This is an organizational issue on how we compare to snowmobilers and/or motorcyclists in relation to their overall maturity, willingness to organize/speak out on issues and part with the inevitable dues money.

For example, we have an organization up here in Michigan where even the 'members' are refusing to get involved in the biggest proposed project since our 3,000 + miles of trails were first began.

Their leader has asked them to all just 'comment' on this issue (the widening of our orv trails to even LESS than what 'their' club had previously proposed doing for trails out their back doors) so that the leader can then 'study' their comments to better determine wether his PREVIOUS stated position (which is no longer availiable 'publicly') was stated correctly!

And after several weeks of 'no reply' from headquarters.....................these guys are all sitting around like dazed 'cult' members, waiting for the next 'sign' from the messiah! And, believe me, this is a HUGE issue!

My point being; is that any sledder or cyclist who has been watching this all from the sidelines; has got to look at our overall atv organizational level and quality of members as a 'joke'. It honestly pains me to say that and I know of a number of EXCELLENT clubs out there..............................but since 3-wheelers have been manufactured since the 80's.............how many years are you able to claim that: "wellll, we're just getting started!"(?)

Go out and study some of these groups and look at their 'older' members.....................maybe even ask a few of them if they smelled something 'awful'.......................would they keep sitting on their hands?

We may not always 'agree' with these guys........................but you sure have to admire their elected (a 'no-no' in Michigan atv politics) representation and their 'no-B.S.' approach to the sport they love.

How many punk kids (and adults) are 'we' charged with turning into the same type of involved citizen? Or are far too many of their attitudes 'already' beyond redemption?

I hate to put this all in a perspective that compares us to our brothers in recreation..............but how less starkly are the differences between us and how much 'truth' is there, in what I have pointed out? (I realize that certain areas like WI.; AZ.; UT; etc. are definitely the exception).

 

Amen! We are trying to start a "organization" in South Mississippi and it is going to be
work. There are some riders who are really interested in making this happen.
But i am afraid there are alot who will say "work" doesn't rhyme with "ride".
If we want to keep our sport healthy and growing we will have to work.
Mississippi is far behind several states that have clubs trying to make a difference.
The Forest Service has closed a popular trail for what they are saying is repairs.
If we have organized representation, we have more of a voice to say what we
as atv riders would like to see happen. There are alot of ways we can make this sport
be taken more seriously but the key is working together.

 

I think everybody can appreciate you folks simply taking the bull by the horns and making something happen. We have plenty of 'good people' up here also...............it's just taking some of them a little more time than others to realize that any club they belong to or trail they ride is, in part, 'theirs' and they shouldn't be shy for a second about reminding anybody of it.

No group wants to feel 'inferior' to another or fail to get their respect.

It's just sad that Michigan is probably the LEAST organized major state on the Canadian border when it comes to atvs (with definitely the least amount of 'issue' information availiable from representation) and we sell over 25,000 of them a year!

Heck, we just had ANOTHER hot state political issue brought up on a club website; by who?....... a lowly, everyday club member...........the bad part is; nobody can last recall when a club administrator has 'publicly' beat a peon to the punch on getting the necessary word out.

I agree that we need to work together with these clubs.............but don't you think these other clubs need to at least start giving some respect to our everyday members and not just the leader himself? What if nobody really cares for the leader you have?............and how much 'more' respect is obtained from these non-atv clubs; if they are quite sure that all atv club members will boot any leader out that ever tries to 'go it alone' on forming atv policy or is ever seemingly voting 'lockstep' with his leadership fraternity?

Best of luck with your project and thanks for cluing us all in on it.

 

Deerhawk,
and be advised to ask other members BEFORE you join any ATV club of WHAT acchomplishments have been acheived over the years?It makes no sense to give your money to join any organization that wont even take the time of day to answer your questions.Before joining,ask members how they are better off today as ATVers than they were before they joined the club?

In Michigan,the BEST thing that happened to ATVers here was a website that involved ATVers throughout all of Michigan.We can find someone to ride with on most any weekend thru this website?Question can be posted to other users in regards to ATV related issue's in there too,and I did'nt pay 5 cents to join the Forum either.In my opinion,this Michigan ATV Forum has done more to bring ATVers in Michigan together than the CLUB ever has?


Bill

 

There is no doubt that the forum we have here in MI. has brought many a good people together and has given them a sense of community amongst themselves.

I'm going to leave it at that; as I feel that this same forum could have been used for a lot more than "I'll bring the weenies" when it comes to keeping track of what's actually happening in regards to the relative actions of the people who run it.

What has amazed me most is somewhat relative to the title of this topic.........................Michigan atvers seem to have no problem with being associated as mere 'sheep' of their board representative while snowmobilers and cyclists seem to grab the bull by the horns and actually ELECT representatives that mirror their 'no B.S.' attitude.

Darn near every atver I've ever met has taken the following philosophy: "Well, uhhhhhh........we don't know exactly 'what' they're doing in Lansing...........but we think they might just let us walk through and touch their trailer this year and we're all pretty excited about that.........."

Heck, a lot of these guys are so passive that they don't even realize that the club hasn't even bothered to be the sole sponsor for all these charity fundraisers that they all so 'desperately' desired..................and the 'family' had to be the one to remind them of that?

10 to 1; somebody in the club will now suggest a fundraiser........................and 'gee'; wouldn't that be eerily reminiscent of somebody (unbelievably) FORCING them into even scheduling regular meetings every 4 months?

I'm telling you.....................these sledders and cyclists (rightfully) believe that we're all pretty much 'a joke'.

And I don't blame 'em a bit. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

John
You,like myself,am tired of the sit and wait attitude that seems to be lerking around certain issue's pertained to my sport.I expect an answer to my questions from ANY ORV club leader,especially my own.If he dont know the answer,thats ok,just tell me so and I will try to seek out an answer somewhere else?Nobody has every answer and I completely respect that.

There are MANY issue's that pertain to ATVs and youth that need changing and I want to know WHAT is being done[if anything]about these issue's?Did you see my last question in the ask the Pres Forum?I hope I get a response?

Hey,
did you get the material I mailed you?

Bill

 

Testing?

 

I got the material and am waiting for your feedback.

Should be an interesting board meeting in Lansing this Wednesday. And wasn't it nice of 'Paul' to post the very first AGENDA of an orv board meeting on our orv board meeting representative's site! I'm sorry, but it's darn near hilarious that this guy has to be the one to let our representative's members know exactly what their 'representative' was about to go to Lansing and discuss! And this has been going on for what.....3 years?

Thanks, Paul!

 

John,
I did'nt see the forum yet or the agenda,I'll look at it in a few minutes.Paul is a good guy and also seems tired of the wait and see game?

Bill