Parents that are anal about car safety- your views on other motor vehicles?

Just curious at what age would you let your child ride on a-


Motorcycle?


4 Wheeler?


Snowmobile?


Dirtbike?|||We just bought a vacation home - and we are allowed to ride various vehicles on all the roads - so I am hoping to get some kind of people mover that my kids can drive fairly early - a dune buggy, or golf cart, or even one of those john deere vehicles that parks have to haul stuff around.



I had a low to the ground low center of gravity go-kart and a minibike as a kid. I rode them CONSTANTLY and tore up my yard. I would LOVE to see my yard torn up again - but my kids are not the daredevils that I once was, so I think the vehicles would stay in the garage. They are more golf cart types, like their daddy! A snow mobile would be awesome - my kids are 10 and 14, and I would have no reservations, given their general lack of recklessness. Helmets ALWAYS.|||That's a tough call-Adam stayed RF until after the age of 3 and I only turned him because his head was higher than the back of the seat so I had no choice(he's still well under 30 lbs). I know he would LOVE any of those things you listed because he is 100% boy and obsessed with all vehicles. However, I kid I grew up with flipped on an ATV tooling around a yard at a slow speed and died as a young adult so that puts fear in me. I guess would really depend on when and where, whether a helmet or other safety features were available.

ETA: And yes, I realize this person's death was probably a freak accident that proves my mom's point you cand die anywhere at anytime. But its still hard not to think of it.|||It's not about age for me, it's about what I think they can handle.



My older three had a ride on the back of their grandfather's motorcycle, I think my twins were 12 and my middle son was 10. They wore a helmet and didn't go far, just up the street and back.



for the other things you listed it would depend I guess who was supervising and how well I thought they could handle it. My youngest is 11 and I wouldn't let him ride any of those things alone....maybe a 4 wheeler with supervision.



edit: I thought you meant more so on their own...I would let my children ride with someone on these things if I trusted the person they were with and safety precautions were taken (helmet etc...)|||Motorcycle: oldest rode one around the block at age 2. I did not know this, but Grandpa said it was OK because they went slow and Josh wore a helmet.


4 Wheeler: The closest we have to this, is the Rhino 4-wheel 'off-road' power wheels two-speed, just used bungee cords to keep the 1 yr old safe, and go only on 1st speed. Can't get the car seat in! The older two use the seat belt.


Snowmobile: never had one. but, they started skiing at age 4.


Dirtbike: 4 or 5, when they are good on their bike. We have good heavy padded suits, since they race competitively.


and yes, they all RF in the car over the age of 2. We compete in the local 'extreme go-karting' at our local track. The cars go over 40 mph, up to 60 mph! They will wait till their teens to do this, even with padding a hit at that speed is rough. The other activities are slower speeds.|||I'm not sure about motorcycles... my husband has 2 Harley's, but they make me nervous. My aunt was in a motorcycle wreck and is now paralyzed from the waist down so they scare me a bit. A 4 wheeler? My daughter started riding on our 4 wheeler when she was about 2 with my husband and I. Snowmobile, it'll probably be awhile before I let either of my children on them- maybe around 8 or so... dirt bike? Never... lol. The only person I know with one of those is my 14 year old brother and there is absolutely no way that brat is driving my children around.