Hello fellow Atv'ers,

I'm not really sure what the Canadian gov't plans to do to make 4-wheeling legal, does anyone know?
Will there be Trail Passes( look at what happened to the cost of snowmobilers $150.00 for a permit)
Will we be able to run the highways, or at least the ditches, right now it's illegal.
Will there be spot checks by police?

I don't know, I seem to have a great time on the trails I ride. We are always meeting up with new people, enjoying new experiences, and always dreaming of the next weekend we can ride again!!

Please tell me what you guys think,
Maybe there are some good reasons for it, I can not think of any myself. Just seems like another money grab for the gov't.

Why fix something when it's not broke?

SP 500
Beautiful Canadian trails
Ride on

 

Mudgirl, what is the current situation where you ride? Do you ride on public or private land? Is your current riding "legal," or are you vulnerable to penalties for your current riding?

What changes are proposed, and how will these changes affect riding conditions?

The reason I ask these questions, riding availabilty varies greatly with the region. For the moment, for example, hundreds of miles of trails in National Forests are "legal" for ATV riding. If you ask someone with access to National Forest trails whether trails should be "legalized," they'll say, "Sure!", if they are ATVers.

Apparently, your context involves some negatives with "legal" trails; however, it's hard to comment on the merits of "legalizing" trails where you are unless that context is understood.

If you can explain your situation more fully, maybe "experts" can comment meaningfully on the issue.

Tree Farmer

 

It depends on your situation and where you are. I would be willing to pay much more than that for some trails to ride on. We have very few public places here to ride. They all get trashed by kids partying, and then they eventually get shut down. If there was a way to patrol those and stop the losers then that would be great. And maybe with the money they could fix them up. My state will unfortunately never do something that smart. They will just shut them all down instead. I guess what I am saying is $150 is not a lot of money for great trails.

 

Tree Farmer, sorry, I read over my question and it was very vauge. There is presently some decusion by my gov't passing a bill about 4-wheelers, I'd like to know what it's about, the changes etc. My present trails that we ride on are public access trails, they allow us cottagers to get to our cottages, hunting camps, or just to go riding, winter time they are snowmobile trails, I know I seem negative, tree farmer, but I'm just going by what I've been hearing from others,(by others i mean Locals), that's why I'm asking for everyone's advice, to see what you are going through in the states, etc, I would love some positive feedback
it's just that I haven't ever heard any.

 

Thanks for your reply Texmud, I see what you mean
about having someone patrolling the trails. Since I am in such a tight-knit community, we'll let me explain, our trail system is about 100 years old, it was a way of getting place to place, everyone who uses the trails, takes care of the trails, in respect to garbage, cutting trees that are in the way, building bridges or different routes, in no way is money ever asked for or taken, we just do it ourselves, because we love our land and we respect it. From the sounds of things, in your neck of the woods things are much more populated, that's what i worry about. I will contact my MP and see exactly what the details are about 4-wheelers & the gov't. let you know soon.

 

Hello mudgurl,
I'm not sure about the trail thing...I think people are trying to make atv's legal on back roads for farmers to use. Their aren't any public trails for snowmobiles or atv's around...it's all just private property(wich I ride on,shhh!)

 

Hi mudgirl. Nice to see other Canadian riders in the forum. One of the "methods" I see allot of here in Nova Scotia is to ride where you don't get caught and if you do get caught be more sneaky the next time you go there! Overall that makes a bad name for anyone involved in offroading in general. Personally I prefer to contact people in an area before I head off into the great unknown. I travel power lines and back roads and have been known to "shortcut" down the pavement, following those who supposedly know where we are going! I have spent weeks talking to residents and getting used to a place before going to a new trail area. I usually always run into some offroaders who are about the most helpful in finding new places to ride.

In regards to the government, I have been in contact with our MLA office a few times, but never heard back. I also contacted the Canada Trail Association and have so far got the run around, I suppose because the trail has so many "varied usage" areas.

I think the general attitude is that four wheelers are destructive and dangerous to the environment. In reality I think it is the ability to be abusive the government don't want to open the "gates to hell" with. Lenient laws that can be "stretched" to the limit are dangerous to anyone who has to attempt the enforcement and therefore the government will red-tape the research to death hoping the issue will subside onto another bureaucrat. The chances of legalizing the bikes for on hiway use are not going to happen anytime soon I don't think. If the government were leaning towards a road use policy we would see manufacturers building the bikes as road legal units and perhaps even getting involved in lobbying the government for such. I would think it might be a good way to sell more bikes, as there are many urbaners, if I may, who would buy a bike if they could ride five miles down the road and hop on a trail. As I have found out it isn't cheap to gear up for hauling a few machines someplace to ride.

As for my opinion ... I can't understand why an ATV can't be used on roads. What about farm tractors? Farm implements don't even have to allow visibility, or signaling devices here in Nova Scotia and nothing more than an "FM" plate and a slow moving vehicle sign. Some tractors can reach speeds of forty + mph and are ten + feet wide with dual wheels. I would have to think a 150hp tractor with a huge load of liquid manure, no trailer brakes, no brake, or signal lights doing thirty mph is a bit more of a potential hazard then a 600lb four wheeler. I am going to attempt getting my 300KQ inspected in September when I start doing its "upgrades"!

I know this is getting long winded and I apologize, but I think the only chance of getting a good, or any, governmental response as to fair and exact enforceable laws regarding ATVs is to join ATV clubs and make this a large issue. The squeaky wheel may get some grease!?

 

Mudgirl,

Here in Quebec we have ATV clubs. Just like snowmobile riders. 75$ per year but most trails only available in winter. It is mostly under powerlines and on private land with special winter access. The police patrol the trails and check for plates, insurance, headlights, etc...The ATV clubs have people on the trails also, no membership card...no access! During the other 3 seasons more than 3/4 of the trails are off limits.

I think they are really severe on the laws and not riding near the highways because of "idiot riders" as I like to call them. The ones back in the 80's and early 90's on motocross, 3-wheelers and quads. Plus a lot of brainless idiots decided to bring there children along for the ride and many kids have died...a lot under the age of 3!!!

Things are getting better but the ones who make the laws are not the ones on the trails. So we all suffer the consequences.

 

Hi mudgirl, The legislation you have heard about is called Bill 11, it received Royal assent in Dec of 1999 and as of yet has not been proclaimed into law! What it will do if proclaimed will allow 3 and 4 wheelers to use secondary roads and highways legally, It will be up to the local Governments (counties, townships, regions ) to either allow this or not. They will even have the power to decide on the hours of operation on the roads!This is much the same as snowmobiles are governed now! This is an attempt to open up trail systems by allowing road connectors and by doing so hopefully it will generate income for local hotels motels eateries and the like! The bill will amend the off-road vehicle act to allow this to take place. If you want to read a copy of Bill 11 go to the following website (http://www.ontla.on.ca/Documents/Sta...T/b011ra_e.htm) you will have to scroll to the bottom of the document to get to the part about ATV's!

Ed....

 

ATV_MAN: for your information, ATV's have been for quite some time legal to use on the roads for farm use! The operator must be conducting some sort of farm business and display a slow moving vehicle sign on the back of his machine (Orange Triangle)If your from Lynden Ontario you must have plenty of them on the back of tractors!!

Ed....