With all due respect to the owners, administrators and moderators here, ATVConnection has a problem. I know you can’t be expected to recognize, or be responsible for, posts that blatantly conspire and facilitate the braking of laws in my region if you don’t live here and know what they are referring to. I’m not sure what would happen if I kept clicking on the “report this to moderator” link for every offensive post. I can respect free speech and the healthy exchange of ideas. Hopefully they serve to educate the uninformed. I have learned a lot and met some really good people here over the years . I’m active on other forums with local groups. I just don’t have enough time to act as a moderator here.

There are far too many people posting here on “Where to ride” that have been chased out of local forums for advocating stupid behavior. They end up here, where there is little oversight. This is one of the sites most quoted by anti-ATV activists in the New England region. (There are a couple of other forums but this one is way up there.) These quotes end up on the desks of the state legislators and bureaucrats that control the fate of ATVs. They only quote the bad ones . Let’s see if they quote this. The following 2 paragraphs are excerpted from my website. It is directed at outlaws in Mass but could apply to anyone that regularly advocates civil disobedience to enjoy our sport

The <u>opponents</u> of ATV use in Mass owe a great debt of gratitude to all those outlaw riders that continue to post "stupid human tricks" like not registering, riding in illegal places, and running from the law, etc, on ATV forums. I have visited many websites and forums for opponents of ATVs. Almost every stupid, irresponsible and ignorant statement made on these ATV forums is cut and pasted on anti-ATV sites, often within minutes of their appearance! I will applaud when you are caught, fined and your machine is confiscated. Your disregard for property owners, the laws, and environmentally sensitive areas is not only ruining our riding experiences here in Mass, it has brought the reputation of all Massachusetts riders visiting NH & Maine to an all time low. You have helped justify the increase in fees, law enforcement and regulation in Maine. In NH, celebrations are held to celebrate the apprehension of "M***holes" riding in and ruining farmer's fields. You do not represent the majority of riders from Mass but, that is all I hear about when I travel to ride with our neighbors to the north. Now if we could get your mommy to take away your internet access we could start to repair our reputation as responsible outdoor sportsmen.

There are responsible, hard working people in the state trying to show that ATVers are not all bad and that more environmentally sustainable trail systems can be opened and maintained. There can be no ATV trails (in Mass) unless club members put in at least 400 hours of trail work per system per year. There are currently only a few hundred ATVers volunteering to maintain the 175 miles (was recently 200 miles) of ORV trails in the state. There are currently well over 25,000 registered machines in the state. Anyone that thinks that society should GIVE them a place to ride to keep them from misbehaving is guilty of faulty logic. Threats of civil disobedience will not get you what you want. Childish temper tantrums shouldn't be rewarded. We will get no respect without recognizing that use with out responsible care and maintenance is abuse. Mere possession of an ORV plate and the ownership of an expensive machine do not entitle anyone to a trail system any more than a registered boat owner is entitled to a lake in Death Valley.

Stop whining, join a club, and show up to help.

 

Hey budferret, I would agree with what you wrote as far as MA goes. I am a Ct resident who is forced to register in MA to have a legal place to ride. I am willing to help out with trail maintanence just let me know how I can go about volunteering for it. I too believe that being responsible is the way too ensure that our form of recreation continues. Unfortunately, my state has a different oppinion on the whole atv experience and as long as CT continues to dismiss the problem, there will be thousands of people who break the rules. Please let me know how I can go about doing my part to ensure ATV riders have a place to ride legally. Thanks, DiNaps.

 

Most of my answers to you probably belong in the "Land Use Issues" section. With my fondess for long sentences and a typing speed of 1 word per minute it might take a couple of days to address even a fraction of the ATV political issues in CT and how they are a blueprint for ATV opponents everywhere.

If you ride in Mass and want to help you can look into: www.westernmassatv.org and the regional Berkshire Trails Council. One major change to riding in Mass is the recent closing of the second largest ATV trail system in the state. <U>SAVOY MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST IS NOW CLOSED TO ALL MOTORIZED TRAIL USE</U> !!! This bureaucratic decision was made without public input or allowance for public review and appeal. Although this plan had been discussed behind closed doors for a long time, it was issued like an emergency measure only two days before the season was to open. The news was released as quietly as possible and the State website didn't post the change until almost a week later. Their actions were carefully scripted to pre-empt the rights and interests of everyone that values this recreational resource.

The representatives of all the off-road recreation groups in Mass are busy evaluating the options for appeals and law-suits.

