I know it does not look like it, but spring has sprung! Up here on Douglas Mountain, the snow pack is still very deep but I suspect in about three weeks it will be a much different scene.
As soon as the snow disappears we will be able to get out the fishing poles and for us who own all-terrain vehicles, four-wheeling will be in our plans.
ATVs can be a lot of fun, but on the other hand if you don’t use your noggin’, you can get into some dangerous situations.
Many of these machines manufactured today are over-powered and when misused can be very tippy. I personally have given too much throttle going up a steep inclines with not all of my weight as far forward as possible, that wasn’t a good end result as I quickly found my ATV on top of me in the middle of nowhere. Lesson learned.
On another occasion I was loading my Polaris into the back of my truck. When I drove up the ramps one of the safety hooks broke and down I came with the heavy Polaris on top of me with one of the rear wheels chewing my right leg all to pieces. I was laid up on the couch for nearly two months, but I think I won the black and blue leg award for the year.
My mistakes were all self-inflicted by not viewing the safety tapes you get when purchasing a new four-wheeler and not enrolling in an ATV safety training course. If you purchase a new four-wheeler, do yourself a favor, take the safety-training course and view the videos provided by the manufacturer. It will save you a lot of aches and pains.
When traveling across someone’s land, go slowly and gently as possible as landowners don’t like chewed up fields and land erosion. This is one of the biggest complaints against ATVs and the reason for “No ATV” signs.
So next time you hop on your four-wheeler, remember and respect the power of your ATV and the dangers that lurk in the shadows if you misuse them.
Have fun and be safe
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