DURING the last few years, a number of different motorised vehicles have become available for children to ride. They range from motorised scooters, scramble bikes, and dwarf motorbikes to quad bikes. They are being bought by parents for their children.

Are these parents aware that these are illegal when used on public roads? They are only legal on private land.

Some parents are responsible and take their children to safe places in the countryside, where lots of others go. No doubt they all have a wonderful time. It is at least as much fun as dodgem cars and go-karts, and probably a lot more. Their parents take them and stay with them, but others parents have no idea where their 10-year-olds go on their motorised vehicles.

Consequently, their children ride around on pavements, terrorising pedestrians, many on residential estates. Some of these estates border open land and the children tear around, in and out of the estates at terrific speeds, forcing pedestrians to leap out of the way. Being young, and unaware of driving rules, they respond to gasps of indignation with swearing and threats of physical violence.

They do not care whether they ride on the pavement or the road, and as they don't have insurance, it doesn't really matter, does it? If you are unfortunate enough to be injured or maimed by one of these 10-year-olds, you will not have redress to the law.

These vehicles are on sale to anyone who wants to buy one -- what happens after that doesn't appear to concern anyone.

I live close to open ground and like to walk. I liked to take my small grandson onto the path by the weir on Radcliffe Road, Bury. My house is very close to the road which follows the path of the Bury-Radcliffe Metrolink line. This is a footpath and cycling track without a pavement. I have been forced to stop using this path as it is now too dangerous due to these juvenile riders.

So, after many complaints, I and my neighbours have stopped walking around because it isn't safe. We close our windows to keep out the deafening noise and stay indoors, because sitting in a garden which sounds as though it is on the edge of Brands Hatch is not a pleasure.

Recently, driving out of my street, I was met, head-on, by a child on a motorised mini-scooter. He was on the wrong side of the road, directly in my path. He was travelling at about 40mph and probably heading for the open ground behind the estate. He was on a public road and obviously didn't have any idea how to drive.

His life was saved by the fact that my car has ABS brakes. It had just been raining lightly, following a long dry spell. The roads were greasy, and stopping swiftly was clearly difficult. He was not wearing a helmet.

When I sounded my horn to warn him of his misdemeanour he gave me a "V" sign. He had absolutely no idea of the danger he was in.

It seems that at the present time, none of the authorities has any plans to deal with this problem, and nothing will be done until someone is killed. There does not appear to be any restriction on the use of these vehicles, or at least any that are being enforced.

If any reader has a child with one of these vehicles, I urge them to consider the danger their child is in, and the danger they pose to others. Take them somewhere where it is safe, both for their sake and for the sake of everyone else. Restrict their use to when you, as a responsible adult and trained driver, are present.

Although you may not care, consider a dozen or so of these vehicles riding round and round your house every evening, weekend, bank holiday and school holiday!

BURY RESIDENT