State: No agency regulates hayrides in Michigan
- Related article: Michigan workplace safety officials investigating hayride accident at Jenny's Dexter Market
No state agency regulates hayrides like the one that injured a worker at Jenny's Dexter Market Saturday, Michigan officials said Monday.
Neither the Department of Agriculture nor the Department of Commercial Services, which oversees carousels and similar rides, regulates hayrides, said Lori Donlan, communications specialist with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Burton Hoey hooks up his pair of Percheron draft horses to a pumpkin wagon at Jenny's Farm Market near Dexter in this file photo.
File photo
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which regulates workplace safety, confirmed Monday that it is investigating the accident. But that agency has no jurisdiction over consumer safety issues, officials said.
Ron Melancon, a longtime advocate for safety standards and regulations for trailers of all kinds, said hayrides are not regulated anywhere mainly because they’re generally held on private property. Melancon said hayride trailers often lack railings to prevent falls and have other safety concerns, including no load restrictions.
Melancon, who lives in Virginia, noted that 6 people were injured on Sunday in a hayride accident in New Hampshire.
Saturday’s accident is at least the second hayride accident to seriously injure someone in the past two years in southeast Michigan. Ypsilanti teenager Jordan Hogg was seriously injured in a church hayride accident in Livingston County in October 2009 when he fell off a utility trailer and it ran over him. Hogg, who is now a junior at Milan High School, suffered a crushed airway and was so seriously injured doctors weren’t sure he would live.
He still suffers effects from the accident, though, including short-term memory loss and problems with attention span. The left side of his face also doesn't move as it should, his mother, Amy Hogg, said.
Amy Hogg said many people don't understand the risks from hayrides. "I've tried so hard to educate people on makeshift hayrides and how dangerous they are," she said. "They don’t realize that this isn’t a freak accident. This is happening a lot."
She said she made up her own slogan to try to educate people."If it wasn’t built with sides it wasn’t meant for rides," she said.
Jenny’s Farm Market owner Burton Hoey told AnnArbor.com Sunday that the worker who was injured, a 23-year-old woman, was leading the hayride and holding tight to the reins when one of the horses tripped and lunged forward, pulling her off the wagon.
Firefighters reportedly arrived shortly before 2 p.m., and found her lying in a field. Dexter Fire Lt. Michael Grissom said Sunday that the woman "didn't have the feeling she should have had in her lower extremities" on Saturday.
She was conscious and alert and was flown by a Survival Flight helicopter to the University of Michigan Hospital, where she was undergoing treatment.
An update on her condition was not available Monday. Her name has not been released.
The farm market, located at the intersection of Dexter-Pinckney and Island Lake roads, is a popular local attraction.
Comments
grye
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:50 p.m.
Boy oh boy do we need more safety regulations. Kids climbing trees. Gosh, they should have safety harnesses, and a safety net beneath the tree in the event the harness fails. Don't forget to wear a helmut. What about roller skating, or ice skating? Going fishing? Must wear safety gloves to prevent a hook in a finger. But you will be near the water. Must wear a life vest in the event you might fall in. This will easily get to the point of ridiculous. You can't regulate safety into everything. At some point you must realize it is fate and that stuff happens. It's not like a hayride is traveling at 100mph. If you are concerned, don't ride the hay ride or at least sit in the middle of the wagon. You have the choice.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
You obviously are stuck in your frame of mind and not interested in even considering what happened. Let me look for that "ignore" button now....
Fred Altenbernt
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:04 p.m.
It is called an accident, let it go at that. The worker stumbled and was hurt, who hasn't stumbled sometime in there life. As for regulation for hayrides, there are more concerns in this state that should have a higher priority. What do want regulated next? I can think of many things but do you really want the government to be that much in your life? Also there is such a thing as personal responsibility. Why doesn't this ever come up when something happens, it is always someone else's fault for not being able to forsee everything that may happen. Having been around horses and wagons, and other farm equipment for too many years, yes there is some danger but not enough to warrent some regulation that few will ever see or follow.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:56 p.m.
