Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

I Aiiic's 20/20 ~ misses the truth By John Ulrich The April 25 ABC broadcast of 20/20 bl asted ATVs as being inherently dangerous a n d advocated their immediate recall. The show portrayed ATVs as being maimers and killers of America n yo uth on a sca le that demands drasti c steps a t o nce. Looking beyond th e horror 26 stories and scare tactics, w hat d o we see? We see a p roblem taken o u t o f context a nd misrepresented by tel ev isio n co mmen tators w ho lack kno wled g e o f a nd research into th e AT V si tua tion. If th ey had taken the tim e and effort to go beyond .the superficia l claims of U.S. Consu mer Product Safet y Commission m ember Stua rt " Ban 'em " Stat ler , th ey would hav e know that: . - C PSC ATV Task Force Chairm an Ni ck Marchica sa ys th at th e agency does not h av e eno ug h facts gather ed o n a sta tistica ll y-va lid basis to reach co ncl usio ns reg arding ATV acci d en t ca uses, and tha t th e crash investi gat ions ga th er ed by th e agency to d at e co nsti tu te a ha ppenstance m ass o f infor ma tio n n ot a p p lica ble to far-rea ch in g co ncl us io ns . -Independent specia li sts in sta bilit y a n d e n g i ne e r i n g s tudies a p p roached by th e CPSC have ca utioned th e agency to fin d o u t more a bo u t th e d ynami cs o f ATVs before jumping to co ncl usions . -Accidents credi ted to ATVs o ften a re no fault o f th e vehicl es; when Cycle N ews recentl y looked a t a study o f ATV accident in vestiga tio ns funded by th e CPSC, we fou nd included in th e CPSC sta tis tics acci de nts invo lving a d une buggy , a tracked (li ke a tank ) ATV, a garage fire sta rted by a lea king m otorcycle, a woman who ro d e o ff a 20-foot cliff, severa l in which th e " vic tim " sta ted it wa s his o wn fault , severa l in volving riding d oubl e. a nd a ca se where three teen agers - o neon a n ATV , tw o o n a dirt bike - wer e killed when th eir vehi cles, whi ch di dn 't have working headli ghts. co lli de d head -on o n a road at ni ght. CPSC Engineer Ro y Dep pa ha s ad m itte d that th e information ga thered to da te includes m an y in cid ents not rela ted to th e design or co n figuration o r handling o f the mach in e itsel f. The ABC20/ 20 report was, according to 20/20 's T om J arrel , m otiva ted because John Spain Sr., News Director ofWBRZ-TV in Baton Ro uge, Louisiana , was outraged wh en hi s yo u ng so n , J ohn J r., was serious ly injured in an ATV cras h . The cir cu m sta nc es of th e cra sh? J o h n Jr. wa s riding without adu lt supervision, o n a road , ca rry ing a gaso line ca n. a nd ra n i n to a hol e in th e ro ad. In th e words o f 20/ 20's annn ouncer, th e bo y " . . . was rushing on his ATV to d eliver an em p ty ga so line ca n to hi s gra ndmother. " Joh n Spain Sr. ·s rea cti on ? Accord ing to 20/20 , he " .. . was o u traged o ver th e serio us in jury h is so n had su ffered. ov er wha t h e th ough t was a harmless m achine." Fact is, J o hn Spai n Sr. wa s negli ge n t a n d d id no t su perv ise h is ch ild's use o f a n ATV, a n d a llowed h is ch i ld to mi s-u se an ATV o n a road whi le tr ying to carry a gaso li ne ca n . T h e kid 's arm was ripped off in the crash , as 20/ 20 ex p la i ned i n deta il ; it wa s later rea tt ach ed b u t d oes n' t fu nction co rr ectly. But di d th e gas ca n rip the ki d 's arm off? Di d th e ATV? Did the hol e in th e road? Nobody kno ws. Wo u ld the kid hav e bee n inj u red if he was n' t ca rryi ng a gas can? Shou ld gas ca n s be o u tlawed becau se th e kid was hurt ? What we ha ve h er e is a paren t who u n fort unatel y has access to ne two rk TV - w ho wa s gross ly negligent in his parental responsibi lities, and w ho is bla m in g th e accident o n the vehicle inv o lved in stead of accep tin g his o wn respon sibil it y. Bey ond th a t, wh at m a chin e is harmless? A bi cycl e? Now th ere's a killer a nd ma im er 20/20 should really look into. Th e C PSC esti ma tes th at 500,000 pe ople require hospita l emerge nc y room treatment due to bicycl e cra shes every year, a nd 300 .000 of those every yea r a rc kids under age 14. In 1983. 