The Plot summary of the whole article
is pretty much about why the fine is so much and why it is also necessary in
preventing farm like injuries.
The author’s purpose for this article
is to explain why the fine is so much and why it is necessary
Many deaths are caused by quad bikes,
therefore there needs to be some safety requirements to minimize the risk. Not
just adults are at risk either many children are killed while operating quad
bikes simply because they are not strong enough or skilful enough
to control these machines. 33 children aged up to 15 died in accidents between
2002 and 2012 involving motorcycles.
The first key ideas point of view is
people need to be wearing helmets while operating a quad bike and if a hefty
fine is what it takes to make people wear their helmets, then that is what
needs to be done.
The author manipulates the reader
because he is very one sided (for helmets) which frustrates the reader and
makes them want to read more to understand his point of view.
(“Yeah
right as if you would be pleased if you received this over the top fine.”)
(“Yet
the picture shows an officer riding a quad bike which has no roll protection,
so that if it does roll over it will keep rolling and crush him. And the helmet
won't save him from that.”)
(“Let’s
not stop at quad bikes. It would be a safe bet that quad bike accidents on a
number of hours ridden basis would be much less than the number of motorcycle
accidents on the roads. We do not hear a lot about the disproportionate number
of serious injury or death accidents involving motorcycles to cars (about
14/1), so why don't we concentrate on the real problem, and let farmers get on
with their jobs?”)
I think there needs to be some safety
precautions to prevent injury and death but that doesn’t mean the fine has to
be so high, what’s the point in saving someone’s life with a helmet and then
killing them with a $40,000 dollar fine.
few deaths are caused by quad bike
accidents but many more are caused by motorbike accidents and car accidents yet
the fine for not wearing a helmet on a motorbike is only $50 and only $150 for
not wearing a seatbelt in a car.
The quad bike fine is way out of
proportion to the fine for not wearing a helmet on a motorbike and not wearing
a seatbelt in a car.
The Author was very good at
convincing you the quad bike fine is necessary because he is very one sided.
(“While they need to comply with
H&S legislation, the fine seems excessive to me. As others have already
said, the fine seems entirely disproportionate to the "crime". They
would probably be better off to kill a pedestrian as they text and drive an
uwarranted and unregistered car without a drivers license while drunk and not
wearing a seatbelt.”)
(“What a
joke. $40,000.00 for not wearing a helmet you've got to be kidding me. As far
as im concerned these people should go find a real job and stop handing out
such absurd punishments to people for something that is clearly none of their
business. You have to remember that as long as they are on private property,
they are no threat to the public. Whereas as soon as they are on the road it
becomes police business anyway. If farmers don't want to wear helmets then that
is their own choice, it's their lives, so worksafe should just but out!”)
My personal opinion is if the fine
for not wearing a helmet on a quad bike is going to be so high they might as
well bring up the fine for not wearing a seatbelt in a car and no helmet on a
motorbike.