Fred, you said "It is called an accident, let it go at that. The worker stumbled and was hurt, who hasn't stumbled sometime in there life." Where did you get that the worker stumbled? People who were on the wagon said that the seat broke and she fell down between the horses and the wagon. The owner, who was not there, said the horse stumbled. Maybe you should go back and read all of the articles and comments before posting erroneous information.
Ron Granger
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:58 p.m.
We don't know if the wagon had mechanical issues. Here's an example of what looks like a very modern wagon where someone was killed and many injured. Many of the injured were not even on the ride. <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2005850/Nowton-Park-Country-Fair-Carole-Bullett-killed-horse-bolts.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2005850/Nowton-Park-Country-Fair-Carole-Bullett-killed-horse-bolts.html</a> So even if the wagon is perfect, accidents can happen. It is basically impossible to stop a bolting horse. This is also a great risk in parades, where the route is often very crowded. If you've seen any of the videos of parade horses getting spooked, it really is awful. I think some parades are no longer allowing horses. I don't think there is any major lesson except making certain the hardware is sound via inspection, the operator is trained, and that you are ready to grab your kids and throw yourselves off the ride. Riders should be informed of the horse spook danger.
OLDTIMER3
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:50 p.m.
@ Ron Melancon This is not a case of a trailer coming unhitched.The accidents you stated were from trailers coming unhooked from motor vehicles not horses therefore irrevelant to this story. And there is no law that I am aware of that tells how to harness a team of horses to a trailer.
Homeland Conspiracy
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.
Ban all hayrides & horses!!! Think of the children...won't someone please think of the children!
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:57 p.m.
Snarky comment.
Ron Granger
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:52 p.m.
These rides are typically a for-profit business. They should have a permit and an inspection, just like a carnival ride. The fee for the permit pays for the cost of the inspection. The inspection verifies that the seats, rails, wheels, and other hardware are in good condition, that corners have not been cut, and everything meets some basic safety standard. The notion that the rider can inspect everything, and is obligated to do so, is absurd; unless you're willing to crawl under the wagon, etc. On any horse driven ride, you need to be prepared to jump off the ride - with your kids - if the horse becomes spooked and bolts. Most people probably aren't prepared for that.
Ron Granger
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:04 p.m.
$50 ride? Please spare us the hype and cost fear. You don't need an engineer to do the inspection. But even if you use an engineer that is paid $100/hour, it just doesn't amount to that much. The engineer should be able to inspect at least a couple, if not a few, wagons in an hour. It really doesn't add that much to the cost.
Fay Kafi
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:59 p.m.
Thank you Ron (from a mother that was on this particular hayride with 3 very young kids on Saturday). My husband and I paid $20. This is definitely a "for-profit" business---there should be some type of basic permit and inspection. I have no idea what these people (the ones that keep commenting about regulations) are thinking!
JustMyOpinion
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:46 p.m.
Really? That's a mighty expensive permit if you think it will cover the cost of an inspector who has to be trained and make a state wide inspection. How does a $50 hay ride sound to you? That would be the end of hayrides for sure. How about people are careful and look around before they go? Why would a driver get on an unsafe wagon in the first place? I haven't seen any reports of suicidal wagon drivers -so one can assume they wish to live. As to horses, well, horses can be dangerous - its the nature of all living things.
jcj
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:37 p.m.
Marilyn Just so ya know where some of these regulations are taking us! Here is ONE example. <a href="http://reason.com/blog/2010/03/19/home-repair-rule-goes-over-likv" rel='nofollow'>http://reason.com/blog/2010/03/19/home-repair-rule-goes-over-likv</a>
Homeland Conspiracy
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:59 p.m.
In the lead classes the teachers ask you to rat out other contractors that haven't taken the classes.
Ron Granger
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:48 p.m.
Your off-topic example is a good one. The lead dust release from stripping and sanding paint on older homes is very toxic. A lot of people ignore it, exposing their children and their neighbors children to the toxic dust. It can also spread to nearby gardens. It's very easy to just sand the material and pretend it isn't a big deal. You can't smell or taste the lead. A lot of people won't even wear a paper respirator. So yes, absolutely - the removal of toxic lead of dwelling should be regulated. Lead causes brain damage, especially in children. Do you have any other great examples you'd like to share?
