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Did any of you see this? Tell me it is not so... http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20090228/ARTICLES/902289930 Children’s ATV sales banned throughout the nation Matt Stamey/Staff http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=HC&Date=20090228&Category=ARTICLES&ArtNo=902289930&Ref=AR&MaxW=600&border=0Glenn Diedrich, owner of Cycle World, hangs a warning tag onto a Honda motorcycle on the floor of his store Wednesday afternoon. ATVs and dirt bikes intended for children under 12 have been banned nationwide. The bike he’s hanging the tag onto is just above the size that’s been banned. If you’re interested in buying a dirt bike or all-terrain vehicle for a child, you’re out of luck.A new federal law bans the sale of off-road vehicles for kids under 12, part of a broader measure aimed at preventing lead poisoning in children. Retailers say the law is overly broad and children have a miniscule risk of lead exposure from engine components and other parts of the vehicles. “It’s absolutely ridiculous,” said Glenn Diedrich, owner of Cycle World at 5509 W. Park Ave., whose business sold the children’s models until the law took effect Feb. 10. “You’re not going to see a child biting the fender or licking the cylinder.” The federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, born amid outcries over children getting sick from lead components in toys imported from China, puts in place new strict standards for testing and safety in a wide range of toys used by children, including ATVs. For now, all models must be pulled until tests can be developed to detect lead, or until industry advocates succeed in getting models exempted from the law. That means retailers across the country, like Diedrich, are stuck with inventory sitting in their showrooms that they might not ever be able to sell. The law could cost the industry $1 billion for this year alone, according to an estimate from the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America and the Motorcycle Industry Council. Diedrich last week showed a reporter some of the models, which include dirt bikes that look like smaller versions of lighter motorcycles as well as four-wheeler ATVs. The law , he is certain, will have a major impact on his 42-year-old business. Typically, he sells just over 100 of the bikes per year for between $1,100 and $3,000, and they’re particularly hot around Christmas, he said. In January, the junior-sized models made up about 10 percent of his business. Since the law took effect, he’s had to turn away about half a dozen potential customers. He can change a tire or the oil on the devices but is prohibited from selling any parts or performing any other service on the bikes. Safety advocates call the new restrictions a double-edged sword. They could help discourage children’s use of the vehicles, said Sarah Anders, executive director of Louisiana Safe Kids, a coalition of public, private and voluntary organizations aimed at decreasing accidental injuries among children. But young ones may just climb onto adult vehicles and put themselves even more at risk, they say. “I believe all that’s going to do is (have) the children riding ill-sized units,” said Alicia Toups, chairwoman of the ATV committee of the regional Safe Community Task Force. “Make sure they’re on the correct size vehicle or not at all.” Diedrich, who regularly teaches ATV-safety programs, said his customers act responsibly and know how to operate them safely. He also makes sure children are matched to a correct device with power levels appropriate for their age. They should also use the appropriate safety gear and wear a helmet. “They understand how these units are used,” Diedrich said of his customers. Kids “can learn how to ride these bikes safely.” The Associated Press contributed to this report
