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. SIALE OF CALIFORNIA - RESOURCES AGENCY

GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN , Governor

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION OFF - HIGHWAY MOTOR VEHICLE RECREATION COMMISSION P . O . BOX 2390 , SACRAMENTO 95811

May to

1985

Dear Sirs ,

05 Chairman of the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission for the State of California , I was more than curious when I heard you were going to do a story on ATV Safety issues . I contacted the producer of the segment , Bill Leichtenstien , and offered the use of our State Offroad Vehicle Recreation Area at Pismo Beach . I had heard the film crew was there at the facility , t ! no attempt was made to contact either me or the park rangers . We would have given you some hard facts and statistics to work with .

We had a real safety problem in 1982 , with the influx of the ATV explosion , people would unload their machines and take off into the sand dunes with no knowledge of the terrain , no safety gear and usually alcohol influenced . We frormed a group of concerned riders , patterned after the ski patrols seen in marry mountain areas . The l ' ismo State Beach ATV Dune Patrol has been working hard for over 3 years to educate people as to the dangers of offroad use .

we started out printing up handouts to give people to help them have an injoyable , , safe visit . As the need arose , we structered actual ATV Ridine Sliills Workshops , to teach the new riders the proper , safe way to use this form of recreation . All of our riders are volunteer , completely in this because of genuine dedication to thier fellow man .

Therefore , after viewing the ATV segment of your April 25th show the members : of the Patrol felt insulted that your only solution was Recam ! Recall ! Reralli

I think the report was very well produced , the content , however was poorly pesearched . The public awareness you provided was benificial , in the fact Hilat more people will think twice about riding without a helmet and breating those machines like a toy .

Thir terrific leidown to your viewing public , irrego Vou have m e them warn . is yo only - me 17 seconde me the SVTsinin aparl airt ricris All home or otro to contact regarding enrollment in these excellent classes .

To further analyze the program . I have made these points in roronological order : 1 . The section that showed the Spain Boy , was pure serisationalise . He ermitted he was " rilishina " with a empty gäs can down the road when the threr wheeler juisti flipped over . Had he been going a prudent : speed and had lioth hands on the controls the accident wouldn ' t have happend . If the tires wheelers are so dangerous , why does grandpa still have a barn " cluttered " will , them .

2 . The piece where the little boy runs into the little girl was a classic . example of poor parental supervision . How lucky you were to get that shot , and how lucky the liids were to escape Linhurti . I believe that it pr cochly Would ' nt have happened had the film crew not distracted him . You state he is on a " big " bike , but it is one of the smallest made . He obviously knows how to ride , it is not easy to ride up on two wheels like you sho ' y him doing . Tirri 11017 in reason the kids ver e oli is the presence of safety equiptment . Before There were 3 wheelers , kids were runiny into each other with nicyles , mini toilies , skateboards , rollersl ' ates , ad infinitiem .