Dirtydude,

I agree, the problem will only get worse. And in Texas, where I live, it has always been far worse than it is everywhere else. 97% of Texas is privately owned. Of the 3% that is state or federal land, some is state parks, some is highway right of ways, some is on the governor's mansion lawn, and some (about 1/2% of the state) is riverbeds.

You can't ride on the governor's lawn. You can ride along the side of the highway, if you're monumentally bored. You can ride in a very small part of about 3 state parks. And since Jan 1 of 2005, you can't ride in riverbeds at all. So you people in other states still have it far better than ATV and donorcycle riders in Texas.

Now, I also agree with you about riding on BLM land or other protected places where it used to be legal but now is not. The reason it is no longer legal is because of the environmentalists and others who buy their Vagisil by the case. There was nothing wrong with riding on those lands before, and the only reason it is wrong now is because some cry babies have complained loud and long enough to get their way.

The Greeks had two terms for evil. One was 'malum prohibitum' and the other was 'malum in se.' Malum prohibitum means something that is evil because there is a law against it. Malum in se means something that is evil in and of itself.

An example of malum in se would be sexual molestation of a child. There doesn't have to be a law against that for sane, rational people to know it is wrong.

Riding on forest service land is malum prohibitum. If there weren't a law against it, it would be OK, obviously, because it was OK before the law was passed.

Riding on private property when you don't have permission is malum in se. It is wrong, even if there is no law against it. It is obviously not as bad as some other things, but still wrong.

So, if I needed a place to ride, I would not have a problem riding on forest service or BLM land. I would not lose any sleep over breaking that law.

But if you are going to do that you have to be prepared to pay the consequences if you are caught. Just because there should be no law against it does not excuse you from paying the price for doing it, if caught.

Riding on private property without permission is just not right, and anyone who does that deserves what they get.

Just my 2 cents.

 

I don't know im riding on private land! The land isn't marked! I don't know who owns it? If I don't know who owns the land where do I go to find the owner and ask for permission? If an owner of the land shows up and tells me its his land, I will take his word for it and leave. The owner should show me some proof that he really does own the land, but im a nice guy and I will take his word for it without that. You guys talking about using guns are just blowing smoke, the only time you need a gun is when your life is being threatened, and an unarmed trasspasser isnot a threat. A real man don't need a gun. The next time you find someone on your land just walk up to them, be nice and friendly, say hello and be nice and say I own this land and I don't want you on it, could you leave, please? And the offender will be nice back to you you and tell you he didn't know and he's really sorry and leave. Be a man, don't be afraid, another thing, women really love and respect men that act like men, be a man and she will love you more and life will be better, don't be a mommys boy, be a man!

 

Moto, you still just don't get it, do you?

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE UNLESS YOU KNOW YOU HAVE PERMISSION!!

If you don't have permission, you don't belong there. You find out who owns the land first, and ask, or YOU DON'T GO.

Mama told me there were people this stupid, but until now I didn't believe her.

 

That's how I feel about land use as well. Not really that much of a sin on public property, but be prepared to pay the price.

Moto, you must be either really young or really stupid because it's like we're all talking to a brick wall here. If you don't know who owns the land, than you need to find out and ask permission. Not only would your chances of being allowed to ride there be a lot greater, some landowner would have that much more respect for the sport.
You're the one that needs to be a man and ask permission. Not knowing who owns the land is no excuse. Look it up, grow a set, then knock on their door. Just don't pull into their driveway on your quad or dirtbike, because you may just be giving our sport another black eye.

 

There was no smoke being blown around here. In Texas if you go on some one elses land be prepared to have a gun drawn on you. That is well known and real life. I know this sounds like a western but it is real. I do guided hunts and deal with people from out of state all the time, I have heard about the different laws and stuff, but that is not the case in Texas. We have to remember things are alot different where we live compared to where the perosn we are talking to lives.

This is how civil wars gets started. LOL

It goes back to the old "if its not yours don't touch it" rule, but then alot of those saying about morality gave been forgotten or compromised for selfish pleasure.

 

Floridia passed a law last year " Stand Your Ground" that gives you permission to shoot first, to protect yourself" ( be wary about trespassing)PA and other states are considering a similar law if one does not already exist. Are within their rights to hold the bad guys at bay with the threat of deadly force.

I thought he was going for his gun! LOL!!!

These laws are designed to protect people and the property they own from those who have no respect.

 

"Be a man." "Be a man." "Be a man." From where I come from, being a man means asking permission to use the land FIRST, not just do your thing and wait to get kicked off. Sorry your parents didn't instill that value in you before you became a "man" MotoF150.

 

Moto, not only will I call the sheriff but I'll press charges too. Not only that but my attorney will have you served with an injunction from them ever entering my property again. Then I'll take you to court for any damages you did no matter how insignificant. When I win a judgment and you don't pay up I'll have the attorney file the papers to take to out of your paycheck. If you get caught again you can be charged with a violation of the restraining order. That turns into quite the little mark on your record these days. The bottom line is that you need to stay off of private property you don't own unless you have permission to be there. That is a fundamental concept you are having problems grasping. It is people that cannot grasp that concept that cause a black eye for our sport and cause riding areas, both private and public, to be closed.

Why do all these things? It keeps me from doing what I'd just as soon do to trespassers - leave them where I find them in but a operating condition in which they assume the ambient environmental temperature.

 

Yes, the new Florida 'Stand Your Ground' law changed things in Florida, but only on some points. People there could already use deadly force if they thought they or someone else was threatened with bodily harm.

Now, if someone breaks into a home or car in Florida, the owner can use deadly force, whether the criminal is threatening them or not. Even if the guy is climbing out your living room window with a stereo, you can shoot him.

But then, we already had that in Texas. We've never put up with punks here. You trespass, you could get shot, and many, many have. "Sorry sheriff, I thought it was that pesky coon that's been getting into my cat food. You want to move this guy? He's bleeding on my porch."

In Texas, where 97% of the land is owned by its citizens, private property rights are held sacred. People do not put up with trespassing. It's a different attitude than the citizens of most other states.

If you don't know who a piece of land belongs to, you are much better off staying off of it. It all belongs to someone, and 99% of the time, the owner will not give permission for anyone to play on it with a bike or ATV. And permission is never given to strangers, period.

People like Moto are few and far between in Texas. Most have already been shot.

 

If I pay over $5000 for an ATV, im going to ride it! Im lucky Pennsylvania has gun laws, and its not like Texas or Florida where anybody even with an IQ of 50 can own a gun, and I wasn't talking about guns, I was talking about where to ride my ATV, its yunzs guys that started talking about guns. Here in Pennsylvania we use hunting rifles for hunting, we are responsible gun owners that never have to prove our manhood by threatening someone else with a gun, if we have a beef with someone we fight it out with our fists. Where I live there are areas where people have rode ATV's and dirt bikes for 20 years, then one guy comes out and claims he owns this land, I say " Prove IT"! Show me a photocopy of the deed, show me one no trasspassing sign with your name on it. I claim my right to ride on this land cause people have been riding on it for 20 years, I have rights too even if you own the land or not, you own the land its your job to keep the people off of it. Some of you land owners have too much money to spend anyhow, its not fair just because you have the big money that you can afford to buy land.