How do we change this thing around?

[riverrat]

I am just about sick of it. If I hear another story of how someone tells someone else that they ride ATC's (aka 3 wheeler) and they get that blank stare followed by the saying, "aren't those things banned?" ,"those things are dangerous", aren't they illegal?" etc, etc.

This is the day and age of the internet where we can get a message out fairly easy. Here is what I am proposing, isn't there like 20,000 members here? What if we finish up the work on the original cspc reports that they used to get 3 wheelers banned, and make a video with all the pertinent information, done halfway professional, and we all post it to youtube, and every other self media venue we can think of and get the word out? If we all band together we could turn this dumb thing around. This is just a suggestion, and I am open to other suggestions. Come on you f***n rednecks come up with something good! Let's get viral!

[ezmoney1979]

To me, it adds to the appeal. "Those things are dangerous", well hell yeah they are, thats what makes them fun to ride

[Xpress]

Would be quite hard to change peoples opinions, especially since most get firmly seated by anything they see and hear on TV.

It's a wonder why people watch the news or read any form of news media today...

[riverrat]

"Dude's, it's like the occupiers. They actually have some really great things that they stand for, yet they don't get the media attention they deserve, they always get bad press. That's because the media (rich people who own the media) is in control and threatened by what they stand for. But now because of the internet, we can know the "real deal". Let's face it, the whole thing (3 wheeler ban) is BS, based off lies, and totally un-American. When are we going to stand up for what is right? We can do it now, because we have a voice, and a way to get it out. A viral video is very powerful. If enough of us work together, over time, it will work.

How many people have you convinced otherwise? I've told hundreds, if not thousands of people. I've put it into perspective, and now their attitude has changed about it. I have debated in forums about it. What the government did to us is BS, and what they continue to do with everything else is BS. We don't need a government to protect us from us. What gives them the right to tell us what to do?

I laugh because their are people out there who want to legalize assisted suicide, yet three wheelers are illegal? wtf. Save a tree, kill a baby, wtf. Let me ride you stupid people. Fight fire with fire.

[bkm]

The same close minded people who think they should be banned are the same type of people who are against firearms. They use the idiots who abuse them against the people who are responsible with them. Until you remove every F#cktard from the back of one of these bikes, you will be fighting a uphill battle. Just like a gun, trikes don't kill people, stupid people kill people.

It always comes done to acceptance of responsibility and in this day and age of Lawyers, who are now the ones running the country, you no longer have to responsible for your own actions. Just blame someone else or sue the manufacturer of the product you have been abusing.

[Dirtcrasher]

This is why Rhianna still likes Chris Brown

[Vealmonkey]

Wow. What's the big deal? You have to be socially accepted or socially justifiable to have fulfillment in your life? Welcome to the world. Not everyone likes your trike or your music or your political affiliation or your religious beliefs, so what??? Do you think I like your rally cry of "come on you f------ rednecks? Do you agree with and justify what everyone else likes? We are all different, for good or for bad. If you really have to have some kind of worldwide acceptance, you are going to have a rocky road ahead of you. If the only way you are going to have fulfillment in life is to educate the world on 3 wheeler, than what a waste. Ride your trike. Have fun. Put your efforts to a much more notable cause, if that is really what you need to do. If you have a family, then be a responsable husband/ parent. Raise your kids to be responsible and decent people. Riding trikes is a hobby and meant to have personal enjoyment. Don't confuse that with the thought that you have to educate the world, cause it won't happen. Let people stare slackjawed if they must. This is your hobby, not theirs. Lots of people have hobbies that you probably aren't into, but that doesn't mean that they have to conduct a personal campaign to get you into their hobby or their way of thinking. Damn dude. I thought I had issues. LOL And by the way, if you think the members on here are a bunch of "f------ rednecks", then you are the one that needs help. I've met lots of people on here, that are really great people. People with nice husbands and wives and children and people that are really serious into the hobby. They may not take too kindly to be called "f------ rednecks" and I know I don't appreciate you very much lumping them into that category. And if it's your idea of some kind of warped humor, not funny.

