YAMAHA RESPONSE TO CBS NEWS STORY Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:30 pm

found this on cumberland forum.some guy over there is saying they r unsafe and his buddy s rhino just turned over ........................

http://cumberland-mudders.forumotion.com/atv-news-f18/media-alert-yamaha-response-to-cbs-news-story-t4628.htm


MEDIA ALERT – YAMAHA RESPONSE TO CBS NEWS STORY
Go to TruthAboutRhino.com for Accurate Information
CYPRESS, Calif. – August 4, 2009 – The following is an official statement from Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., in response to the recent CBS News story. This statement can be attributed to Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. Please go to www.TruthAboutRhino.com for more information.

Safety drives everything we do at Yamaha. We are proud of the safety record and safety features of the Yamaha Rhino, which has skyrocketed in popularity due to its exceptional reliability, safety and versatility.

Over 150,000 Rhino owners have used the vehicles safely, including the U.S. military, border patrol, and a growing number of law enforcement agencies, fire fighters and other first responders. In fact, more than 99 percent of Rhino owners have operated their vehicles safely and responsibly over millions of hours of use. The Rhino has won virtually every “first in class” award and top safety ratings in independent reviews since its introduction.

The popularity of the Rhino, and the fact that it represents a new category of off-road motorized vehicles, has made it a target for some plaintiffs’ lawyers who increasingly use the Internet, television advertisements and the news media to attract clients. As the first trial dates approach in personal injury litigation in various courts, some law firms have embarked on a misleading publicity campaign to influence potential jurors and/or the outcomes of these cases, and to solicit potential clients. Yamaha will properly deal with these cases in the courtroom based on all the relevant evidence and a fair opportunity to be heard.

Unfortunately, these law firms successfully convinced CBS News to help further their disingenuous publicity campaign, and the network aired a story on the Rhino that included inaccurate, incomplete and false information.

To begin with, CBS featured an incident involving Justin Miller, but failed to mention that Mr. Miller was driving a heavily modified Rhino. As the photo of that Rhino posted on CBS's own website reveals and the investigating officer testified -- the Rhino Miller was driving had an extended cage structure, and what looks to be a back seat bolted to the rear cargo bed. The vehicle's owner signed a waiver for his purchase of a "Custom Rhino" stating that the vehicle has "additional third party parts and accessories not offered by the manufacturer" and releasing all claims against the dealer and "all other persons and entities" related to the purchase of the vehicle.

The CBS story also shows security camera footage of an incident involving Zach Murray, a former employee at a Yamaha dealership who is currently a plaintiff with his own pending lawsuit. In a post-incident letter to his employer, Mr. Murray wrote that he intentionally stepped out of the overturning vehicle. Although CBS was made aware of Mr. Murray's letter, they neglected to include mention of it in their story.

In addition, Mr. Murray was not wearing a seatbelt or a helmet. He was operating the vehicle on pavement then made a sharp, high-acceleration turn, and did not stay inside the vehicle.

A more complete version of the security camera tape shows two other vehicles being driven recklessly on the same stretch of pavement where the accident occurred, suggesting that an atmosphere of horseplay existed just prior to Murray's crash, and that the only reason for Murray to be making a sharp, high acceleration turn was to also engage in horseplay.
In a separate part of the story, CBS cites documents that discuss an early pre-prototype vehicle that had a different design than, and no relation to, the Rhino that is on the market today. Despite being told weeks ago that it would be false to imply that these documents relate to the Rhino in any way, CBS chose to include this misleading information in its report.

Yamaha was contacted for the CBS segment two months ago by Myron Levin, a freelance reporter with a long history of writing news stories that favor the plaintiffs’ bar. Yamaha provided a great deal of information to Mr. Levin, including responding to more than 40 written questions. Mr. Levin also conducted an hour-long interview with a Yamaha representative at Yamaha's offices in California. Yamaha did not agree to an on-air interview with the reporter, Armen Keteyian, because we could not be assured that such an interview would not be selectively edited and used in misleading ways with statements taken out-of-context given the obvious plaintiffs’ slant with which the CBS producers were developing their story.

Like the CPSC, Yamaha takes very seriously any reported Rhino-related accident, and Yamaha has fully cooperated in the agency’s investigation of the Rhino and its request for modifications. Yamaha will continue to work to promote safe and responsible use of the vehicles, including the active, ongoing development of standards for all recreational off-road side-by-side vehicles, including the Rhino.

Yamaha stands firmly behind the Rhino and will continue to vigorously defend the product against baseless claims and distortions, whether they be from plaintiffs’ law firms or biased, inaccurate media reports parroting these lawyers’ claims. The Rhino is a safe and useful off-road vehicle when driven responsibly by licensed operators aged 16 or older and according to the instructions and warnings in our on-product labels, owner’s manuals, and other safety materials.

About Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), a leader in the motorsports market, makes the toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings also include motorcycles, outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines, accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of more than 4,000 dealers in the United States.

