I was thinking as I was reading this that being busted by a cop might not be so bad. Around here there is no such thing as a cop on a quad unless the cop is just going on a weekend ride like everyone else.

There has been a time that we've been stopped by a ticked off land owner or two with shotguns before, actually I think it was the same guy, and we were not even on his property. He had reason to be mad though, the first time someone pulled up his gate and went across on to his land and messed things up, did d-nuts and dumped garbage all over the place. I think the second time someone had said something to him earlier in the day about people riding on his property, and he was a little drunk on moonshine anyway, not to sure what it was about with all the slurred speach and all, but he does make some pretty mean shine.

Any other time we've been stopped guns were involved. Usually someone threatening to do bad harmful things to the next person that goes near a certain spot in the trail. Thats what you get for living in a place were half the population grows marijuana.

Some friends of mine were shot at on government owned land once. Its supposed to be a place were you can ride your quad, hunt, fish, do recreational type things. Guess those people didn't feel like sharing that day and decided it would be fun to shoot at some guys on quads.

After sitting here thinkin about it and writing all this, cops policing some of our trails wouldn't be a bad idea. Especially these government owned ones, the game wardens do what they can but they probably would want some back-up when approching people that are shooting at people on quads for the hell of it. I know I wouldn't go up to them alone.

 

BlueHonda4x4:Thats what you get for living in a place were half the population grows marijuana.


hey BlueHonda4x4....where do u live?????? lol j/k

 

Okay, don't want to start a big fight here, but here is how I feel about the police. I know that there are both good and bad cops out there. That's just part of it. You more than likely won't get in trouble with the police if you are abiding by the laws. If you are civil to the police officer(s), they will more than likely be the same way back. If they ask or tell you to do something, it's for your own good or safety. Don't give ATVers a bad name for stupid things. The cops are just doing their jobs. Please people, just follow the rules so we will have the sport of ATVing in 20 years.

This has been my opinion. Stillyet, I waiting for the 1st Round bell to sound. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

If what he says is true then the landowner says he doesn't care if they ride on his land. That sounds like verbal permission to me so why would written permission be necessary? I would never go on someones land without their permission but if I ask and they say go for it I don't tell them I also need it in writing. I help a farmer bale hay in the summer and instead of paying me, he allows me hunting & camping rights to his land. I don't ask for written permission to camp on his land and I don't believe there's any law that says I need written permission to be on someones land that has verbally given their ok. Hunting is different because I'm taking game and in my state it says I do need written permission for hunting, but just camping or quadding doen't have a rule book that I'm aware of.

 

I'm agree with you, wcy2k400ex
You hear about guys running from the cops, why, because they are doing something wrong, now the cop is pissed off and is going to make an example of the next guy he sees, I have been waved over by cops
from several hundred yards away. Most of the time they are just informing of the land situation or want to see your quad to look at it
(they ride quads also) or see if it is stolen. Bottom line is they are
doing their job, and if you are not breaking the law, why escalate an allready growing problem between atv's and the cops, But on the other
you are correct in saying that their are bad cops just trying to make a name, or happy to let you know they have a badge and can tell you what to do, AS for that all I can say is abide by the rules and the bad ones cannot do anything to you....Just my opinion DING DING

 

Be sure to check with your local District Attorney's Office to see if written permission is necessary to prove you are allowed to be there. As someone else has already pointed out, it may only be required for those who are carrying out certain activities like hunting. I mean does someone need to provide written permission for everyone who comes to visit or perform some type of work.

Keep in mind that any citation does not serve as proof of guilt. You could be issued a ticket for spitting on the sidewalk of the officer wanted to do so. The fact that he/she gave you a ticket does not mean you are guiltly of breaking the law. I was once given a ticket in Mississippi for being a resident of Texas and holding a Mississippi hunting license. I was issued it while practice shooting near a country road. I had purchased the license before leaving the state earlier that year. With nothing else to fine me, I guess the Game Warden thought it was something that would stick. I informed the District Attorney that there was no such law and that the only offense for which I could be fined was for not having a valid non-resident license. And of course that would only be necessary if I had been in the act of hunting wild game. I guess I should give the stupid Warden some credit for being able to see that I was not hunting anything.

 

the ticket we got was for "operating an ATV on private property" according to the cop. we talk to a friend of the land owners all the time (he camps out in the trails where we ride a lot) and he said the guy doesn't care if we ride. i guess he must have changed his mind. we told the cop that the guy said he didn't care and the cop told us we need written permission. we are planning on stopping by hs house soon to try and get it.

 

Super250, you said your friend got a ticket for operating an ATV without a driver's license... what's up with that? I've NEVER heard of needing a driver's license to operate an ATV... seems pretty stupid, actually. Its not like you take an ATV test to get the driver's license.
I understand that he was underage anyway, but what if he was 16 and just hadn't sent in for his license, hadn't gotten his date back yet, or hadn't passed his test the first time, etc., etc...
Being required to have an on-road automobile license to operate an off-road vehicle just seems... well.. really stupid...

 

It's nice to hear those of you out there that are concerned about the few among us that are ruining it for the rest of us. I am a police officer and have had many occasions to come in contact with atv'rs. I usually stop and talk to them, not for the investigating aspect, but more for the pure interest I have in the sport, to see what they ride, and to just BS. I have cited some riders, such as those that were out ripping up someone elses property. One individual in particular, drove through a private picnic area that a family had built on their property(ripping up the area pretty bad), he had to ride past four "NO TRESPASSING" signs. He did it on a regular basis and it really upset the elderly couple that owned the land. I was called to come investigate an atv accident in that area. Upon my arrival, I located the rider and several other riders. I was kind of puzzled because I thought there was only going to be one rider. I soon learned that the other riders had gone looking for this individual because he had been riding through their property also. When one of them stepped onto the trail ahead of the Perp., trying to get him to stop, the Perp. gunned it and ran him over. Real nice. I made sure that I took care of this individual. I thanked those that were instrumental in helping me arrest this person. I learned that there are many riders out there that are willing to police our own ranks to help keep our sport alive. So if you can, give an officer a hand if he needs it. We have a job to do and receiving this help from other riders goes a long way in making better relations between us all. Sorry about the long winded message. RIDE ON. LATER!

 

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I would definitely check into it further based on the words used by this officer. His comments indicate that it would be illegal for someone to even ride on his/her own property. The comments made on the citation can be used in your defense if the officer has demonstrated incorrect or illegal judgment. For example, an officer cannot pull you over simply because he/she thinks you might be doing something wrong. You can only be stopped if you are observed doing something illegal.

It sounds as if the officer might be trying to stretch the extent of laws to help curtail a problem with other riders in the area.