I would be proud to get in on the ground floor of such a movement if our platform leaned towards no b.s. safety requirements and preached greater cooperation with law enforcement (or maybe even encouraged local clubs to start their own license plate program until states were willing to fund it).

One of the problems with our clubs today is that they don't want to talk about IDENTIFYING problem riders or giving potential members the impression that the club and 'the law' have a good working relationship. When you throw in working with the legislature to get fines increased and 'impoundments' considered...........................I can guarantee you that at least about half of our problems will 'miraculously' start getting solved.

I'm all for getting together and starting something...................I just don't want to get dragged down with the "Why, oh no, we can't say 'that'............let's try and make everybody happy" syndrome; which is catering to the very people out there who are ruining it for us in the first place.

The one thing I see wrong with national atv organizations is that everybody who runs them wants a paycheck and traditionally never want to upset a potential member who further ensures that they get it. What you end up with are political platforms that 'Mr. Obvious' could have written and nothing approaching the real solutions that not every rider is going to 'agree' with; yet need to be looked at (especially when you consider that atv rider's are probably the most 'hypocritical' orv participants out there).

Again, count me in.........................just leave the 'political correctness' for those who don't have a sport that is in serious trouble and at the 11th hour. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Hey blackballed...greetings! You have some great things to say....which are right on. The last thing we need is ANOTHER group that roars but doesn't bite. I've been wondering if another route to go is to begin to petition the manufacturers into spending a little more change up on the hill. The reason is simple....all of the "real" stuff takes place behind closed doors where the money and the politicans are( I apologize for sounding so cynical). The lobbyists for the manufacturers have got to be concerned by what lies ahead. That alone should guarantee us a little comfort., because of huge vested interest in the availibility of open lands to ride. The equation is simple...no land=no sales!
Now, the rest is up to us. I want to see possibly an online petition that can be signed by everyone everywhere and send it to everyone that matters including the manufacturers. You and I will never have the kind of clout that Polaris, Suzuki etc. will have. Pastor

 

We think very much alike.................I hate to admit it; but I'd rather spend my money on some cut-throat lawyer or PAC guy and his 'expense account'; than give it to some local guy who's figured out how to support his entire family by turning an atv club into a non-profit entity where you charge parents to sit in on their kid's atv safety training classes (and write-off the toilet paper when they use the rest room).


I've gotta go for now; but am willing to send my money to another 'crook'; as soon as somebody finds one...................[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

You guys have some good ideas. I like the idea of proding the manufacturers into some action. My impression of them is that they'll take our money but don't really care about what we do after the sale. But it's not just them; its all of the entities that make money off ot us. As we continue to complain about the lack of riding areas they continue to ignore the situation. For example, I wrote a detailed e-mail to ATV Television and requested that they run a weekly segment on what's happening in the political arena relating to riding areas and a special show (or part of show) on how groups can go about fighting land closures, etc; I didn't even get a response. But, in my opinion, the biggest problem is not the politicians or the manufacturers or the idoits that trash our riding areas; it's the ATV community as a whole. We are the ones that allow these things to happen. We complain in the forums, we ride illegally, we run the mountian bikers off the road (OK, some of us); but we don't face the situation and do something. Foe example, I've bee trying to get people to e-mail me in order to form a group that will take some action and get some local public areas opened up to ATVs and I can't even get people to do that. I've posted numerous times on these forums, I talk to the dealerships, I stop and talk to people when I see them with an ATV on the back of thier truck and, after all of this, I have only gotten 5 e-mails. When I talk to other ATV'ers, the response I usually get is "hell, that will never happen, those damn city officials are a bunch of a-holes." I guess the real porblem is that we won't take action, we won't get off our butts and do something.

 

Hey Tick...I know what your saying. I just wrote an e-mail to the moderators of this great site (atv connection) and requested an online petition where when posted a guy could print it out, fill it out and send it in...how hard can all of this be? I am in agreement with you about getting some unity here . In reality, most be don't wake up until it affects them "personally". I have started several threads in the last week trying to get somebody stirred up. I haven't recieved a reply from atv connection yet. it's time to put our money where our mouth is...let's go. Thanks...Pastor

 

First step - join AMA. How many of you are members of the American Motorcyle Association? They have a great magazine and shows what is happening in different states in regards to gaining rights back and also where we are losing rights. State and Federal. I have written to my district rep about losing our rights to ride/cross waterways. It may not have done any good, as the Democrats fled the state to avoid voting on a redistricting plan. Anyway, JOIN AMA.......

 

Some great info. Joining clubs and organizations is always a great idea. I've had some buds who were toooo cheap to even join ATVAM (MN ATV Assoc) The power that the $15/ year brings is great bang for the buck. I don't know how many times I've filled up a trashbag at a parking lot just from idiots leaving trash. It seems like a never win deal....unfortunately. There are stupid people among us.