105 people died riding bicycl es; a ll were u nder age 14, according to C PS C figures (see cha rt o n th is page.) T h e C PS C d oesn' t ha ve sta tistics on bicycl e crashes a nd i nj u ries for every yea r. but I o btai ned co m p u ter p r in to ~ll s o f cra sh details a nd injury a na lys is for th e years 1973. 1974. 1975 , 1983 a nd 1984. Wa rll crash inj u ri es tha t m ak e yo ung J ohn Spa in J r. lo o k fortu nate? Want ca rnage? Co n tact the C PSC a nd ge l yo ur o w n se t of th os e p rin to u ts, u nder th e Freedom o f Inform at ion Act. My o wn so n cras hed h is bicycle in to a ca r severa l yea rs a go. wa s in int en sive ca re for IwO week s. hospi talized severa l m o re weeks, lost half hi s pancreas, a nd no w ca rr ies a huge, m ountain-sh aped scar o n his sto rnac h . Wa s it the fau lt o f the bicycle? No . Do cs he sti ll ha ve a bicycle? Yes . Wh y ha sn't th e C PS C banned or reca lled bicycles? Beca u se it fou nd tha t m ost crashes real lvare th e ri der's faul t. Wh ich, o nce di e gove rn m ent do cs some seri ou s resea rc h in stead o f relyin g upon hysteria . will likel y prove to be exa ct ly th e case with ATVs. Th e bo ttom lin e here is th at I rid e a nd e njoy ATV s a nd so do m y kids. under m y supervisio n . a nd I resent grea tly th at a negl igent pa re nt. J ohn Spai n Sr" ha s blamed hi s son's cra sh o n ATVs a nd in d o in g so has adde d moment u m to th e unfound ed , ill ad vised ca ll by CPSC Com missio ner Stua rt " Ba n 'e m" Sta tler to ban a nd recall ATVs. ABC, a nd es pecia lly T om J a rrel a nd Barbara Walters, sho u ld hang th eir heads in journal isti c sha me for h a vi n g broadca st s uc h a poor ly research ed , vindict ive television show. ATVs, li ke bicycl es. a re as safe as th eir riders. T he a nswer is ed uca tio n , n ot err a dica tion . How ABC misled Cycle News has fo un d th e following erro rs. mi srepresentations a nd mi sleading sta tements in ABC T V's 20/20 rep ort o n ATV safety, in addi tion to rh e o bjections ra ised in the above ed i toria l: -When citi ng bi ts a n d pi eces of en g in eeri ng reports o bta ined under th e Freedom o f In fo r m a ti o n Act, 20120 ig nored ot h er sta tements in CPSC reports that perceived sta bi lity problem s may be the ATV 's inherent m a neuvcra bi tit y a nd that many perceived handling problem s are actua lly ca use d by rider mis-u se or in approriate input to th e ATV controls. - 20/ 20 presented injury, death and lawsuit info rm a tion ou t o f co ntext, failing to ind ica te how ATVs stack u p to ot her sports and o ther vehicles , o r mentio n ing how ma n y suc h la wsuits ha ve failed to pin accident blame on th e veh icl e. -Whil e cl aimi ng to have ridden t he mac hi nes, co m m e nta to r Tom j arrel failed to report w hether or not he had a ny fu n, ' o r whether or not an ybody he saw a nd talked to had a ny fun . H e a lso failed to point o u t th at hundreds o f th ousands o f peop le who hav e a good time, sa fely , with ATVs . -In p rese nting film o f inju red riders suc h as br ain-injured Dunnette M o on , 20 /2 0 n egl ec ted to s ta te w hether o r n ot she wa s wea r in g a n y p rotect ive eq ui p m ent. a nd negl ected the ro le non- us e of hel m e ts p la ys in