[Chazz of Blades]

Wow. What's the big deal? You have to be socially accepted or socially justifiable to have fulfillment in your life? Welcome to the world. Not everyone likes your trike or your music or your political affiliation or your religious beliefs, so what??? Do you think I like your rally cry of "come on you f------ rednecks? Do you agree with and justify what everyone else likes? We are all different, for good or for bad. If you really have to have some kind of worldwide acceptance, you are going to have a rocky road ahead of you. If the only way you are going to have fulfillment in life is to educate the world on 3 wheeler, than what a waste. Ride your trike. Have fun. Put your efforts to a much more notable cause, if that is really what you need to do. If you have a family, then be a responsable husband/ parent. Raise your kids to be responsible and decent people. Riding trikes is a hobby and meant to have personal enjoyment. Don't confuse that with the thought that you have to educate the world, cause it won't happen. Let people stare slackjawed if they must. This is your hobby, not theirs. Lots of people have hobbies that you probably aren't into, but that doesn't mean that they have to conduct a personal campaign to get you into their hobby or their way of thinking. Damn dude. I thought I had issues. LOL And by the way, if you think the members on here are a bunch of "f------ rednecks", then you are the one that needs help. I've met lots of people on here, that are really great people. People with nice husbands and wives and children and people that are really serious into the hobby. They may not take too kindly to be called "f------ rednecks" and I know I don't appreciate you very much lumping them into that category. And if it's your idea of some kind of warped humor, not funny.

I'm a "f------ redneck" and proud of it. I don't think you understand the concept enough to start bashing on 'Rednecks' there Veal. Seems like you're saying that all rednecks have bad families, lives, and so forth.


I think it's a great idea, the more people who understand the hobby, the easier in the long run it would be to restart the production. You honestly think a handful of trikers alone can do it when the majority of the general public don't understand? I support the idea of making some videos based more toward showing people our sport, hobby, and to some of us, careers.

I hate to say it, but most of the time the general public is the biggest factor in any major shift, acceptance of trikes included.

[just ben]

If I I not mistaken(I could be) I thought the decree was a ten year deal. We are past 20 now. If the big 4 thought it was profitable we would be riding brand new trikes. Even if all 20,000? members (most gone and forgotten) whats that to the big companies? nothing.. Assuming 20,000 people signed a petition,how many are going to buy a brand new machine?I bet if you go to any of the big 4 with 20,000 prepaid orders they will come up with something for you. pony up bud!

[mohadib]

Meh. Who cares? That's just one less person buying up all the good parts on flea bay

[dksix]

Meh. Who cares? That's just one less person buying up all the good parts on flea bay

Agree'd. I have enough problems finding good trikes without all the quad riders giving them consideration. Trikes being mainstream is history, the big 4 will never produce them again. There may be enough enthusiast to support a few custom/production conversions, like TPC but there will never be new ones in show rooms across the country again. As far a changing the public's perception of them being dangerous, they are (for the average person). I prefer trikes to quads but I have far less worries letting someone ride my quad than I do a trike. The few people left who prefer trikes to quads are enthusiast, for the most part. And as such they/we are going to take the time to learn what our choice machines can and can't do. In general, the average person isn't and those are the ones who ended up causing the problems to start with. Does anyone see getting that group of people back involved in our hobby again. I'm sure like most of you, I've heard them all: "aren't those outlawed", "those things aren't safe", "do you have a death wish", "no way I'd ride one of those". Like many other hobby's, if you have to explain the appeal to someone....they aren't going to understand.

[Vealmonkey]

Riverrats delivery of the whole idea just rubbed me the wrong way. Why didn't he just say something like "fellow board members"? And for those considering themselves "rednecks" or "outlaws" or whichever term that you enjoy being referred to as, I didn't mean to offend anyone. But, for someone to come on here and preach on how they want to fight against other peoples' ignorance of a subject that they don't really know anything about, then to arbitrarily lump people into a category of anything other than triking enthusiasts or triking hobbyists, well, who really needs the educating???? If you think you need to fight some kind of battle, then go ahead and fight it. But don't get on here trying to stir up some stupid crap to get trike enthusiasts to try and rally around something that in the end is really no big deal.

[TimSr]

Riverrats delivery of the whole idea just rubbed me the wrong way. Why didn't he just say something like "fellow board members"? And for those considering themselves "rednecks" or "outlaws" or whichever term that you enjoy being referred to as, I didn't mean to offend anyone. But, for someone to come on here and preach on how they want to fight against other peoples' ignorance of a subject that they don't really know anything about, then to arbitrarily lump people into a category of anything other than triking enthusiasts or triking hobbyists, well, who really needs the educating???? If you think you need to fight some kind of battle, then go ahead and fight it. But don't get on here trying to stir up some stupid crap to get trike enthusiasts to try and rally around something that in the end is really no big deal.

