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Re: [RC] [RC] Kids, ponies and distance riding... Get a grip people - Nancy Mitts

The height requirement for amusement rides has to do with the fit of the seat & safety restraints, regardless of age. So, yes, a very short adult would not be allowed on either. I don't believe height is truly a safety issue when it comes to riding though.  And, age has little to do with skill and ability, as we all know adults who aren't too safe either. So, we're back to the legal age & liability. If AERC is going to use legal risk as a rationale for setting a minimum age, then anything under 18 is risky.  In some states that may even be 21. Any other minumum age is arbitrary. Unless, you subscribe to the notion that life is more valuable the younger you are, and then the age needs to be set at the loss value our insurance would cover.

 At what age does our "moral responsibility" to have as safe a ride as possible end, Joe? At what age does an accident just become an accident? Anybody who rides runs the risk of being hurt, whether 8 or 14 or 18 or 48.

I do find it a bit odd that some are finding it so horrible that we allow young children to participate, even though they are required to have an adult sponsor. Yet, no one seems to have a problem with them being turned loose to ride alone at 14 with only 500 miles competition experience.

These days it seems anybody can sue anybody at any time for any perceived injury, and there really isn't any way to prevent it. I don't see setting some arbitrary minimum age as any help at all.

Nancy Mitts

>From: Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>If there were additional risk from liability from limits then
>corporations like Anhiser Bush and Disney woul not use limits on
>certain rides in their parks. I am sure their corporate legal staff
>would be well aware of any such thing. Both Bush Gardens and Disney
>World have age limits on certains rides. They implement the age
>limits based on size - actually height. As I heard one aggrivated
>mother being told "if he can walk under this bar standing upright
>then as far as we are concened he is not 12 years old and can't go
>on this ride."  Had nothing to do about usurping parental authority
>it had to do with these companies being responsible citizens of the
>community and mitigating potential risk to the corporation.
>In the case of a very serious injury or death, an incidient might
>cross the like from a civil issue to one of a criminal issue. This
>has happened before. A four wheeler flipped on a young kid and
>killed him - the parents charged with involuntary manslaughter.
>
>Truman
>
>Joe Long wrote:
>>I've seen several people speculate that the AERC would have more liability if it
>>had an age limit, but I have seen no opinion on this from an attorney
>>experienced in child-injury cases (and I don't believe it).  
>>Perhaps if we are going to use that rationalization as a crutch to avoid our moral
>>responsiblity, the AERC should at least consult such an attorney and get such an
>>opinion, in writing?  Hmmm?
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Replies
Re: [RC] Kids, ponies and distance riding... Get a grip people, Truman Prevatt