| A bill banning ATVs from West Virginia paved roads has passed the Senate without any trouble.
The legislature has wimped out during previous sessions, allowing the manufacturer's three deadly no-no's to become standard fare - paved road riding, no helmets (they did require helmets for kids) and riding double.
Legislators like this year's bill because it gives local governments the option of dealing with the ban.
The wrath of 500,000 ATV owner-voters could then be directed toward their local officials, and every county or town could come up with various laws.
In West Virginia, which has among the highest death and injury rates in the nation, has reported two-thirds of the deaths occurred on paved roads.
The bill now goes before the House of Delegates.
| 
