too young to ride debate

[natedogg624]

i didn't want to take from the RIP thread, but here is a very angering video (to me) about too young to ride.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4324448/too-young-to-ride

kids can die playing football, or a line drive in baseball, they are talking about regulating this sport and even not allowing it at all.

[gixxie750]

I HATE that they act like this! Respect the little racer and not debate him! Dam fox news!

[tyler524]

This was a racing accident, a very sad one, but they can happen at any age. The media will be on this like vultures until the next thing pops up. Same thing happened with the off-road racing accident in California a few weeks ago where 9 people were killed that were basically standing on the track when a truck flipped after landing. It was a wide open dessert with a 50 mile loop. They can't block it off but the general public and media called for all these new rules and regulations to a sport they have no clue about. Same situations

[RC51 John]

Nice post IP

FOX news what a buch of :snarky:s

[Looney]

Nice post IP

FOX news what a buch of :snarky:s

Hey Fox

[chevysoldier]

IT is sad that this happened, but like everyone has said, the kids know the risks. The parents know the risks too. Even the woman said it is the parent's choice to let the kid ride or not.

Now as to the comments people had about Fox News, what am I missing? The news guys even said the kids can die snow boarding or skiing. They remained neutral if not leaning towards the kids right to do what he wanted. They brought in an outside person with an opposing view as their own, to have a discussion. But since it was Fox who reported it, they must be at wrong?

[natedogg624]

here's an excellent counter

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100830/SPORTS15/8300321/1034/SPORTS15/Kravitz-Young-bikers-driven-to-race

[Looney]

Now as to the comments people had about Fox News, what am I missing? The news guys even said the kids can die snow boarding or skiing. They remained neutral if not leaning towards the kids right to do what he wanted. They brought in an outside person with an opposing view as their own, to have a discussion. But since it was Fox who reported it, they must be at wrong?

I should've said....Hey lady

[fusion]

I wanted to punch that one bitch in her face as I was watching it. The guy did a good job covering the other angle though.

[chevysoldier]

I should've said....Hey lady

Yeah that's better. That woman wasn't Fox News at all, they even said she was a former prosecutor and child rights advocate.

[TSB67]

here's an excellent counter

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100830/SPORTS15/8300321/1034/SPORTS15/Kravitz-Young-bikers-driven-to-race

Thanks for a good read. I was getting pretty aggravated with the non-racing-media coverage. I think I'll end on a good note and stop reading now.

When I got to work this morning everyone was asking about this. What sucks is most of them wouldn't have known there was a race in Indy this weekend if someone hadn't died.

Want my opinion? Kids shouldn't be allowed to ride until they're 21. Because I didn't. How the hell am I supposed to catch up now?

[chevysoldier]

Yeah that article sums it up Nate. It's funny they mentioned cheerleading. Many parent's of cheerleading push their kids really hard. That shit is extremely dangerous. But it's okay because it doesn't involve doing 125mph.

[TSB67]

Also, fuck Fox News for continuing that story past the 1:55 mark and calling it, "To young to ride?".

They know what they're doing, they're not as stupid as most of their viewers. That's not news...

[dustinsn3485]

Wendy Murphy...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendy-Murphy/124031162704#!/pages/Wendy-Murphy/124031162704?v=wall

I suppose a few nice words, if possible, couldn't harm.

[natedogg624]

^done.

[fox_racing_guy]

That cunt Wendy Murphy would go into cardiac arrest if she went near a MX track and seen 8 & 9 year olds flying over 60' gaps.

[r1crusher]

I had to post a comment on Fox's site. Just look for my screen name from here. I'm heading over to Wendy's Facebook page now.

[Bad324]

kids can die playing football, or a line drive in baseball

Hundreds of children die all the time doing various activities.. some of which include just sitting in the passenger seat of mom's minivan. The only difference between Peter's tradgedy and that of other children is the fact that it was witnessed by thousands of spectators. Peter was statistically safer on that bike than my son is in the passenger seat of my Subaru.

they were debating this on the radio yesterday morning on my way in to work and I thought exactly the same things. Its such bullshit people get all uppity about these things

[redkow97]

I've waffled on this issue over the last couple days. I do think it's disrespectful to Peter and his family to debate this in the same breathe as reporting his death, but it IS a question that should be asked: How young is too young?

In the riding community, we understand more than most that the Rossis and Spies of the world were competing on the world stage before they were 25. To reach that level of skill by such a (relatively) young age, you simply HAVE to start riding before your 10th birthday. Period.

Steven Strausberg is (was) pitching in the majors at 22. LeBron James was playing in the NBA at 18; the only difference is that their sports involve a lower risk of life-threatening injury.

