ATVs

The Times coverage of all-terrain vehicles was the most one-sided biased report I’ve seen from otherwise fine paper. Yes, injuries happen with them--and in skiing, boating, bicycling, hunting, etc. Try to find an active outdoor sport where injuries don’t occur--there’s no such thing.

Your obviously negative slant made the enormous jump from “Gee, people can hurt themselves with ATVs” to “Golly, I guess we better ban them before anybody else gets hurt” mentality. Is that same narrow focus philosophy to be applied to all outdoor recreation? Isn’t “reasonable” risk the choice of all Americans to make?

Yes, I believe improvements can be incorporated into the proper usage of the ATVs, such as mandatory licensing and training for all owners/riders regardless of age. How about mandatory safety equipment like helmets, boots, etc. Maybe even a minimum age requirement? But endorsing a ban and recall with biased coverage is extreme and reactionary.

JEFF GEHRS

Sylmar