Teen victim's family stuck paying medical bills
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060328/NEWS/603280311
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060328/NEWS/603280311
ATV accident prompts drive for tougher law
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
TeeGate said:
I have a friend in that neighborhood--its surrounded by woods, so its not hard to see why a kid would be riding an ATV around there. And I agree, that kid's (the one driving) parents should be held accountable. That kind of blatant refusal to accept responsibility for your children (or for your actions if you're the child) sickens me. Plus they ruin it for people who actually use their ATVs responsibly.
I think I'll go egg the crap out of their house and refuse to pay for broken windows.
The real problem is that the state does not require ATV dealers to register/verify insurance the way that a car dealer does.
If people were forced to carry insurance for their ATV's, this would not be a problem. Also, if you had a licence plate attached to the back of your ATV, I believe you might be less likely to drive it like an ass.
Plus, hey, it's more money for the DMV. Why this law hasn't passed is beyond me.
If people were forced to carry insurance for their ATV's, this would not be a problem. Also, if you had a licence plate attached to the back of your ATV, I believe you might be less likely to drive it like an ass.
Plus, hey, it's more money for the DMV. Why this law hasn't passed is beyond me.
Just to play a little devil's advocate here, as Bruset said, the ATV dealers do not require proof of insurance or registration, the article states the police have ATV's to catch illegal riders, are these units registered and insured? I know most dual purpose ( enduro ) motorcycles are sold new with a title so it can be registered, insured and inspected. I have had a few in the past along with street bikes. I understand that the ATV can be insured for theft, not sure on liability and obviously are not street legal in any arena.
I also agree on the whole parental responsiblity angle, people need to step up regardless if they knew what the child was doing or not.
I also agree on the whole parental responsiblity angle, people need to step up regardless if they knew what the child was doing or not.
Seems like I always have to throw in my 2 cents with this stuff. There is an ATV race this weekend in the Barneget area. I spoke to the guy that runs it and he said it has been extremely difficult to get this race past the Pinelands Commission. He added that he has had no difficulties at all in PA and NY. As far as I know the entire race takes place in a gravel pit, not exactly ripping through the Wharton State Forest. He finally got approval but one wonders how much longer they will continue to do this since they have run into so many problems. I think a few orgainzed races a year is a good start to helping with the ATV problem, that and opening up another park or two. Like it or not ATV sales have skyrocketed in the past few years and these people need a place to ride. Remember Chatsworth closes down in 2 years, where do you think all those people are going to ride then? 
Trailhead00 said:Remember Chatsworth closes down in 2 years, where do you think all those people are going to ride then?
Remember that, to get ATV's banned from State Land, Brad Campbell and the DEP had to promise to get two more parks operational by 2005. Here it is, Q2 of 2006 and there still aren't even any PLANS to get any parks going.
Oh, and if you email the DEP about it, you won't even get a response. But email them about how awful ATVs are and you'll hear back from them.
I wonder how much money they've made on those $1000 fines. And how many police departments are riding around on quads that have been impounded.
Unfortunately the off-road community is to apathetic to actually get together and fight for their rights, so they'll continue to get steamrolled.
"...Justin suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula. In surgery, a steel rod and pins were inserted into the leg. The family has medical insurance, but the copayments and deductibles have added up, Rudy Huettler said.
The law firm DeSevo works for was hired to seek reimbursement and compensation for pain and suffering from the other boy's family.
"But their attorney told us if we sued and got a judgment, they would file for bankruptcy. That would leave us paying all the medical bills, and they would not be held accountable," Rudy Huettler said..."
Reimbursement AND pain and suffering? Two very different things. The pain and suffering $$ is usually an absurd, unrealistic amount that seems to me to only jack up the attorneys take. If the kid were going to be crippled for life his continuing care would cost millions and I could see the point. It doesn't look that way to me.
The law firm DeSevo works for was hired to seek reimbursement and compensation for pain and suffering from the other boy's family.
"But their attorney told us if we sued and got a judgment, they would file for bankruptcy. That would leave us paying all the medical bills, and they would not be held accountable," Rudy Huettler said..."
Reimbursement AND pain and suffering? Two very different things. The pain and suffering $$ is usually an absurd, unrealistic amount that seems to me to only jack up the attorneys take. If the kid were going to be crippled for life his continuing care would cost millions and I could see the point. It doesn't look that way to me.
bruset said:
I hear you loud and clear. But not in my backyard. Where are you going to put it? Look how crowded we are. I have put some "o" symbols where I think an ATV park would fit in nicely.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10011/Available_Tracks.JPG
The Heritage Minerals tract would be great. It's already been trashed by strip mining and years of people driving back there.
i only get to use my snowmobiles a couple days out of the year and im required to have insurance and registration. i pay 120$ for each for minimum coverage. they would never allow riders in the HERITAGE MINERALS. they use that as a money maker. anyone caught in there gets a fat fine . i have herd from several people that manchester issues many tresspassing tickets at like 250$ a pop.