Anyone else hear about this???

[lil_Mrs._Honda1]

12-Year-Old Girl In Critical Condition After ATV Collision

POSTED: 5:51 pm EST January 3, 2006

PALM BAY, Fla. -- A 12-year-old girl is in critical condition at Arnold Palmer Hospital after an ATV collision in Palm Bay over the weekend.

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Palm Bay police said they would be stepping up patrols of an area known as ‘the compound’ frequented by off-road vehicle riders. The area has been the site of numerous wrecks over the years.

Police have tried repeatedly to keep ATV riders off the private land. It was once advertised on the Internet and became a popular spot.

"We're in a constant struggle too. It's tough to get a grasp on," said Sgt. Mark Renkens, Palm Bay Police Department.

Police said the owners of the property do not want offroaders on the land. But, they said, more importantly people are getting hurt.

Police plan to ticket or arrest anyone caught riding ATVs out in ‘the compound’ in the southwest section of the city this weekend.
Copyright 2006 by wftv.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[southernmudd]

no offesnse to the little girl but these are the types of things that give us bad reps and get us kicked outta places

[Gamer]

An ATV collision can happen anywhere, even at legal riding places.  The story makes it sound that because people are getting hurt that it should all come to an end.  There are going to be accidents no matter how cautious we are.  That's the nature of the sport.

[TRX450R_Racer]

That is terrible. Stories like that never mention if the rider had on a helmet or not. I'm sure she probably didn't have on a helmet.

[flmedic911]

The compound has been closed for a long while.  I feel sorry for the girl.  Yes, this will reflect on ATV riders...it's the nature of the beast, just like people blame the "gun for killing someone, but forget to remember it took a human being, with the ability to process his own thoughts to pull a trigger....so maybe what this should really reflect on is poor parenting skills/judgement.  Something to think abount isn't it??? Many people were injured at the compound, thats why the owners wanted it closed off.  This is a no win situation.


FLMEDIC911

[jwscroll]

I just caught this on th TV. The girl was riding on the back of a Banshee with NO helmet and NO protective gear riding in an illegal area giving us all a bad name. Her parents should be held responsible for this.

[ish]

I just caught this on th TV. The girl was riding on the back of a Banshee with NO helmet and NO protective gear riding in an illegal area giving us all a bad name. Her parents should be held responsible for this.

i couldn't agree with you more.

[DCR_Marcus14]

I really hate when this stuff happens. I live right next to the compound and was riding out there everyday last week training. But looks like I wont be heading back out there for a while. Its dumb people like this that ruin fun for everyone else. I ride out there with full protective gear on and dont cross any roads, but I know the second I go out there now im gonna get arrested or something. The reason why this place closed off it the first place was because of all of the irresponsible people riding on the roads without helmets and most of all drag racing down a main strip that was in the center of the compound and everyone riding. Im pretty sure that just about every weekend someone was either getting killed or getting seriously injured, most had no helmets. 

[themensh]

Orange 450......you live so close and all.........any chance you know who owns the land? And would they consider allowing riders with 'waivers'?
   I don't know the land......so I am just thinking of ways that an owner 'may' allow land use.......
  Maybe they would consider "permits" with a signed waiver?
  (If you are injured on their land without a permit, you are trepassing kind of deal?)
   Just an idea........

(parents..........keep an eye on your kids.   Adults.....watch out for the younguns.)

   We don't need to be losing land to ride.


                         Chuck

[flmedic911]

Just showed this on new chan fox 35.  The mother is being charged with the accident, due to her daughter..under 16...was the driver of the ATV.

FLMEDIC911

[Ride1Rob]

It is sad, but helmet or no helmet. The focus on the story was on the girl getting hurt while riding in an illegal area. The fact that she didn't have a helmet on had no bearing on the stories portrayal of ATVers. I ride w/ mine on all the time and wish everyone else would but that still sometimes don't prevent us from getting hurt 

[DCR_Marcus14]

Orange 450......you live so close and all.........any chance you know who owns the land? And would they consider allowing riders with 'waivers'?
   I don't know the land......so I am just thinking of ways that an owner 'may' allow land use.......
  Maybe they would consider "permits" with a signed waiver?
  (If you are injured on their land without a permit, you are trepassing kind of deal?)
   Just an idea........

(parents..........keep an eye on your kids.   Adults.....watch out for the younguns.)

   We don't need to be losing land to ride.


                         Chuck

The land is owned by so many people, most probably dont live near there or even in florida. They built roads back there i think in the 80s with plans to develope, but the company fell short of money and nothing ever happened. So basically it would be impossible to get a waiver, etc. I think there is like over 1000 acres out there that we used to ride on, but due to all of these injuries Palm Bay had to shut it down because of the morons that would try to sue after being hurt on the land. I broke my leg out there but never told the people at the hospital that I did it on an atv, or out there at the compound. And of course it was my fault, i never tried to blame anyone for it happening, i knew that sooner or later the place was going to shut down because people were blaming people or land owners saying stuff about the piece of land they got hurt on was unsafe. But this incident with the girl isnt going to stop me from returning out there to practice. I ride with responsibilty to me and others, and only I can be responsible for my actions. If people get hurt; then they get hurt, nothing can stop that, let them go be stupid and ride without a helmet, and when and If they try to sue, there case shouldnt be allowed in court.

[ish]

Orange 450......you live so close and all.........any chance you know who owns the land? And would they consider allowing riders with 'waivers'?
   I don't know the land......so I am just thinking of ways that an owner 'may' allow land use.......
  Maybe they would consider "permits" with a signed waiver?
  (If you are injured on their land without a permit, you are trepassing kind of deal?)
   Just an idea........

(parents..........keep an eye on your kids.   Adults.....watch out for the younguns.)

   We don't need to be losing land to ride.


                         Chuck

The land is owned by so many people, most probably dont live near there or even in florida. They built roads back there i think in the 80s with plans to develope, but the company fell short of money and nothing ever happened. So basically it would be impossible to get a waiver, etc. I think there is like over 1000 acres out there that we used to ride on, but due to all of these injuries Palm Bay had to shut it down because of the morons that would try to sue after being hurt on the land. I broke my leg out there but never told the people at the hospital that I did it on an atv, or out there at the compound. And of course it was my fault, i never tried to blame anyone for it happening, i knew that sooner or later the place was going to shut down because people were blaming people or land owners saying stuff about the piece of land they got hurt on was unsafe. But this incident with the girl isnt going to stop me from returning out there to practice. I ride with responsibilty to me and others, and only I can be responsible for my actions. If people get hurt; then they get hurt, nothing can stop that, let them go be stupid and ride without a helmet, and when and If they try to sue, there case shouldnt be allowed in court.

at the end it is all about personal accountability. and this country it only exists in a few people. knowing you can get rich if you trespass on private property and get hurt, is extremely tempting. i have gotten hurt like yourself on private property and just shut my mouth and kept on going. why cause when anyone sues the place gets heated and then shut down and at then end i have got this beautifull bike that is paid for and no where to ride. we and our families are the only ones to blame.  ohhhhhh did i forget the greedy lying lawyers.