# Stopped by police



## Bcfisher0228 (Mar 10, 2011)

I have a family 5. We have a Polaris ranger and a outlander max. Over the weekend we took a trip to Harrison went to Saint Helen. After getting fuel in Saint Helen a cop waited for us to cross to road to get back on the trail. My wife was on the ranger with two of the kids and I had one in front of me on the wheeler. My kids are 6 3. Once I crossed the road the lights came on. He stop me for having my 3 year old in front of me. He told me he had to ride behind me. I told him he is 3 and there was no way he could hold on. After doing some switching we were back on our way. This I the first time ever stopped for this And I been riding like this for long as I know. What is the law? I've never heard of your child not being able to ride in front of you.


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## perchyanker (Jan 26, 2011)

Bcfisher0228 said:


> I have a family 5. We have a Polaris ranger and a outlander max. Over the weekend we took a trip to Harrison went to Saint Helen. After getting fuel in Saint Helen a cop waited for us to cross to road to get back on the trail. My wife was on the ranger with two of the kids and I had one in front of me on the wheeler. My kids are 6 3. Once I crossed the road the lights came on. He stop me for having my 3 year old in front of me. He told me he had to ride behind me. I told him he is 3 and there was no way he could hold on. After doing some switching we were back on our way. This I the first time ever stopped for this And I been riding like this for long as I know. What is the law? I've never heard of your child not being able to ride in front of you.


I got stopped for the same thing a few years ago. Government knows whats best.


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

_*Must get pretty boring in the hinterlands up there! Nothing else for him to do? Total BS!

I'm from the Government and I'm here to help?*_

old


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## Bcfisher0228 (Mar 10, 2011)

Fabner1 said:


> _*Must get pretty boring in the hinterlands up there! Nothing else for him to do? Total BS!
> 
> I'm from the Government and I'm here to help?*_
> 
> old


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## Bcfisher0228 (Mar 10, 2011)

I always ride with one of them in front. would you know if it a local law or do you think think it just a power trip. We do a lot of riding and never heard of such thing.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Can we get that cop to come here to Montcalm county. He can write a bunch of good tickets to all the idiots riding the roads with no helmets on their heads or their kids.


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## jag1978 (Jul 27, 2015)

It's my understanding you are to follow manufacturers recommendations. We have a Polaris 2 seater quad and there is a sticker no riders under 12 this should also be the same on the ranger when I read an owners manual once. You are to be able to sit in the second seat on the quad and reach the foot rests and be big enough to hang on.


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## Downriver Tackle (Dec 24, 2004)

jag1978 said:


> It's my understanding you are to follow manufacturers recommendations. We have a Polaris 2 seater quad and there is a sticker no riders under 12 this should also be the same on the ranger when I read an owners manual once. You are to be able to sit in the second seat on the quad and reach the foot rests and be big enough to hang on.


I'd agree. Is the problem the cop, or the fact that of the parent putting the child in a risky illegal situation? The only place you should be riding with a 3 year old, is on your property at slow speed, and that is still questionable. Riding out on the roads like that is crazy and I would have thrown the book at the parent, just as the county does around here for parents riding with kids like that. I watched my neighbor get absolutely chewed out by a cop for the same thing, and then he handed her a ticket and said next time it would be for child endangerment.


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## MossyHorns (Apr 14, 2011)

Downriver Tackle said:


> I'd agree. Is the problem the cop, or the fact that of the parent putting the child in a risky illegal situation? The only place you should be riding with a 3 year old, is on your property at slow speed, and that is still questionable. Riding out on the roads like that is crazy and I would have thrown the book at the parent, just as the county does around here for parents riding with kids like that. I watched my neighbor get absolutely chewed out by a cop for the same thing, and then he handed her a ticket and said next time it would be for child endangerment.


I used to take my kids snowmobiling for 100 mile rides when they were 2 years old and they always road in front of me, which is perfectly legal on a snowmobile. I never would consider that being reckless or child endangerment. 

In the OP's situation, all he has to do is put the kid on the back of the machine. The stickers on the machine that say you must be 12 to ride on the passenger seat are only manufacturer recommendations. Michigan does not have an age requirement for passengers just like they don't have an age requirement for the size (cc's) of a an ATV a kid can ride.


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## Downriver Tackle (Dec 24, 2004)

MossyHorns said:


> I used to take my kids snowmobiling for 100 mile rides when they were 2 years old and they always road in front of me, which is perfectly legal on a snowmobile. I never would consider that being reckless or child endangerment.
> 
> In the OP's situation, all he has to do is put the kid on the back of the machine. The stickers on the machine that say you must be 12 to ride on the passenger seat are only manufacturer recommendations. Michigan does not have an age requirement for passengers just like they don't have an age requirement for the size (cc's) of a an ATV a kid can ride.


