PA ATV Registratin Law Changes
Jul 10, 2001 | 10:24 PM
#1
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Article published Jul 3, 2001
Law requires group of ATV owners to register
HARRISBURG (AP) — More than 100,000 owners of all-terrain vehicles in Pennsylvania will have to register their machines with the state beginning in October under a bill signed into law last week.
The new law requires all owners of the four-wheeled recreational vehicles to register every two years and carry license plates. Previously, state law did not require registration for owners who rode only on their own land.
Meant as a compromise between ATV enthusiasts and environmentalists, the law makes ATV riders who break the law more easily identifiable with the license plates, which replace registration stickers, said a spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
It also tries to deter illegal riding by increasing fines and allowing municipalities to keep the fines from citations handed out by their police officers.
A $20 registration fee will be waived for ATVs operated only on an owner's property, said Department spokeswoman Gretchen Leslie.
The new law also requires ATV riders, except those riding on their own land, to carry liability insurance and raises the weight limit of ATVs allowed on state trails.
Jack Schultz
jackschultz@adelphia.net
www.GoDigital-Design.com/SchultzMotorsports
Law requires group of ATV owners to register
HARRISBURG (AP) — More than 100,000 owners of all-terrain vehicles in Pennsylvania will have to register their machines with the state beginning in October under a bill signed into law last week.
The new law requires all owners of the four-wheeled recreational vehicles to register every two years and carry license plates. Previously, state law did not require registration for owners who rode only on their own land.
Meant as a compromise between ATV enthusiasts and environmentalists, the law makes ATV riders who break the law more easily identifiable with the license plates, which replace registration stickers, said a spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
It also tries to deter illegal riding by increasing fines and allowing municipalities to keep the fines from citations handed out by their police officers.
A $20 registration fee will be waived for ATVs operated only on an owner's property, said Department spokeswoman Gretchen Leslie.
The new law also requires ATV riders, except those riding on their own land, to carry liability insurance and raises the weight limit of ATVs allowed on state trails.
Jack Schultz
jackschultz@adelphia.net
www.GoDigital-Design.com/SchultzMotorsports
Jul 11, 2001 | 08:11 AM
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I heard they were supposed to be opening up more trails to us also, but was probably just "hear say". I know in Clearfield county the whole State Forest dirt roads are open to snow mobiles in the winter, but illegal for ATV's. If they're gonna require license plates and insurance they should open that stuff up to us, post speed limits on it and monitor it. Oh wait this is Pennsylvania, the politicians will ruin our recreation first.
Jul 11, 2001 | 09:34 AM
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This is a "brand new" PA law. Not to be confused with the present registration system. License "PLATES" not stickers. Everyone "must" register, unlike the past when you didn't have to if running on your own property. Also note the "liability insurance requirement". That will make things interesting for many.
I am a member of the AMA, Blue Ribbon Coatition, a couple of local atv riding clubs and not once did anyone ever mention this. This was in our local newspaper. Makes me wonder if it is really worth it to have some of these organizations represent us anymore since they don't even inform us ahead of time. I know I'll think twice about it when my membership dues are up. It's already a done deal. It has passed and is "law", no questons, it's done, no debate, no opinions, its just finished and not one of us had any information ahead of time.
The new regulations are being printed now with "stiff" penalties and the kicker is that it gives all "local" as well as all state enforcement agencies the right to enforce it and that agency gets to keep a good portion of the fines. Kind of like a "bounty" on our heads. You can bet that will make many local and state agencies become the ATV gestapo.
I am a member of the AMA, Blue Ribbon Coatition, a couple of local atv riding clubs and not once did anyone ever mention this. This was in our local newspaper. Makes me wonder if it is really worth it to have some of these organizations represent us anymore since they don't even inform us ahead of time. I know I'll think twice about it when my membership dues are up. It's already a done deal. It has passed and is "law", no questons, it's done, no debate, no opinions, its just finished and not one of us had any information ahead of time.
The new regulations are being printed now with "stiff" penalties and the kicker is that it gives all "local" as well as all state enforcement agencies the right to enforce it and that agency gets to keep a good portion of the fines. Kind of like a "bounty" on our heads. You can bet that will make many local and state agencies become the ATV gestapo.
Jul 11, 2001 | 03:57 PM
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Jack,
Check out the thread in the "Where to Ride" forum entitled, PA, this sucks. You'll find a nice, er, "discussion" there.
Check out the thread in the "Where to Ride" forum entitled, PA, this sucks. You'll find a nice, er, "discussion" there.
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Jul 11, 2001 | 10:58 PM
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We've got liquor control and now it seems like ATV control too. They make it sound so simple and good. You pay a fee for license and we'll build you trails. That is GREAT if that's the way it worked, but lets wake up this is the state government here. It will take years to see new trails come into existance. Anybody ever seen Penn Dot build a new road? Hello! Insurance is a good idea, but you can figure on the prices going through the roof just like anything else that is mandatory. I mean come on, look at how popular ATVing is in PA and all the people who have paid for registration over the past 5 years or so and look at the trails. is it really worth it? If you have a $125 a month fourwheeler payment, then you have to find time just to haul (how about a $800 trailer) your machine 1,2 or even 3 hours just to ride on a state trail. About 5 years ago there were about 4 local fire companies that had poker runs in Clearfield county, about everyother weekend there was a poker run. That was when this sport was fun. Now there is one lone survivor of fire companies that still has poker runs (these were/are all volunteer fire co.) 3 times a year! And they are rumored to be on their last year. The same people who bitch about them will be the first to cry when their house burns down. It's rumored that the state has had a signifigant influence on the others stopping their runs. Maybe an Monopoly here? I guess it's time to go back to the 2 wheeled variety and trade the quads in on some Dual Sport bikes!