such inj uries. - While q uoting doctors .a n d researchers on types o f injuri es. no informat ion is presented - th e co m menta tor d oe sn 't as k - about th e ca uses o f accide nts or what th e inj u red ri d ers wer e d o in g with th e m achines. -I n p la yi ng up govern me nt d eath figures a nd loc al d ea th s in Lo u isia na , th e co mmenta to rs fa il to presen t the info rmation in th e co ntex t o f o th er area d eaths related to spon ing activi ties such as boa ting. hunting , fish ing , wat er -skiin g . etc. The comm enta tor m ent ion s th at vict i ms in cluded a six-m o n th -o ld ba by a nd 78year-old person , a nd fa il s to ~sk wha t a baby or a n o ld per son wer e doi ng ridi ng a n AT V. - In ci tin g th e d eath o f a n u nsupervi sed seven- year-o ld. who borro wed a fri end 's m ach in e. the co m m enta tors failed to ad d res s th e basic p roblem o f no paren ta l su pervisio n o r ins tr ucti o n ; "i f the kid had been kill ed p lay ing wi th a friend 's g u n o r rid ing hi s fri e nd 's bicycle o r h o rse. wou ld ABC advocate ba nn in g gu ns. bicycles o r horses? - 20/20 failed to qualify Dr. Ro ber t . W ri ght 's crede nt ia ls or ex pe r tise in vehicl e sta bi li ty a nd ex pe rie nce regardiug o ff-roa d veh icl es in ge nera l a nd th e d yn ami cs o f ATVs in pa n icul a r, -20/20 q uotes W ri ~ht as sa yi ng th at "the same pro ble ms we re fo u nd a nd fixed in ea rl v m od els o f farm tracto rs a n d r iding' m ower s." Wrigh t o ver loo ks th e facts that tra ctors a nd mowe rs are not sport veh icles, a nd, accord ing to C PSC figures. 100 peopl e sti ll d ie eac h yea r in acci den ts rela ted to rid in g m ow ers . If th e " p ro blem s wer e found a nd fix ed, " w hy do m ore peop le di e in iid i n~ m ower acci de nts eac h yt'a r th an in ATV rel at ed acci den ts? - 20/ 20 co m p le tely ig nores pa ren tal a n d user responsibil ity to read a nd heed wa rn i ng label s a nd noti ces regardi ng possible mi s-u se o f ATVs, a n d to exp la in suc h warni ng s a nd basic ridi ng techniq ues to ch i ld ren . -20/20 ad voca tes recall of ATVs a nd cites th ere being 1.8 million ATVs in us e. co m pa ring the si tuati on to th e recall o f 1.8 mi llion P int os to rect ify a p roblem with gas tanks tha t ex p loded wh en the ca rs were h it from behind. 20/ 20 ignores the fact tha t the P into was a sing le model o f vehicle, wi th a n id entified probl em a nd a n iden ti fied fix . T he 1.8million AT"s in usc toda y a re o f a stagger ing n u m be r of different m odels va rying in physica l size. engi ne size, wheelbase.track , drive sys tems, wheel sizes. seat h eight. center of g ravit y, etc. An d u nlike th e P into case, there is no clear-c ut. id e n tifi ed e n g i neer i n g problem with ATVs in genera l; CPSC AT V Task Force staffers hav e co n firmed tha t fac t in meetings with man u fac tu rers. 20/20 al so refuses to recognize that suc h fea tures as lo ngersuspension travel fo und o n so me sporting ATVs p revent crashes in rough terrain. a nd tha t modifyi ng such a vehicl e to reduc e th e a bili ty o f a n untrained ri d er 10 roll o ver while a tte m p ti ng a sharp turn a t speed will also in crease th e cha nces o f a crash o ver ro ugh terr ain in a straight lin e. -20/ 20 q uot es Commissioner Stu a rt " Ba n 'e m" Staller as refe rring to AT V manufact urer s as " . . . basica lly four foreig n m anu fa ctu rer s . . ." wi thou t no tin g that Kaw a sa ki AT Vs a re produced in Lincol n , Nebraska . - 20/ 20 fa il s to recogni ze th at the rea so n ATVs a re so popular is beca use people wa nt to bu y th em a nd ri de th em: peopl e h av e ATVs because th ey wan t them. . Text of 20/20 ATV attack N