 My fear with a small child on front or back would be in the event of having to make an evasive turn or maneuver. No way a 2 or 3 year old is going to be able to hold themselves on in many situations, and no way to adequately control the vehicle while holding onto a kid. I tried to take my dog for a ride on our property through a winding trail and about killed us both trying to steer and control with one hand and hold him with the other. lol


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## Bcfisher0228 (Mar 10, 2011)

jag1978 said:


> It's my understanding you are to follow manufacturers recommendations. We have a Polaris 2 seater quad and there is a sticker no riders under 12 this should also be the same on the ranger when I read an owners manual once. You are to be able to sit in the second seat on the quad and reach the foot rests and be big enough to hang on.[/QUOTE





Downriver Tackle said:


> My fear with a small child on front or back would be in the event of having to make an evasive turn or maneuver. No way a 2 or 3 year old is going to be able to hold themselves on in many situations, and no way to adequately control the vehicle while holding onto a kid. I tried to take my dog for a ride on our property through a winding trail and about killed us both trying to steer and control with one hand and hold him with the other. lol


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## storman (Mar 12, 2008)

My boy has been riding on my ATV and snowmobile since he was three. I have no issue with him riding in front of me he is safe and I am in control. Any person that tells me he is to ride in back of me has no common sense. He is old enough now to ride his own snowmobile and his own mini four wheeler. The local CO has never said a word when checking our registration or orv sticker just made sure we were up to date and made small talk about if the boy was having fun. Why must everything have to be regulated. I rode the same way with my grandfather 40 years ago. If you ride like an idiot fast and out of control that's a different story but a family out for a ride with there kids give me a break.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

It is illegal to ride an ORV exceeding the seating capacity as set by the manufacturer. 

On a typical four wheeler, having a child ride in front or behind you on the seat is not legal. Manufacturers specs usually restrict seating to one rider.

Could be as easy as putting the older child on the back of your machine and the younger in the ranger with a seat belt.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Downriver, I am going to assume that they are not driving 50 mph blasting through water holes and driving over rough terrain. There are plenty of places on public land that a person can ride and go 10mph and be perfectly safe with children riders.


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## Downriver Tackle (Dec 24, 2004)

Robert Holmes said:


> Downriver, I am going to assume that they are not driving 50 mph blasting through water holes and driving over rough terrain. There are plenty of places on public land that a person can ride and go 10mph and be perfectly safe with children riders.


 Agreed, but the OP wasn't on public land, he was on the public roads. Whole different situation and lots of things that can happen beyond your control.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

If the cop wants to be an arse he should be stopping mopeds who ride in the right of way of roads without insurance, have no turn signals, and hold up traffic. Don't harass a family who uses a roadway to purchase gas and goods (paying taxes supporting your community) to go to and from public trails on a registered vehicle.


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## Downriver Tackle (Dec 24, 2004)

Robert Holmes said:


> If the cop wants to be an arse he should be stopping mopeds who ride in the right of way of roads without insurance, have no turn signals, and hold up traffic. Don't harass a family who uses a roadway to purchase gas and goods (paying taxes supporting your community) to go to and from public trails on a registered vehicle.


 If he wanted to be an arse, he could have given them a ticket like my neighbor got. How is enforcing laws and being a nice guy by giving them a break, harassing someone? The activity was ILLEGAL, PERIOD. And what is a police officer's job again? Oh yeah, to enforce laws!


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Robert Holmes said:


> If the cop wants to be an arse he should be stopping mopeds who ride in the right of way of roads without insurance, have no turn signals, and hold up traffic. Don't harass a family who uses a roadway to purchase gas and goods (paying taxes supporting your community) to go to and from public trails on a registered vehicle.


Nothing you listed in regards to moped use is illegal...


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I will bet you that cop has never stopped a moped in his career. I live in an area where there are plenty of bicycles that blow through stop signs and never get stopped by the police. They also ride in the roadway and impede the flow of traffic and ride against the flow of traffic. He should have stopped them to do a trail sticker, registration check and gave them suggestions on how to have a safer ride.


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## Downriver Tackle (Dec 24, 2004)

Robert Holmes said:


> I will bet you that cop has never stopped a moped in his career. I live in an area where there are plenty of bicycles that blow through stop signs and never get stopped by the police. They also ride in the roadway and impede the flow of traffic and ride against the flow of traffic. He should have stopped them to do a trail sticker, registration check and gave them suggestions on how to have a safer ride.


 Isn't that pretty much what he did? He told them the child could not ride in front, they switched(safer ride), and were on their way.


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