{"id":18361,"date":"2015-09-29T13:54:49","date_gmt":"2015-09-29T12:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=18361"},"modified":"2023-04-08T14:07:41","modified_gmt":"2023-04-08T13:07:41","slug":"quad-bike-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=18361","title":{"rendered":"Quad Bike Crash"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most people will have heard about the quad bike accident<\/a> in Yorkshire a couple of days ago. The level of media attention has been accelerated by the revelation that these were four \u201cyoung people\u201d between the ages of 16 and 20 who were \u201ccelebrating the birthday of the youngest victim\u201d.\"Typical<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much has also been made of the fact that a sports car was involved, and that two men were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving (they have finally been released on bail). Somewhat less has been made of this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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West Yorkshire Police said the quad bike was unregistered\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnregistered\u201d means \u201cno insurance\u201d and \u201cillegal\u201d. And all the other things that such words imply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m on very delicate ground here, but I wonder if I\u2019m really the only one out here who \u2013 when I see yet another Instagram photo of a doe-eyed pouting teen who has died \u2013 immediately sees through it and thinks \u201cquad bike\u2026 unlicensed\u2026 fast road\u2026 birthday party\u2026 four people on it\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kind of quad bike I see around this way is usually a rust bucket. It is invariably being driven somewhere like Strelley or Bilborough, sounds like it\u2019s going to explode, and \u2013 in absolutely every case \u2013 is being driven by someone who (along with his parents) should have been locked away years ago as a precautionary measure, and in a manner which just proves the point. Often, there will be two people on it \u2013 that\u2019s the maximum number who can physically fit on the seat (four-seaters have roll bars and are more like dune buggies). Neither will be wearing crash helmets, though both will be wearing parkas or hoodies \u2013 and quite possibly some sort of mask in order to hide their features. The people who buy them do so in order to flout the Law, because they have no regard for the Law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s down this way, though. Maybe it\u2019s different up in Leeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n