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.
I am no fan of the EPA, believe me. There are too many instances where they are allowing the fox to guard the henhouse, like in pesticide approval. But, just because there are bad regulations, it does not mean that we should do away with all regulation. People obviously don't have the common sense that previous generations have. Witness bicycle riders pulling their kids down Huron St. in Ann Arbor in those little yellow nylon trailers. THAT should be outlawed. As for the lead paint problem, too late for most folks working construction. As a carpenter I was required to cut asbestos sheets with a circular saw for the townhouses on Nixon Rd. That was in the late 70's.
jcj
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.
Marilyn I can find the article by doing a search but the link does not go there. Here is the article. Home Repair Rule Goes Over Like Lead Balloon Nick Gillespie | March 19, 2010 There's no question that health care reform (yes, a euphemism) is the topic of the day. But just so you don't forget that the government can juggle all sorts of monumental screwups at the same time, here's a nice story brought to you courtesy of the EPA: On April 22, the Environmental Protection Agency is slated to enact rules requiring EPA certification for contractors working 0n homes built before lead paint was banned in 1978. The rule, aimed at limiting exposure to lead, applies to carpenters, plumbers, heating and air conditioning workers, window installers and others. Two-thirds of U.S. homes and apartments (78 million out of 120 million) were built before 1978, says Calli Schmidt of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), citing Census Bureau data. She says half of the pre-1978 homes don't contain lead but the rule, depending on implementation, might apply to all of them. USA Today notes one obvious problem with this rule: "The EPA has certified only 14,000 workers in lead-safe practices despite its own estimate that more than 200,000 will need to be trained, according to the NAHB [National Association of Home Builders]." There are others, of course, starting with the idea of making work more difficult and expensive (great idea during a recession) and the fact that lead exposure rates among children, the most vulnerable group at risk for exposure, have been dropping like a lead balloon independent of this sort of thing. But as fans of Star Wars could tell you, a phantom menace is sometimes better than the real thing.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:02 p.m.
jcj, your link didn't go anywhere. Redo?
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:24 p.m.
<a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=hay+ride+accisent+statistics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=X&ei=Tc2BTqKmJqffsQKHyqHwDg&ved=0CBsQvwUoAQ&q=hayride+accident+statistics&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=99477dd25ee5c698&biw=1132&bih=702" rel='nofollow'>http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=hay+ride+accisent+statistics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=X&ei=Tc2BTqKmJqffsQKHyqHwDg&ved=0CBsQvwUoAQ&q=hayride+accident+statistics&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=99477dd25ee5c698&biw=1132&bih=702</a> .
OLDTIMER3
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
I could find No hayride accidents listed that were with horse drawn wagons. Most were from stupidity. Why would anyone want to stand in a hay wagon with 59 other people to start with in the one case. Another a woman set her 18 month old down on the ground without getting down herself.
Homeland Conspiracy
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:53 p.m.
Be afraid be very afraid !!!!
djacks24
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
What? Is this all you have to support the soapbox your standing on? A google search for hayride accident statistics? Do you even have a clue of how a search engine works? Even though there were 233,000 results, most are duplicates of the same story and many of the results only use single keywords such as "hayride" "accident" "statistics". I could do a search for "death my sitting still" and come up with as much or more nonsense then your ridiculous search provided.
grye
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:14 p.m.
And we don't need hayrides being regulated.
grye
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:34 p.m.
Ron: we could regulate the heck out of everything to make everyone as safe as possible. We could require all swimmers to wear life preservers to ensure they don't drown. We could make everyone wear a helmet at all times to prevent someone from tripping and falling on their head. We could make everyone wear kevlar gloves to prevent papercuts. The list is endless. At somepoint you need to understand that stuff happens and you deal with it. If that is too much to ask, then you are living in a pipe dream.
grye
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:25 p.m.
