It's alarming how many people don't know how dangerous it can be to ride an ATV. People still routinely take off without a helmet, without proper training, riding 2 or 3 up on a 1 up quad, riding a quad that's too big, riding on pavement, or any combination of them.

You usually don't see that lack of reverence on motorcycles. Sure, there are those that will always ride without a helmet, but for the most part, motocross riders are always wearing full gear because they know how dangerous it can be.

So why don't people have that same respect for ATVs? I think I found one of the main reasons people don't respect ATVs...

What makes people think they can just hop on an ATV and zoom off without fear of crashing? Why is it that they don't think twice about falling off and smashing their face?

So I was sitting here with a glass of Solera & Coke (I heard it's National Rum Day Aug 16), putting the finishing touches on an ATV web site I'm building to try to win a competition for a job with a really big news company, when something crossed my mind....

No, no... something besids the normal distractions of screaming kids, a chewing dog and a beta fish named Sampson sitting on the counter. Dead. Hell, the cats won't touch it. I bet the dog will, that bastard eats everything.

Why on God's green Earth would a parent let their kid hop on an ATV and think everything is going to be fine, even though