We need your HELP!!
It’s not fair, Safety should be First!!

Oregon ATV advisory committee has ignored our request and demonstrated serious discrimination on side by side (s x s) in their new revisions for HB2329. All Class I atv’s will be up to 50” wide, requires a handlebars steering, straddle seat and weight up to 900lbs. My Polaris RZR (50” wide) weighing 950lb, is a side x side, will be exempt from being a Class I atv. I have personally owned several 50” wide quads and have enjoyed riding Class I trails for years. Being paralyzed, I have rolled my quads with injuries several times. I have elected to buy the RZR (50”) s x s for a much more safer ride on a Class I trail (which is now illegal). The language written in the newly revised HB 2329 for Class I is wrong and prevents safer 50” wide atv’s from being on a Class I trail.

This is the last email directed to Gary Scott and myself by Tim Wood

March 28th, 2011

“HB 2329 is a bill that was crafted in conjunction with the Senate and House Transportation Committees based on input from the ATV Advisory committee. The ATV Advisory Committee was established and convened as a result of legislation in 2009 with a wide range of representations and included ATV users, safety advocates, law enforcement, ATV dealers, and land managers. I understand from your e-mails and letters to me and my staff and from committee hearing proceedings that you were afforded the opportunity to make your case to the ATV Advisory Committee. After hearing from you and many other stakeholders and ATV advocates, the ATV Advisory Committee made their best recommendations and the House Transportation Committee approved drafting of the bill for consideration in this 2011 Legislative session. The bill is now in the Legislative process. Hearings have not yet been scheduled, but we anticipate that one will occur soon. All Legislative hearings are public and citizens are encouraged to participate.

Regarding other elements that regularly appear in your e-mails and letters to me, my staff and our ATV Advisory Committee members, I need to put you on notice that we will not respond to your vague and threatening allegations aimed at people who are working to administer the ATV program. While I understand that you may not agree with all findings and recommendations reached by the ATV Advisory Committee, I trust that the process is moving us in the right direction for Oregon's ATV Recreation Program.”

Tim Wood, Director
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Please contact
tim.wood@state.or.us Tim Wood, Director
wayne.rawlins@state.or.us Wayne Rawlins, ATV Advisory Committee Class I

Let them know what you think of there new revisions to HB2329

Thank You for listening
Darrel Von darrel@bigbearcountree.com
Gary Scott gmscott1942@yahoo.com

 

Had to read it a couple of times to understand...

You are complaining because trails that were once open to you for use on a SxS are now closed to everything but ATVs that are 50" wide or less...yes?

I do feel your frustration

Unfortunately trail maintenance is an issue that ultimately imposes limits on the weight and size of the vehicles that use them...because without limitations, we all know that some dumbass will take a Humvee down a dirtbike trail and trash the trail and the natural surroundings, and if they get stuck, then even more damage occurs in extracting the vehicles.

Some trails are just not physically designed for wider vehicles...for example several switchback trails on Utah's Paiute Trail system are not only too narrow for oncoming vehicles to pass each other, but their ramps and trail sides are not built to handle the heavier weights and the resulting collapses could be catastrophic to the trail (if not fatal to the riders)

My TRV is just under 48" wide with the big tires, so 50" wouldn't seem to be too much more of a problem, but the limits have to be set somewhere. If you set it at 52", then someone with a 54" wide SxS would feel oppressed.

I think your best avenue of approach would be to see if there can be an exemption made to accomodate your status as a handicapped rider. If you could keep to the required dimensions of 50" or less, and reduce the weight of your SxS to the maximum 900 pounds, then what possible difference could it make to anyone whether you are straddling the seat or sitting in it.

Providing proper documentation of being handicapped will be your first task...certification of your handicap/disability from a doctor will go a hell of a lot further than just showing up in a wheelchair. Then, consult with a lawyer who handles disability cases (sorry, I only do criminal law) and see if he can give you any ideas on how to use your disability status as muscle to get them to allow you (and other handicapped riders) a variance on their limits.

Finally, patience will be a necessity. It won't happen overnight. Most of all, don't make threats of any kind, other than to seek your day in court. Making threats will get you written off as a jerk at best, and into legal trouble at worst.

Good Luck