Socially, I agree that it's the parents' right to decide what their child can and cannot do, but I have to admit, I'd get pretty upset if I saw an 8 yr old on the back of a goldwing... I think that's pretty irresponsible, and totally unnecessary. Is racing any more necessary? I'm not sure.

Quite a few people have brought up that "kids who race understand the risks involved." I'm not sure that should matter. The fact is; in several other examples, our legal system rarely cares if minors know the risks of their actions. Minors are incapable of consenting to sex with an adult (statutory rape). Minors are not allowed to enlist in the military (I believe it used to be 16, with parental consent). Minors are not allowed to gamble or drink.

In each of those cases, there is a STRONG argument to be made that we deny kids the 'right' to do a lot of things, even when they fully understand the risks and consequences. Why SHOULDN'T we do the same with something as dangerous as racing a motorcycle?

...or should we stop being so puritanical about sex, booze, and combat, too?

[Dubguy85]

I've waffled on this issue over the last couple days. I do think it's disrespectful to Peter and his family to debate this in the same breathe as reporting his death, but it IS a question that should be asked: How young is too young?

In the riding community, we understand more than most that the Rossis and Spies of the world were competing on the world stage before they were 25. To reach that level of skill by such a (relatively) young age, you simply HAVE to start riding before your 10th birthday. Period.

Steven Strausberg is (was) pitching in the majors at 22. LeBron James was playing in the NBA at 18; the only difference is that their sports involve a lower risk of life-threatening injury.

Socially, I agree that it's the parents' right to decide what their child can and cannot do, but I have to admit, I'd get pretty upset if I saw an 8 yr old on the back of a goldwing... I think that's pretty irresponsible, and totally unnecessary. Is racing any more necessary? I'm not sure.

Quite a few people have brought up that "kids who race understand the risks involved." I'm not sure that should matter. The fact is; in several other examples, our legal system rarely cares if minors know the risks of their actions. Minors are incapable of consenting to sex with an adult (statutory rape). Minors are not allowed to enlist in the military (I believe it used to be 16, with parental consent). Minors are not allowed to gamble or drink.

In each of those cases, there is a STRONG argument to be made that we deny kids the 'right' to do a lot of things, even when they fully understand the risks and consequences. Why SHOULDN'T we do the same with something as dangerous as racing a motorcycle?

...or should we stop being so puritanical about sex, booze, and combat, too?

Why stop there? Should we not allow them to play football, baseball, golf, cheerleading, gymnastics?? If my 13 year old was playing golf and got hit with a golf ball and died, then should minors not be able to golf either?

[cg2112]

IT is sad that this happened, but like everyone has said, the kids know the risks. The parents know the risks too. Even the woman said it is the parent's choice to let the kid ride or not.

Now as to the comments people had about Fox News, what am I missing? The news guys even said the kids can die snow boarding or skiing. They remained neutral if not leaning towards the kids right to do what he wanted. They brought in an outside person with an opposing view as their own, to have a discussion. But since it was Fox who reported it, they must be at wrong?

Fox News is pretty famous for this.

Where was the other side of the debate? Why did they bring in someone who knows nothing about riding a motorcycle, and who suggests that the parents should be investigated by social services, but offered no one to provide any real counterpoint? This is one of the reasons that Fox News gets so much criticism.

That said, I was pretty angered by that video. Enough so that it's really hard to formulate any kind of decent response, beyond "Who does she think she is?"

[fusion]

Why stop there? Should we not allow them to play football, baseball, golf, cheerleading, gymnastics?? If my 13 year old was playing golf and got hit with a golf ball and died, then should minors not be able to golf either?

Snowboarding, skiing, cart racing, BMX, hockey, boxing, martial arts in general, soccer, cycling, climbing the stairs, mowing the grass, crossing the street, McDonald's,...

[redkow97]

Do you honestly think the odds of getting hit in the head by a golf-ball are equal to dying in a motorcycle race?

There are a LOT fewer kids racing motorcycles than playing football, baseball, golf, cheerleading, and gymnastics.

I'd honestly like to see data on the fatalities "per capita" in each sport. My hope would be that racing comes out relatively even, or favorably compared to other sports, but my inclination is that the opposite is true.

off the top of my head, I can think of at least 5 deaths in the last 3 years as a result of racing. that's kids and adults. I can't think of that many football related deaths in my LIFETIME, at the pro or amateur level.

[Disclaimer]

Solved.

[natedogg624]

i do however have some objection with parents who are controlling and living through their kids.

from what i remember when i met the lenz family the dad was pretty relaxed and let peter do his thing, never yelled at him or said that he should be on top all the time etc... and just based on what i've read on the wear board, xavier's father was yelling at him for why he crashed on the warm up lap (before finding out what happened to peter). kids already know they've screwed up they don't need the parents putting extra pressure on them to succeed.