buggy bash 007

Posts: 1261

Mark,
I agree, there was blame to go around.

A. the quads (anyone drag racing on public grounds) should have been more attentive to where they were going (and not drunk)

B. The kids were not old enough to be unsupervised in a public atv park. (Parents were over the hill and could not see their children.)

C. Children should have been paying attention to where they were riding, and coached about the dangers.

In the end, it was an accident. I am glad everyone walked away.

Chris

Posts: 594

On Satuday after the rain,there was a woman riding her 4wheeler with her son on the back. Me and Monkey Jockey were getting ready to head over for the group ride. She came around the far end of the pond and slid out,rolling the quad over her and the boy. MJ slid out trying get to them, and busted his knee. And still managed to help get the 4wheeler off both the mom and child. I know your all wondering what this has to do with the buggy-quad wreck..... Probably nothing! Except that quads and kids DO NOT mix well.

I believe that both parties are at fault. The drunk guy on the quad,and the parents of the kid in the buggy. If in fact it was a new buggy then the father should have been watching his kid a little closer. Especially being NEW to this sport! The quad guy should not have been operating his machine in such a manner as to being dangerous to those around him,as well as himself.

Drunk guy however as far as I'm concerned should pay to fix or replace the buggy! And if not,count me in for a small donation.

Mike

Posts: 197

I did not witness the accident,so I can only comment on what was on the video. What I saw was a kart pulling out in front of a quad who was drag racing in the drag racing lane. One fault I had noticed was that the guys racing were not watching the finish line,they kept looking at each other,just as I seen 50% of our guys doing the same when we raced.If you watch the video closely you will notice the quad did vere to the right I would assume to miss the kart,if not for this he would not have hit the kart toward the front but center of body mass,which could have produced much worse results for the kids in the kart. We also had an incident Saturday morning where two of our karts collided at the end of the track.Who was at fault? who should have to pay for the bent wheel? Were any of those kids on any type of sinus medication possibably making them drowsey or inattentive? Had these kids recieved any type of formal riding instruction?Now I don't know if this guy had any alchol and if so how much,how do we know he was drunk? Did he stagger after the accident with a broken ankle? Was his speech slurred after the accident I assume in extreem pain due to the broken ankle?Or did someone say he was drunk,or did someone smell it on him?What I am trying to say is that last year I had an incident where my kart got away from me and ran over a babies pen and someones leg,thank God the baby was not in the pen at the time or that persons leg was not broken.I was not drinking and if I were I don't think any differant results would have come of it.We pick a dangerous sport to enjoy and accidents do and will happen.Now don't take this the wrong way,I am not condoning anybody who drinks and opperates an atv,because it should never be done.There have been times I had a few beers and drove my kart,just as I would guess I'm not alone.My neighbor had a few beers at my house one evening,while driving home another neighbor pulled out of a blind driveway rather quickly and was hit,when the police arrived they smelled beer on his breath gave him the breatholizer test and determined he was well in the legal limits but cited him and arrested him for DUI which stands for driving under the influence.The old lady was at fault pulling on to a road without stopping but he got the ticket and a DUI on his record.This is not right,we have been conditioned to steriotype anybody who has had a few drinks as being the cause of the accident.As I said earlier I do not condone this ,but we need to look at the video cause there are several clues as to why this happened such as 1) no spotters 2)watching each other and not the road 3)Kids riding without adult supervission.Lets not point the blame on one when there is plenty to be spread around.Unfortunately this is what there are lawyers for.For all we know Paddy's or the kart Mfg. may be hit with a suit.This accident happened due to lack of insite on all parties involved,so let us learn from this accident as I had done with mine of last year so as not to repeat it.

Posts: 65

I was'nt at the gathering, but have something to add.Children are our most precious possessions.If you are going to put them in harms way ,it's our responsibility to look out for them.We watch my son like a hawk when he rides on our property, and would probably never put him in a setting where there is bound to be drinking.And if i did i would never leave him unattended.It floors me how some people can throw ther kids into a dangerouse sport , and then turn the other way Mad

Posts: 197

Having a child myself I fully understand that when their of the age of the two involved,they sometimes get away when you are occupied with something else even when they are told to keep put.This is why I hesitate to place blame on the parent/parents or on theATV owner. Instead I strongly believe that we just need to learn from the experiance so that it does not happen in the future.Accidents happen when somebody is not paying attention cause they are preocupied 95% of the time, and unless someone knows just how much the person had drunk or where the parent/parents were,I hate to place blame on any single person.The one thing we can do is Thank God nobody was seriously injured,buggies and ATV's can be replaced peoples lives cannot

Posts: 594

I was finally able to watch the video..... (Darn this hitman.) and I watched it several times Shocked

. And I must admit that the kid in the kart was to blame. Simply because he WAS NOT watching what he was doing,or where he was going! And again I blame the parents,And it is only because I am one.

As a parent it is our job,no RESPONSIBILITY to train,our offspring to look both ways before crossing the street. Wether it be dirt,or asphalt!

Sycarms,I have to agree with you.This is a dangerous sport,and we should be more alert,especially when our children are involved. pumkinpilot... I also agree with you. Kids are our most precious possesions....... But we STILL need to watch them. I just want to know,WHY DO WE WAIT TILL SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO DO IT?????????? (Oh and only till the next time) Rolling Eyes

Mike