However I can see liberal advocates pushing an agenda to provide safety regulations and inspections. "Sir, I'm here to inspect your hayride operation. Please show me your permit that allows you to operate a hayride and that probably cost you hundreds of dollars. I will also need to see your proof of insurance in excess of $1 million. Do you provide a safety briefing for all riders and do they sign an agreement to follow the procedures? Do you have seat belts attached to the wagon? Are the hay bales secure to the wagon and are they treated to ensure anyone with an allergy will not have an adverse reaction? Do your employees have the proper EMT training to handle an emergency? ........." Stuff happens people. You can't regulate all injuries out of existence. Understand this, deal with it if something happens (or just sit in your barcolounger and never leave the house) and get on with life.
Gordon
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:13 p.m.
I know it is the right thing to do bring to our attention that hayrides are not regulated; but every regulation costs us more money in taxes. Either we take the money away from SS or Medicare / Medicad or ask for regulations that are reasonable and not detailed to the point of if not mentioned then not a problem when tax revenues are going down. Yes, car safety has been improved at a cost & it has not lowered our insurance premiums it has slowed their increasing cost. Natural disasters have caused more premium increases. A non-growth economy & low interest rates will raise the cost of premiums. Our responsibility is to ourselves to protect us & our loved ones not a group of bickerng politicians by creating additional expenses we pretend we don''t notice buried in the cost of the vehicle increased taxes and premiums. Everything cannot be regulated. Horses stumble, people trip, and our response is frequently too slow that's the part of being human. Give it a rest. Imagine how those near & invloved feel about the accident. They certainly don't need a lot of comments from Monday morning quarterbacks.
Ron Granger
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.
It is a for-profit operation. Regulate it like carnivals. They get a permit, the permit fee covers the cost of the inspection. At least make certain that the seats, wheels, brakes, etc, meet some basic safety standards. Suggesting the money would need to come out of medicare, etc, is just a distraction.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:18 p.m.
Do you care about anything other than money? Why is money even being brought up? You can't take it with you, as they say.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:08 p.m.
All of these people complain about safety regulations UNTIL on of their loved ones is injured or killed in an "accident" that could have been prevented by a safety regulation. Then, they will be the first ones to run and find a good lawyer.
djacks24
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
Were you at the scene of the accident? Do you know for sure a safety regulation would have prevented it? How many safety regulations are there on automobiles anymore? Automobiles and driving in general have more regulations than anything else on the planet, yet there is no proof of a decline in deaths or injuries any time a new regulation is introduced. There is risk associated with stepping out of your front door in the morning, or for that matter deciding to stay home. Is the government going to regulate that as well?
JustMyOpinion
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:40 p.m.
Not true. Many of us live our lives and accept responsibility for our decisions and their outcomes. Sometimes things don't go as we hoped, sometimes bad things happen, and unlike the whiners of the world, we don't look right away for someone else to blame. We look for a way to get back up and keep going. The worst possible things have befallen my family, we didn't sue anyone, we mourned, stood up, and moved forward. Its a sad commentary that people feel life "owes" them something when in fact it is we who owe life a debt. Its all about the attitude you take to life overall - do you owe something to your country and your neighbors or do you simply think it should be done and taken care of for you by "others"? Our nation is being strangled right now by a lot of folks who seem to feel its all owed to them and hardship is an abridgment of their rights.
donderop
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:55 p.m.
As soon as I saw the headline, I knew where this had occurred. There's a lot of competition for "cider mills" every autumn, and this farm stand is marketing aggressively to lure customers from a nearby cider mill. It has taken on a theme-park appearance to appeal to children. Percherons are draft horses. They are generally gentle, but they are enormous. If, as was described, the employee was pulled under the wagon when one of the horses tripped, imagine what could happen if one or a team of horses panicked while pulling a wagon load of children. Just because it's festive and fun doesn't mean it's safe, parents. The same thing applies to things like straw-bale "mountains" on which kids are invited to climb. You might expect a soft landing, but those bales are heavy if they topple onto a child. People probably think these things are regulated, so they place their trust in the operator. You know better now.
jcj
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:07 p.m.
I would add that the last time I was at the"nearby cider mill". There were yellow jackets everywhere! Lets regulate that no yellow jackets can be allowed within 200 yards of a cider mill. Anaphylactic shock is very serious. After all we do not allow peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in school lunch rooms because of peanut allergies!