o te": Th is is o t ran scrip t 01 ,h , A RC 20 '20 broadcast un Th ursde v night, Aprr12S. / 9a S, {Announce r ) " W hal you 're abou t In lea rn r o u ld '\."l U · . o meone' .. lire. II".. ahnut moror ired All Terrain Vehicles - lh a .... AT\'... o r ATO~. All Terrain Cyc les. Chances a rt' ) '( )U kn ow so meone who has o ne . Thev've bee n a ro u nd a white, but th e popu la rity has warn! n ~w . ovt"r th e la st rh ree vea rs , a nd they're no w thr ' in th ing' Io r m an v kith . BUI th ere is increa sin g evi dence th a t AT V.. m;:IY ha ve d ecign cha racte ristics roruributin g to thousa nd .. o f serio us acci dent s, a nd o ver 100 fatal acci d en ts. If yo u , o r a fa mil y yo u kno w has a n AT\' or a n ATC. I u r ge yo u to pay' d o~' a tten tio n to Tom J and 's re po rt." {Vo ice ) " T he." J'a yn r fa rm . in n orther n Lo u isia na . is Idealfi c. Fih y ac res ofbea un t ul field s for hor -es a nd \(" ch i ld ren 10 Op IOTe." , Bill Payne go t a hOT for every gra nd child. iuclud ing j ohn. and wa rren . u nd yo ung Billy_Gra ndpa Payne wanted even mor e to a m use rhe yo ungsters: hi' W; I \ in sp ired hy :'1 co m mercia l like th is:" (C u t to commercin l j v l lo nda in ven u-d thr ee-wheeler s so ~~m il i ('.. coul d h an ' mor t' [Uti to geth er. In th e . 0 0 (C u t to Bill Pavn e) " I co u ld we o n those- e-om mer cial s th a i a ll o f th e (;lOl ilit'.. Keui u K together ridinK th e trails. a nd I sa id ' Ma n . that wou ld be jU M V I mu ch Iun for thes e ch ildren."? .. (Ann o un cer} " Bill Pa yne's barn i'i cl u ue red with th ree -whee ler s. bUI th e ro:.tr o ( th eir e ngines was ai le uced la!lt J u ly, when th e m..chines th e')' bo ug h t for fu n for the kid v, near l v kille'CJ yo u ng J ohn Spain J r., wh o was on a vara uon \'isit. It h a p pe ned o n the road leadinK to the fann house. wh en j ohn w all ru 'lh in Ko n hi , AT\' 10 deli ver a n e mptv gaso line ca n to hi, g randmother ," (Joh n Jr. ) · ' 1 wa\ ridi nK do wn Ihi s road . here. and lipped , , ." went thr ough th e hol t' a nd it F (An n o u ncer) "The ma ch ine Hip ped over \0 fast, j oh n ..till doesn't know what ha p pened, ' (Rill Pa > ) " We tl, I hea rd a screa m h om dow n at "nl.' th a t road, a nd it W ;I\ m y wife. a nd (An no uncer ) "Gra nd pa (';tint' to Ihe rncUt." in his 0 , ." p icku p ," (Bill Payne ) " ( ) f ClJ ut~ mf' blood ,,'allo lIohootin g o ut o f tht'arlt'r in in hi, a t m , a ncl h i, lillh: ar m "03' brinK o n lhr sid e, a nd 'lht' J;ra btwd th t"a n n thaI ""a, la)'i ng tht·re. and ,,'ith orr hand a nd h im . a nd pUI hcr thumb u nd er Ihat 3rtl"t)' un dn- his a t m to \IOP lhe flo w o f Ihr blood : ' (An nou ncer) "T hl" bo y' , arm , da nKling b ) ' a divrt o f fJl.'oh . ""as miracu lousl)' re-auachrd . And th rough ! ex tm sivr th erap)', j ohn m ay o nr day tt' Kain soml" U W' o f il. H is falh t'r ,John Spa in Sr.. lhr Nr ws Di rf'Ctor ol o ur a lfil ia tt' WBR Z. in Baton Ro uf(e. ""as o unagrd o\'r r th e v: riuus in ju ry h is !Joon ha d su lfrrnl. o ...er whal he th ough t " 'as a harmless mach in e. H e bt'Kan in\'cs· o lig-l tin g ATV-rd att' d inju riC's in loca l hospita ls, Also, throuKh the t"rf't"dom o f In forma tion Act. Ihe e n('ws d irrclot ob t;li nrd ,\;um co n fid(' nt ia l Ko vern- 8icycl.e-releted inju ry end deeth e.timete• •compiled by the Netionel Electronic Injury Surveollence Sy.tem of the U.S . Con.umer Product Sefety Commi••ion. Yeer Totellnjurie. Age 5-14 injurie. Totel deeth. Age 5 -14 deeth. 1973 452.960 310.102 288 114 1974 519.861 346.713 82 82 1975 520.245 342.367 363 105 1983 " 984 571 ,165 556.655 345.986 341.499 105 43" 105 15" -incomplete to date

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