190 .

PERSISTS - - WITH 1 . 8 MILLION ATVS IN USE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AND 2 . 5 MILLION UNITS EXPECTED BY YEAR ' S END - - IT ' S LIKELY THAT JUST FOR THIS YEAR , 1985 , MORE THAN 100 AMERICANS WILL BE KILLED USING ATVS AND WELL IN EXCESS OF ANOTHER 100 , 000 SERIOUSLY INJURED . .

BACKLASH

DESPITE THIS MAYHEM , A RAGING BATTLE HAS ERUPTED OVER POSSIBLE CPSC REGULATION OF 3 - WHEELED ATVs . " RIDER MISUSE “ HAS BECOME THE BATTLE - CRY OF THOSE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY TELLING US NOT TO TINKER WITH THESE MACHINES .

I ' VE RECEIVED SEVERAL HUNDRED LETTERS - - MOST OF THEM FORM LETTERS - - INSPIRED BY USER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDUSTRY TRADE PUBLICATIONS . BUT OTHER CONCERNED USERS HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO THOUGHTFULLY AND ARTICULATELY ASSERT THAT THE METEORIC RISE IN DEATH AND INJURY IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE VEHICLE ITSELF . AS ONE LETTER TYPICALLY STATES : " PUT THE BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS ON THE USER , NOT THE VEHICLE . LET ' S TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BY MAKING THE USERS BETTER , NOT BY BANNING ATVS . "

AVID ATV USERS ALSO STRESS THAT PEOPLE ENGAGE IN ALL SORTS OF RECREATIONAL SPORTS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO - - LIKE FLYING , SKI ING , SURFING , SKATEBOARDING , AND THE REST - - AND THAT ACCIDENTS OCCUR IN ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES . THEY ARGUE THAT MANY PRODUCTS AND ACTIVITIES PRESENT HAZARDS AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT , SO WHY SHOULD BIG BROTHER IN WASHINGTON TRY TO PROTECT US . IN SHORT , MANY OF THESE USERS CONTEND THAT ATVS DON ' T KILL . . . PEOPLE DO .