Elaine F. Owsley
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:32 p.m.
Was she sitting in/on the driver's seat and pulled off? Was she sitting on the driver's seat and it broke? Was she walking on the ground and leading the horses? Still unclear where the injured girl was when the accident happened. Does the owner of the location carry Worker's Compensation Insurance? Lots of unanswered questions about this. Surely one of the riders can answer the ones about the injured employee.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:48 p.m.
The previous stories had accounts from people who were riding on the wagon. One account said that a woman tried to reach for the driver as she fell but couldn't help her. Another said a man grabbed the reins but could not gain control of the horses. Those comments may have been deleted by the moderators, I'm not sure. I believe the use of the term "leading" is in error, she was indeed "driving" the team.
jayqboy
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:26 p.m.
OMG it's a hay ride. The key to surviving one is to sit there and enjoy yourself. Outside of that accidents happen! Pretty soon we will have to wear a helmet to walk around town!
lumberg48108
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.
The very idea AnnArbor.com felt this story needed to be written - under the auspices of "why isn't it regulated" tells us how far we have fallen as a society that we expect (and the media pushes it) that every single aspect of life should come under government regulation this is what we are teaching the next generations folks - that government is here to solve all of our problems ...keep that in mind in 20 years when this generation is making the rules
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:11 p.m.
So the first four commenters on this story would obviously prefer that we do away with all laws promoting safety? Everyone can just look out for their own safety? Where would they draw the line, or would they? Should children be protected in any way? Should amusement parks cease having inspections done? After all, the patron chooses to ride, doesn't he? I am not for frivolous lawsuits. In fact I got myself excused from a jury because I could not award a money settlement to a woman for her "mental pain and suffering". But I am for asking the owners of businesses who involve the public to maintain safe operations and surroundings.
Fay Kafi
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:47 p.m.
Dear Mike, The hayride at Jenny's costs $4/person (it's not free), and I live in Ann Arbor where there are plenty of slides at the playgrounds. I was on the wagon ride with my 3 children (the youngest only 2 years old). This was not (by any means) your average hayride (I have been on many hayrides in my lifetime). This hayride was unsafe well before the (supposedly) "horses tripped." My 2-year-old, 5-year-old, and 7-year-old were scared well before the wagon was out of control. We were given no warning before going on the ride. No one told us that this particular hayride is known for going fast (which, if you've read reviews from before the incident, you would find comments about that), and there are NO age restrictions or waivers to sign! I think I've said enough. People just don't understand what happened because they weren't there. THIS WAS NOT YOUR TYPICAL HAYRIDE, and it's not fair to say that it was just an accident. I firmly believe that this "accident" was COMPLETELY avoidable. By the way, the driver was a very brave young girl, who seemed to be in complete control and not at all negligent from my viewpoint (the trail and equipment need to be investigated). My prayers are with her always.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:46 p.m.
It sounds like JustMyOpinion would like to increase the number of lawyers and lawsuits. Now THAT doesn't sound right.
JustMyOpinion
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:28 p.m.
Voting for safety over money every time will result in us all having nothing. At some point, YOU must be responsible for yourself and your choices. You are born with eyes, use them. Look at a wagon before you ride in in, watch a run to see how the driver is before you get on. Our laws DO provide an automatic check for safety - its called a law suit. Owners are normally careful in order to prevent being sued. No one can prevent an accident but you can prevent negligence. That's the difference. Event he law recognizes you must have ownership of reasonable care for your own safety and welfare. This is not a socialist country.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:12 p.m.
I will vote for safety over money every time. Automobiles are so expensive due to EPA regulations on emissions and profits to the companies. I like to breath cleaner air, don't you?
Mike
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:50 p.m.
