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UNFORESEEABLE RISK

WHEN IT COMES TO 3 - WHEELED ATVS , I PART WAYS WITH THE THRUST OF THESE SENTIMENTS . AT THE OUTSET , LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN ANY SUCH ACTIVITY ( AND ATV USE IS NO EXCEPTION ) , PEOPLE CAN BE CARELESS . WITH ATVS , THEY MAY RIDE WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING , OR ABSENT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING OR GEAR ; THEY MAY RIDE AFTER DRINKING ALCOHOL ; THEY MAY RIDE AT NIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC AREAS ; THEY MAY RIDE DOUBLE ; OR THEY MAY ENGAGE IN OTHER MISGUIDED PRACTICES THAT OBVIOUSLY CAN LEAD TO THEIR OWN UNDOING , BUT MY PRINCIPAL CONCERN IS THIS : APART FROM ANY POSSIBLE

MISUSE OR ABUSE , THE VERY DESIGN OF THESE VEHICLES MAY WELL RENDER

THEM INHERENTLY UNSTABLE AND UNREASONABLY DANGEROUS . . . AND SO MANY

USERS ARE WHOLLY UNAWARE OF THIS .

THE PLAIN FACT IS THAT 3 - WHEELED ATVS ARE NOT LIKE MOTORCYCLES , DIRT BIKES , TRAIL BIKES , OR EVEN BICYCLES OF ANY SORT , WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS CAN FALL OVER , ATVS . LOOK LIKE THEY WON ' T . THEY LOOK STABLE , PARTICIPANTS IN STOCK CAR RACES , OR SURFING , OR SKIING KNOW THAT THEY ' RE ASSUMING A RISK AND THAT ' S PART OF THE SPORT . BUT MOST ATV RIDERS - - AND IN THE CASE OF YOUNG KIDS , THEIR PARENTS - - HAVE NO CONCEPTION OF THIS . BECAUSE THE VEHICLE LOOKS STABLE , BUYERS ASSUME IT IS . THEY ASSUME IT IS SAFER THAN THE DIRT BIKE OR TRAIL BIKE - -

THAT IT WON ' T TIP OVER OR FLIP OVER OR ROLL OVER . BUT THE FACTS DON ' T

BEAR THAT OUT .

THAT ' S WORTHY OF REPEATING , CLEARLY , NOT EVERY ATV USER RECOGNIZES AND WILL INGLY ACCEPTS THE RISKS INHERENT IN RIDING AN ATV . CERTAINLY CHILDREN DON ' T - - THEY CAN ' T . CAN A 5 , 7 , OR 9 YEAR - OLD , OR