I was left with the same impression as you. Using "occupy" as am example highlighted what was wrong with the whole idea. You take a bunch of angry people with signs, who cant tell you what it is they are trying to accomplish other than demanding repsect, and leaving behind destroyed parks and huge list of criminal activities and behaviors that they tell you to ignore because it doesnt represent them does not help your cause. Telling them in a video that trikes are safe will not convince them. You will have to SHOW them over a long period of time, and even harder, you have to convince others to do the same.

Respect is earned over many years of doing the right things when you are in the public's view, and years of work to build a good reputation are easily destroyed in minutes by a single individual who claims to be "one of you" and represents you poorly. There are lots of positive things happening out there, and lots of positive videos on youtube, but the greatest accomplishments are not happening on internet forums, and are therefore pretty much ignored by the internet community. Fact is you post a group of trikers racing for a crowd of 5000 people and you'll get 100 views in a year and a bunch of negative comments, but you post a video of two helmetless guys riding double on a trike and running down the road from the cops with beers in hand, and you get 1000 views the first day, and those same people, who complain about the unfair reputation of trikers will post a bunch of comments heralding the achievements of the great outlaws, and if you dare suggest trikers need to clean up their own image by simply using discretion as to what they present to the public, prepare to suffer the wrath of being a Nazi Puritan.

When people want to complain about how they are perceived by an "ignorant" public, they should look at what they present to the public from which the public has formed their conclusion. When people complain about how they are personally being portrayed unfairly, they can often find the guilty parties by reading their own facebook page.

Riverrat,
Good luck with your viral video that will undo the effects of all those other videos out there glorifying the negative stereotypes. I think you'll gain a lot more respect by simply being consistantly repectable over a period of years, and avoiding being confused with those who are not. I don't think a blast of profanity to rally the troops is a very motivating start.

[Mosh]

I dont get the replies or remarks about the ban. Maybe 1 out of 30 people will actually say something to that effect, and I just educate them a little and be on my way.

I dont really care what the "generalized' public thinks. In most cases they easily demonstrate that they live with their heads up their you know what, and are victims of being hypnotized like zombies with general perception of the surroundings they are trapped within.

Let them be ignorant. The minute trikes become popular again, is the same time that more fools ride them without respect and cost us more money for them.
And going with that, the more people on trikes, is just more chances of the wrong people being on trikes and further damaging the reputation of trikers.

[HuffieVA]

If I I not mistaken(I could be) I thought the decree was a ten year deal. We are past 20 now. If the big 4 thought it was profitable we would be riding brand new trikes. Even if all 20,000?.....

Technically there is a new glitch, yes the decree has expired but hidden in the depths of the "Lead Toys Law", the one that was so well thought out it technically banned anything with a battery designed for anyone under 12.... (which has since partially been fixed) is a small blurb....

Sec. 1420.4 Restrictions on three-wheel ATVs.

Until a mandatory consumer product safety standard applicable to
three-wheel ATVs promulgated pursuant to the Consumer Product Safety
Act is in effect, new three wheel ATVs may not be imported into or
distributed in commerce in the United States.

The only real out (loophole) is:

Sec. 1420.2 Definitions.

In addition to the definitions in section 3 of the Consumer Product
Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2052), the following definitions apply for
purposes of this Part 1420.
(a) All terrain vehicle or ATV means:

[[Page 67387]]

(1) Any motorized, off-highway vehicle designed to travel on 3 or 4
wheels, having a seat designed to be straddled by the operator and
handlebars for steering control; but
(2) Does not include a prototype of a motorized, off-highway, all-
terrain vehicle that is intended exclusively for research and
development purposes unless the vehicle is offered for sale.


You can't sell new ones, but you can sell used ones (no specific build date requirement), you can sell/install conversion kits, and even build them from scratch for research/development purposes.

Plenty of room for bending the law without breaking it...

And if someone gets CPSC to accept a safety standard its a free for all.... (They will likely agree to that right after they bring back lawn darts)

The fact is, none of the big companies are interested in investing money and trying to market a product with such a tarnished reputation (it doesn't matter if the reputation was deserved or not, that's just the way it is)

If you want to fight a battle that's still winnable support the manufactures that still market 2 Strokes, and get the message across that the riding public wants bikes/ATV's that are easy and affordable to work on