Nobody said do away with all laws promoting public safety that I read; that's a bit of a leap. the general concensus is that we are so overregulated by the government that we are getting sick and tired of it. You obviously don't own a business and have to face the prospect of getting a fine for some obscure regualtion every day you open your doors. You wonder why automobiles are so expensive and we're not selling too many. Regulations push teh price of new cars out of reach for many people. What do you think anti-lock brakes and air bags add to the cost of EVERY car. There has to be a point where the cost of regulations exceed the benefit to society. That doesn't seem to bother those who support Obamacare where your treatment or denila thereof will be weighed against your benefit to society. Very frustrating trying to discuss common sense. Who wants the free hayride to go up to $20.00 to cover the safety equipment, helmets, seat belts, and training required to meet some bureaucratic mess that will be created out of this? This will be the end of hayrides; just like Ann Arbor has not slides in their playgrounds anymore due to the tragic death of a little girl. Yet swings still remain which scare me as a parent even more.........
Mike
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:51 a.m.
OMG - no agency regulates hayrides!!!!!???? That's hard to believe; our government has a duty to protect us from horses who gallop causing injuries. I'm sure a new hayride operators license will be in the making along with a 30 hour class, maybe helmets and seatbelts will be mandated in the wagon (they had those in the old days, right?). As tragic as this accident was or could have been that's life. We don't have slides for the kids to play on anymore because of a tragic accident, I'm sure hayrides will be a thing of the past also due to legislation that will come out of this. Amy Hogg said many people don't understand the risks from hayrides. "I've tried so hard to educate people on makeshift hayrides and how dangerous they are," she said. "They don't realize that this isn't a freak accident. This is happening a lot." - 2 injuries since 2009 is a lot? I'm sorry your son was hurt, but I'm tired of regulations and government intrusion into my life every time someone gets hurt. If you want to be absolutely safe stay home, even then you won't be 100% safe...........
Fay Kafi
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:08 p.m.
Dear Mike, The hayride at Jenny's costs $4/person (it's not free, as your reply to another comment suggests), and I live in Ann Arbor where there are plenty of slides at the playgrounds. I was on the wagon ride with my 3 children (the youngest only 2 years old). This was not (by any means) your average hayride (I have been on many hayrides in my lifetime). This hayride was unsafe well before the (supposedly) "horses tripped." My 2-year-old, 5-year-old, and 7-year-old were scared well before the wagon was out of control. We were given no warning before going on the ride. No one told us that this particular hayride is known for going fast (which, if you've read reviews from before the incident, you would find comments about that), and there are NO age restrictions or waivers to sign! People just don't understand what happened because they weren't there. THIS WAS NOT YOUR TYPICAL HAYRIDE, and it's not fair to say that it was just an accident. I firmly believe that this "accident" was COMPLETELY avoidable. By the way, the driver was a very brave young girl, who seemed to be in complete control and not at all negligent from my viewpoint (the TRAIL & EQUIPMENT need to be investigated). My prayers are with her always.
Ricebrnr
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:47 a.m.
Yes any unfortunate events must be legislated and regulated out of existance. For the children, you know.... In the meantime how many have died by pools vs hayrides? Lets not even get into it with cars... It is called personal responsibility. It and personal liability regulate such things.
Mike
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:14 p.m.
It's also called life. The world is a dangerous place and any day can be our last. No amount of legislation can change that.........
outdoor6709
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:25 a.m.
I am sure the government will recognize their mistake and will come up with a solution that will make the legislators feel good. The rest of us will be worse off, but what is government for excpt to take away our tax $'s and freedoms.
Cossur
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 10:35 a.m.
Can we PLEASE recognize an accident as simply that. Hayrides have been around for centuries and they probably have the safest track record of ANY movement. I'd bet safer than walking! We do not need new regulations!!! As for Amy's slogan--THIS accident would not have been prevented by any regulation or even by sides on the trailer.
Matt Cooper
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:32 p.m.
From all that I've read and heard about this accident no regulations would have changed the outcome. For as sure-footed as horses normally are, as I understand it this one simply tripped and stumbled forward pulling the driver off the ride. The problem with a seatbelt is that if there should be an accident whereby the trailer should somehow roll onto it's side, the driver could potentially be trapped under it and crushed. I wish I knew a better way for these things to be run, but as Cossur pointed out, accidents happen.
average joe
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:04 a.m.
Not that I'm advocating it being a requirement, but a seatbelt for the operator would have possibly prevented this accident.