Headquartered in Cypress, Calif., since its incorporation in 1977, YMUS also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia, as well as factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. For more information on Yamaha, visit www.yamaha-motor.com.

bigred1 wrote:
i will not defend the media in this matter, but i am also not going to blindly accept yamaha's version without scepticism, the truth and reality of the matter is several thousands of people have been hurt, many seriously and some killed by rhinos, name another off-road vehicle with similar history, not to mention the recalls and refits yamaha made voluntarily (and was going to be forced to make by the gov and courts), what other vehicle is as dangerous? check out the number of lawsuits filed: since 1-1-00 to date 1,487 (only federal and not state cases), not all related to injuries but the over whelming number were, i had a good friend nearly loose his foot because the vehicle almost turned over and he put his foot out (reflect) to keep it from turning over, a simple cheap door would've prevented it, healthy newly married 30 years old and out of work for several months recovering, happened on flat ground at low speed, comparison: last 15 + years polaris sued 636 (as of this date in federal court) times and a substantial number dealt with non injury claims, how many more polaris sold than rhinos? don't believe me go to: http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov/ and check it out (you have to register, small charges to view some documents), an unsafe vehicle is an unsafe vehicle, i would be curious to know how many people injured since yamaha put the doors on? also tell me that if you or a family member seriously injured wouldn't look to yamaha to pay your medical bills (especially if don't have health insurance) and lost income, not to mention pain and suffering, yamaha is a great company and helped the off-road industry in immeasurable ways for many years but that doesn't give them a free pass when they screwed up, food for thought




sorry about your friend.but it was not the rhino fault.it was his.......... the arguement is stupid. any off road vehicle can hurt u bad if not kill u.but the vehicle is not to blame.the driver is the one controlling it,period.!!!!!!!!i ve riden mine for 2.5 years had havent had a problem yet.i could someday but my rhino wont be at fault.

there is no way to make any thing completly safe.iv riden atvs for more than 20 yrs and my rhino IMO is safer than any of the atvs i have ridden.every body has there own opinion,so.......... but u cant tell me that a accident was yamahas fault when they never made the buyer buy there unit or drive it.they have there a$$ covered all in the owners manual just like everybody else does with the units they sell.
nobody can tell me that the were just riding at a slow speed and there rhino just turned over.i ve had my rhino in every position possible with out turning it over .been close on some off camber stuff ,but not over.he had to off been gasing it and cutting the wheel hard!!!!!!!!!no other possible way!!!!!!the owners manual warns u about that.
all those law suits against the rhino s is because all those lawyers doing all there advertizing ,to make there pockets richer.all those people that have done stupid stuff driving there rhino s r just trying to blame there stupid mistakes on the rhino.hell i guess i could go out tomarrow and roll mine and get in on the money.notttttttttttt!!!!!!! im smarter than that. i would like to see u ride a rhino for a while and then come back and tell us how un safe they r .ur welcome to come to windrock and ride with me anytime.i ll take u on # 12 .i would like somebody to show me how unsafe they r while u ride them with respect,just like u should ride any off road vehicle.

i respect yr opinion but i definitly dont agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
_________________
07 Rhino Camo.....aka..RhinoMCB

A rhino or any of these type vehicles is like a gun, use it in a way it is not intended and people can get hurt or die. If you read the owners manual on ANY of these vehicles they give a hundred things NOT TO DO, so when we do these things the responsibility falls on us.

Well said Gunny! And that is just as true as it gets.

This shit has been going on since the water heater lawsuits in the early 80's. Since that time anything that is sold that can possibly hurt you has had to have warning labels all over it.


Hopefully the jurors will get the info they need to put this bullshit to rest and give the lawyers a big old zero for their effort. It definately looks like Yamaha is not going to cave in on this.

Just sent an open invitation for CBS to join us on the Bell County ride for the other 99% of the story that they missed.

That would be awesome !!

wvyankee2 wrote:

Just sent an open invitation for CBS to join us on the Bell County ride for the other 99% of the story that they missed.

Will there be any rhinos there ?

Smart

HELL.... i fell off my bunk bed when i was little (many times).... IT COULD have killed me... but it didnt..... bunkbeds are still being sold.

GunRunner wrote:

Will there be any rhinos there ?

This is becoming a major concern of mine. I really hate driving 300 miles to work on some machine on the trails all day. In the future, The less Rhinos we have the more chance of that becoming a problem.

ouch

That was worded VERY WELL !!

i saw a lawyer commercial on tv bout rhinos,and i cut the tv off,i have turned my rhino over before but cause i was climbin 39 at windrock,i didnt sue them i just turned it back and kept on

smith700 wrote:

i saw a lawyer commercial on tv bout rhinos,and i cut the tv off,i have turned my rhino over before but cause i was climbin 39 at windrock,i didnt sue them i just turned it back and kept on

smith700 wrote:

i saw a lawyer commercial on tv bout rhinos,and i cut the tv off,i have turned my rhino over before but cause i was climbin 39 at windrock,i didnt sue them i just turned it back and kept on

Have you been up 39 lately? We need to ride windrock. I would like to ride with someone that knows the place better then I.

yeah whenever u want to me and dad will sho u round the park we ride almost every weekend