Jul 14, 2001 | 09:46 PM
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The following is a letter I sent to the Pennsylvania DCNR:
Dear sirs,
My girlfriend and I just went riding on the ATV trail in Bald Eagle State Forest. I believe the name of the trail was called "Jack's Mountain ATV Trail. I was wondering if you have so much of our registration money (over $2 million from what I've heard) , why aren't the trails marked? There were three signs on the trail. One was an arrow (near the trail head) and the other two were caution signs. There was one sign stating that an area was close to ATVs, but other than that there were no markings as to where it was LEGAL to ride and where it was ILLEGAL to ride. We tried to stay on the trail as best as we could, but it was near impossible without trail markers and arrows showing where to turn. There were also several sign posts with nothing on them. Should we ride there, or not? What was the sign post was there for? Please be aware that the trail has changed somewhat since the maps were put up on the ATV site. Why was this not addressed? Why weren't the trail maps updated? It would take less than five minutes to do that.
With the new ATV laws that take effect on October 23, you can now fine us twice as much for riding in an area that is poorly (if at all) marked if we stray off the trail. Does this seem fair to you? Don't you think you should get off your butts and make some improvements to these trails? Heck, I'm not saying that the trails should be as smooth as glass, but you could at least mark where we can and can't ride. I know that LEGAL riding of ATVs isn't a big concern of yours (or the current administration for that matter), that doesn't net you any money besides registration. But when you can catch someone riding ILLEGALLY that's where the big money rolls in for you. Does that sound wrong to you? It does to me.
If all ATVs in Pennsylvania are to be registered and insured ( both of mine already are), don't you think there should be some more trails? The trail system you have is woefully inadequate for the sheer numbers of ATVs in state. If all the ATVs in the state were lined up end to end, you would have more than enough to fill up every trail two abreast. Why not open up forest roads to ride on? I doubt that 100,000 ATVs could tear up a road the way that a log truck or log skidder does. Now that we riders have to carry liability insurance, I don't see any reason why you couldn't open up the "snowmobile" trails and roads for us in the summer (weather permitting of course).
In closing, I doubt that you will reply to this E-mail. It is completely asinine to have more trails for hikers (which there are less of in PA) than for ATV riders. Especially when we are PAYING for the trails with our registration money.
Thank you!
Mike Chero
I think that pretty much sums it all up in a nutshell.
Dear sirs,
My girlfriend and I just went riding on the ATV trail in Bald Eagle State Forest. I believe the name of the trail was called "Jack's Mountain ATV Trail. I was wondering if you have so much of our registration money (over $2 million from what I've heard) , why aren't the trails marked? There were three signs on the trail. One was an arrow (near the trail head) and the other two were caution signs. There was one sign stating that an area was close to ATVs, but other than that there were no markings as to where it was LEGAL to ride and where it was ILLEGAL to ride. We tried to stay on the trail as best as we could, but it was near impossible without trail markers and arrows showing where to turn. There were also several sign posts with nothing on them. Should we ride there, or not? What was the sign post was there for? Please be aware that the trail has changed somewhat since the maps were put up on the ATV site. Why was this not addressed? Why weren't the trail maps updated? It would take less than five minutes to do that.
With the new ATV laws that take effect on October 23, you can now fine us twice as much for riding in an area that is poorly (if at all) marked if we stray off the trail. Does this seem fair to you? Don't you think you should get off your butts and make some improvements to these trails? Heck, I'm not saying that the trails should be as smooth as glass, but you could at least mark where we can and can't ride. I know that LEGAL riding of ATVs isn't a big concern of yours (or the current administration for that matter), that doesn't net you any money besides registration. But when you can catch someone riding ILLEGALLY that's where the big money rolls in for you. Does that sound wrong to you? It does to me.
If all ATVs in Pennsylvania are to be registered and insured ( both of mine already are), don't you think there should be some more trails? The trail system you have is woefully inadequate for the sheer numbers of ATVs in state. If all the ATVs in the state were lined up end to end, you would have more than enough to fill up every trail two abreast. Why not open up forest roads to ride on? I doubt that 100,000 ATVs could tear up a road the way that a log truck or log skidder does. Now that we riders have to carry liability insurance, I don't see any reason why you couldn't open up the "snowmobile" trails and roads for us in the summer (weather permitting of course).
In closing, I doubt that you will reply to this E-mail. It is completely asinine to have more trails for hikers (which there are less of in PA) than for ATV riders. Especially when we are PAYING for the trails with our registration money.
Thank you!
Mike Chero
I think that pretty much sums it all up in a nutshell.
Jul 14, 2001 | 10:18 PM
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I hate to even open this post and read it because I know it will just frustrate me more than I already am about theese new laws. The one that really burns me up is telling us that we can't ride double unless the manufacturer says that machine is for two people. I have a 400 Xplorer and there is more than enough room for me and the wife to set on there (and maybe a third person) and take a nice relaxing ride together, granted two people shouldn't ride in certain situations (hard trailing, climbing hills, ect....) but to just say do it and get fined no matter how you are riding really burns me up. I'm in the military and have been down south for the last eleven years, I have been transfered back here for about a year and a half and I love being home again except for the fact that this state wants to squeeze every penny that they can from you just to be able to enjoy outdoor recreation, all outdoor recreation. And now they are telling us how we can enjoy it. I'll just stop because I could go on about this until I passed out.
