In the Hands of Safety v Stupidity !!!?

I would never allow my kids to ride on public roads or in any unsupervised, unsafe enviroment, its just to much of a risk.

Cooke is a bad parent and should be jailed for his actions

I myself as a kid was never allowed to ride without

1. A helmet

2. The safety gear

3. without letting an adult knowing where you are going

somtimes its just not worth the risk but just the thought of a man letting his kids follow him in his 4wd on a public road is kind of sickening i mean think about it, what it he needed to stop all of a sudden and his kids rammed into the back of the car and not only dented the car but injured themselves

I do believe that there is no "Right Age" to start riding dirtbikes because why not start young as 3 like i did and progress and become better but in the track supervised scenario

I am saddened by the death of the 7 year old in your story but hopefully Mr cooke and all other parent think about the concequences of letting your child ride on a public road or not private property

People who know my own family tend to look upon my son as either a hero for the things he has achieved racing or as an idiot with idiot parents who allow him to get back on a bike after as many injuries as he has had and while in on some level I agree that the sport is dangerous and they have a point. What I don't agree with is those who ride bikes or quads in areas that are not controlled conditions without the safety precautions that come with race day conditions like having first aid on hand.

It is fine to have fun with kids on bikes not at race meets as long as common sense is used and the kids have all the safety gear.

I know of at least two teenage boys who have either lost their lives or been so badly injured that they will never have a life, from riding on what is considered roads (even though they are more like dirt tracks) near my own home. The local bike club that is also in the same area cops flack from local residents about these kids hooning around on their bikes, but the truth is that they do not belong to the club and if they did they would have more brains than to ride where they are doing so.

Everyone will no doubt point the finger and say that kids should not be allowed near machines until they are close to 20 years old, but doing any sport even gymnastics has its dangers and you would not want your 5 year old attempting gymnastic manouvers without the proper environment and safety mats in place and that is basically what happens when you put a kid on a quad and say hey follow me down the road. You may just as well give them a can of kero and matches to play with.

Yeah, I remember this in the Daily Mail, I was shocked to think that a father could be so stupid in letting his kids on the road at all.

The fact that they were behind him makes no difference what so ever. He must be the worst / maddest Dad in the world thinking that what he was doing was a good practice.

It does not mention if Cooke had been o the Xmas Pop before choosing his activity for his kids.

As for racing / off road / trails etc, yes that's fine. Under proper controlled environment's with full safety gear on.

This is goes as a healthy reminder to parents that bikes / quads etc are 100 % safe. But it needs common sense for them to be enjoyed to the full.

I guess everyday will be a prison sentence for Cooke now, but his stupid behavior has hurt more then just 1 person & that's no way to remember Christmas.

Lol... wait a minute... it's one thing teaching your 7-year-old to ride a bike on a track, and it's another allowing it to ride the bike on the road! That is foolish!

A 7-year-old cannot understand the rules and laws there are on the roads. Even though it may be the best rider there, on the roads there are other people, and believe me you never know who you are facing when you are there.

Wasn't it last year, or this one that a great retired rider died on the road? A professional rider, who knew what he's doing and has been on roads and tracks for centuries?!

It is obvious that the father will never forgive himself and unfortunately there is no one else to blame. He should have been smarter! And yes, if she wasn't there at that moment, she would still be with us.. We have a saying (I don't know how it sounds in English, i'm sure you have it too) a moment of careless leads to a whole life of suffering.

Its a very sad story, that says very little about the person driving the vehicle that killed the girl. thats a life sentence too. as well as the father's guilt.

As aILe points out Norick Abe was killed oct07, on public roads by accident. great Gp rider.

Stupidity is often seen in hind sight. I remember playing with my neice and nephew in a quiet area of a housing estate when they were only 3 and 4 yrs old. Christmas day, icy roads even, that could have turned tragic but did not. Lucky perhaps.

I cant imagine how the parents (both) are coping with the loss, there wishing things were different does not help. I agree that with a little thought kids can enjoy bikes fairly safely. but accidents happen on tracks too. (Kato, is an extreme example) but Kids get seriously hurt every year too. No one expects it to happen to them or theirs. but it does and will.

Sad story with hard lessons to be learned.

Racing motocross at 4 or 5 y/o is one thing

Letting your kid ride down a road with traffic is another..

Hitting a 5000 lb suv is one thing

Hitting a tuff-block or hay-bail is another..

Being a responsible parent is a big part of the risk of putting your child on a motorcycle or ATV.

You can get hurt and or get killed racing motocross that's for sure..I bet if the little girl would have been racing around a track she would still be with us..

Firstly, no parent in their right mind intentionally sets out to kill their own child,the most difficult part of the proceedings was in the hands of the judge,unlike all the others involved, he has to be deliberate,yet he cannot look in a book for a "right/wrong"answer.There are laws of the land to adhere to and until they are broken there is no precedent to work to,lets hope we live and learn,but unfortunately we can NEVER live in a world free of pain,. either physical or emotional.