I kinds side with Sno-Goers

[DR.billZ]

http://www.pressherald.com/news/york/021211recount.shtml

[NO_SEE_+_NO_HEAR_=_NO_TICKET]

Bill this is shitty news. I hate this stuff.

Butt I have to tell you that as an avid motorcycle rider, racer, ATV guy, 4x4 truck guy, and of course, a snowmobiler, I don't care about messed up trails. I am a member of a very informal but large snowmobile club, and we do not care about rough trails. In fact, we tear 'em up quite a bit ourselves.

Point is I think these guys are bitching about being old and unable to handle rough trails, whether or not ATVs, sleds, bikes, or trucks caused them. Usually the older members of said organizations bitch the most. The rest of us just enjoy riding.

Also it is apparent that the land owners are upset too, for some reason, but their complaints are not only about one type of riding.

Can't we all just get along???

[DR.billZ]

I feel the writer was slightly anti-OHV but she did atleast mention the fact that there are "good" ATV riders and so did the Rep from the snowmobilers. But it did comelate in the article(where most readers have stopped reading by then).

I was once told by a fellow dirt bike rider and real estate person, when talking about writing articles, to keep things SHORT and to the point. The reason ......because most readers read the first 2 paragraphs of an article and that is about it.

[Guest Guest]

I understand this problem well. I broke ribs and a left shoulderblade trying to find illeagal dumping sites at PMI in Pueblo. I love this riding area and children also. I shudder to think of a kid hitting the car doors and tires that have been dumped there. I'm still going to get this place cleaned up if I have to do it all myself. I refuse to let a prime riding area be ruined. Yes I'm a gimppy old fart

but I'm stubborn too. I get a few more guys like me and this place could be returned to what it once was. believe me it would be worth the effort. George ? :D

[freestyle111]

that article almost sounds like a ploy to get offroad enthusiats to start fighting amongst each other.the old divide and conquer trick.how can we fight to save our riding areas when were busy fighting eachother.greenies know they already have snowmobile riders over a barrel, why not make them think its the quad and dirtbike riders fault that they riding areas are being closed.

[jayled]

"We'd like to see them form their own organization so they can get their own trail system and stay off our trails," Don Roux, trailmaster for Sno-Goers, said of ATV users.

Form an organization => Add Money => ATV trail system.

In CT there is no state land for ATV use. The state will ticket riders without ATV or street plates. State statutes say all ATV's must have a plate or be ticketed. The statutes also require the state set aside land for ATV's.

Our local organization with the help of a very generous donation hired a lobbyist and we are now fighting the state and making progress.

I remember as a kid in the 70's and early 80's riding virtually anywhere. I guess I'll have stories for my grand kids.

[obnoxiousEd]

Any time you get a large number of atv's and cycles using an area on a regular basis theres going to be some degree of damage to the enviroment, its the nature of the beast. The snowmobiles have thier own enviromental problems but altering the terrain usually isnt one of them. I have found the most damaging vehicles to the trails and enviroment to be four wheel drive trucks and regular trucks who think they are 4x4's and have to be dragged out by another truck. We usually are covering a lot of ground when we ride here and its just me and my buddy so we pretty much are just passing on through and dont draw much attention to ourselves. Land aquisition is the only answer I know of.(albeit an expensive one) And when you have your property set up just the way you want it the developer will knock on your door and offer you so much to sell it you cant refuse! ?

[Stillonit]

Yes snowmobile club ask permission to use private land to ride. Most of the main trail system wouldn't connect if it wasn't for private land owners and the season is short 8 weeks if your very lucky.wisconsin now has atv trails and you have to pay for yearly sticker like snowmobiles and in michigan I have seen some 4 wheel drive and sand rail trails, more and more it going to be pay for play But that ok it helps pay for upkeep.

[Zukdriver]

They even complain about hiking on trails being too rough. There is no doubt that off road vehicles do damage to the trails. They also help keep seldom used trails open by providing some wear that just hiking wouldn't do. We are on other people's land or Gov't owned land and we should respect it. We should do a little trail maintenence where we ride most often. If everyone did that, most riding areas would be covered. If a tree falls in the trail, and you can't go over it, remove it, rather than make a new trail around it. Don't let huge ruts build that will channel rain water and further erosion. Don't leave trash. Or better still, pick it up once in a while. My point is, don't provide ammo for the greenies to beat us with. They'll complain anyway but they will be taken less seriously if we act responsibly.

[obnoxiousEd]

Excellent post/excellent points Zuk!!! ?

[NYCdrz]

Well, here's a relevant story for you. Me and a bud drove an hour to a riding area we like today -- not legal but industrial, and always no hassles riding there. As always, we parked at lot for a nice baseball field that's adjacent to the area (awesome field with HR fence, lights, mound).

Today we didn't even get the bikes unloaded before a parks ranger drove up (they usually pull up and chat a bit to be friendly) and told us we'd surely get busted if we rode there. Why? Because a bunch of jerks on quads keep tearing up the ballfield and the residents/cops are totally pissed. Riding area is now off limits.

Can someone explain how there can be acres and acres of open riding terrain, trails, sandpits, etc. -- and these jerks have to do donuts on a nice ballfield????!!!!! ? :confused

You can literally SEE the perfect riding spots FROM THE FIELD!!! Kills me. Just simply makes me want to freak out.

[onoffroad2000]

Sounds just like around here. There was a big area of private land where everyone used to play .Great place 40ft high pile of loose slate about 45degrees with a dropoff on other side 1/4 acre pond full of bluegill and bass and lots of step hills and mud holes .Then came the atv riders and the garbage dumpers and ruined it for everyone.Because next door is a tree plantion and the atv riders started tearing up there property and someone started dumping truck loads of old shingles and driwall everywhere.So the land owners bulldozed a big ditch and a bigger mound of dirt at all the entrances with no tresspass signs.The state also has a hunting area right next to the tree farm and the was tearing throught there also.So now whenever I ride the roads going in to there.The rangers give me the eye till they see the plate on my S.But they still dont like it. :confused:Some people just dont have a clue or just dont care. PS.Idont leave the gravel roads when on the hunting area but still get to see alot of turkey and deer and such.

[Burnrider]

NYC DRZ,

In a lot of years riding and being run out of prime riding area, here are the same reasons for every place shut down:

1) Damage/vandalism of logging equipment

1) 4 wheel drives tear up the land

2) Illegal woodcutting, shooting and poaching

3) Kids partying and leaving trash

4) Pigs to cheap to pay, haul trash and dump it in the woods

5) An idiot tapped out on the fireroad hits a gate cable and now they want to sue the owner.

#5 is usually enough to shut it down for good.