looks like we accomplished something