Here's the email I sent to my representatives. Hopefully they will stand up and listen if enough of us speak up.
It's long, but not that long.
I know it's been posted, but how do I join CLOUT?

Representative Pearson,
An ATV riders group I actively participate in recently posted a disturbingly hostile email from Senator Adam Kline in response to a very benign, respectful request from one of his constituents to withdraw his support of SB5544.
In case you are unfamiliar with this situation, I have included both emails at the end of this email.
I have been very frustrated with the increasing discrimination being leveled at a ORV users.
The sentiment that our public forests should only be enjoyed by people via non-motorized access is, in my very humble opinion, very short sighted. I pay considerably more in fees and taxes than a non-motorized user does. As an ORV rider, I not only pay for the trail parking permits, camping fees and tabs my vehicle to transport me to where I can ride, but also the tabs on my trailer, and each ORV. Yet as my fees for the tabs on my quads increase, I am more and more restricted on where I can even start them up. While I would prefer to have areas of access within the state I reside, this only encourages me to travel more often to the Oregon Dunes to ride, where I spend my recreation dollars outside of the State of Washington.
The outright hostility shown by Senator Kline has motivated me to take action to preserve what few rights I still have as a taxpaying, law abiding quad rider in the State of Washington.
I completely understand the anger at the damage caused by an irresponsible, disrespectful few. However, punishing those of us that abide by the law, pay our taxes and fees for access to our public lands is not a viable solution. The email sent to Senator Kline asked very relevant questions regarding the narrow scope of this bill and pointed out some glaring shortcomings in it. Please take the time to review the information presented and vote against this bill.

Thank you for your time.

Jayna Cole



************************************************** *************************************
(What follows is unedited dialogue between Dave Helgeson and Senator Adam Kline)

Senator Kline,

I am curious to know why you would co-sponsor the most discriminatory,
anti-OHV Bill ever proposed?

SB 5544 changes would creating maximum sound levels for riding
near any residence, regardless of where that residence is located or how it
is zoned. It would become illegal for my Family to ride our motorcylces and
quads where they are "plainly audible" from in or adjacent to any residence. This would even include residences that are on farm land, forest land or in an industrial area.

One of the few riding area riding areas where it is still legal to ride in
Western Washington is Captial State Forest near Olympia. There are a few
parcels of private property located within the forest. This law, if passed,
would effectively shut this area down. Ditto for the nearby Straddle Line
ORV park.

What really strikes me as absurd about this proposal is race tracks like
Evergreen Speedway in Monroe could host auto races of all types, but any off
road events would be illegal.

In addition, this law would only apply to my dirtbike or quad. It would not apply to other, more common sources of residential noise such as lawnmowers, chainsaws, cars, trucks, boats, airplanes, stereos, playgrounds, ballfields, etc. It is just plain discrimination against Off Highway Vehicle use and
has nothing to do with keeping neighborhoods quiet.

Off Highway Vehicle recreation is a fun and growing family sport, it would be nice to see sports that support families embraced by Olympia with more open riding areas, instead of discriminated against.

I would hope that you drop your support of this legislation.

Dave Helgeson

Dear Mr. Helgeson,

I signed on because I have been annoyed, endangered, and angered one too many times by people riding motorized dirt-bikes and other off-road vehicles that have no damn business anywhere. To me, this bill is narrow--it doesn't include those "personal watercraft," seemingly jet-powered little missiles whose only apparent purpose is to risk death and dismemberment for boaters and swimmers, for the amusement of spoiled drunk teenagers.

Yes, I am sure there is the occasional responsible person who rides one of these machines on land or water. And yes, like every human being I have been pleasantly surprized to find my stereotypes broken. But why, why, why, do folks insist on motorized "sports"? Those two words are an oxymoron. There is nothing sporting--athletic, physically demanding--about riding any machine anywhere. And it's a damned annoyance to folks who see the outdoors as a place to go for quiet and solitude and self-exploration. I would be happy to ban the use of the internal combustion engine off-road, by anyone without a handicapped sticker, subject to a stiff fine. Maybe we could call this an anti-obesity measure.

Please circulate this to all motorized sports enthusiasts, so they can remember never to vote for me.

Adam Kline

As per Senator Kline's last paragraph/request, please take a moment to email the link to this article to anyone you know that rides - on or off-road.

 

NICE [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] your so diplomatic [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Oh yeah, ANYONE, please feel free to copy and paste it to your own representatives if you want to. If not, you know how to scroll. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Does the company that owns the property say it's OK for public ORV use? Doesn't sound like it if they are blocking off trails. If they don't specify that, it's trespassing. But i'm sure everybody knew that.

 

Ya'll tryin to say i was abrasive and less than diplomatic? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

i pulled this info off a search for washington state atv trails. like i said befor i havent been there yet but have made plans to a few times now haha
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

The write up just says there are some of the workers that don't like people riding there, the company may not care. But that would be a nice thing to clarify. Can't blame the employees for not wanting people riding around what I have to assume is large equipment. The liability has to be a concern.

 

Your gonna try and rationalize any employee of a company such as that is going to give two chits about someone riding on the company property unless they are told to keep them off. Come on. this is a company directive to block the trails. therefore company / owner DOES NOT WANT ATVs there. Most active mines do not want any non employee on the property. some mines/quarrys do not let truck drivers outta the trucks when the go to get a load.

 

I would make sure, trespassing gives the anti-orv people ammo to restrict riding that we don't want them to have.

 

Also they could have a passive use agreement.. IE horses/Hikers/Mtbikers NOT ATVs