My initial post here was to reach the guilty ones making posts that are feeding the oppostion's propaganda mills. Idiots just looking to ride illegally would not be reading the land use and environmental issues forum. I'd be happy to discuss trail access politics in Mass (and CT) on that part of the forum instead of here in "Where to Ride".

 

This is just another example of how our "GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE" is an utter fallacy up on Beacon Hill. We as ATV enthusiasts are in much the same position from a political perspective as smokers are. We are percieved in a political context as ugly. In addition we are a minority without any significant power or influence to wield what-so-ever. Therefore it is very easy for them to legislate against us without any negative consequences to them. I admire your efforts and passion. But this sort of behind the doors sneeky action by the power brokers on Beacon Hill certainly is nothing unusual. They pull this stuff all the time........even to the degree of deliberately circumventing the vote of the constituency on ballot questions. They simply right "rules" to allow themselves to do whatever it is that they want. It's a one party system up there without checks and balances in which the House leadership wields all the power and the others have to get in 'lock-step' with the leadership or they will be isolated and have absolutely zero influence or efficacy. In affect, our State government on Beacon Hill operates more like the Politburo than it does a "Representative" government body that it's supposed to be.

Within the context of business on Beacon Hill, ATV enthusiasts are nothing more than a weak, ugly, annoying little knat that can very easily be cast aside ( or sqwashed with oppressive legislation ) without any negative consequences to them what-so-ever.

As an AMERICAN, I HATE it..........but it's fact.

Bob

 

Your description of the political process in Mass is is very accurate and popular. I see many comments pointing blame at our predominate political party but keep in mind that the executive branch in our state has been led by the opposing party for years and many of the leading bureaucrats are appointed by them. Many of the rulings we might dispute are made by these appointed bureaucrats and side-step the legislative process completely. This is not ONE-party politics but merely politics as usual.

 

Budferret, I was not suggesting that people be rewarded for misbehaving, nor do I think it is faulty logic to give them a place to ride. Our local and state governments GIVE us playgrounds and baseball fields and the such. What I meant by give is "open" up some of the state parks in the eastern and central part of the state. My point is I also pay taxes and have a right to those parks. Obviously, in a responsible manner.
I have not been to western Mass to ride personally and the only reason is the distance. It is much easier for me to g to NH or Maine. I have two machines and both are legal.
Now if the state is going to charge me to register these machines and make me pay sales tax. Then I am sorry they do owe me a little something. But as you correctly pointed out we do have a responsbility to take care of the trails and if neccessary maybe police ourselves occasionally. I have told as many "young people" I can about the importance of joining ATV clubs. I personally belong to three.
Mind you I am not writing back as an attack. I thought you made some pretty darn good points. I just wanted to set the record straight on use of the term 'Give"

Thanx
Bank

 

Unless it something of high enough political stature, it will never even get close to the Govenors plate. The Governor has a limited time frame to get things done and I'm afraid ATV riding areas is not his top priority........nor should it be. This sort of thing is handled on Beacon Hill by the Politburo. Furthermore, the Govenor has vitually everything he tries to impliment over-ridden by veto by our Politburo "Representatives" on Beacon Hill even if ATV riding areas were a priority.

 

Does anybody have any info as to why Savoy was closed? I have never ridden there,I have heard that it is muddy most of the time and it is very technical riding. I have been to Pittsfield State Forest and October Mountain riding with my atv.I would recommend staying away from October Mtn. unless you like having your bones rattled around....(very rocky and rutted).It's a shame that we are losing riding areas especially when this sport is growing in popularity.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

From the DCR website:

For Immediate Release CONTACT: Gary Briere
April 28, 2005 617-626-1454
Corbie Kump
617-626-1119
SAVOY MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST
WILL NOT BE REOPENED TO OFF ROAD VEHICLES

Due to public safety concerns and increasing environmental impacts from off-road vehicles (ORVs) and other motorized uses on the trails of the Savoy Mountain State Forest, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will not reopen the state forest to motorized trail use this year.

DCR made this decision after determining that continued motorized vehicle use in the Savoy Mountain State Forest would cause severe and irreparable harm to the forest and its trails and would place trail users and park visitors at risk. The evaluation criteria used to make this determination included wetlands conditions and protection, topography and slopes, soil conditions, habitat protection, and public safety.

“At DCR, we place the utmost importance on public safety and the protection of the natural resources in our care,” said Stephen Pritchard, Acting Commissioner for DCR. “Our analysis and recent trail inspections have clearly demonstrated that motorized vehicle use on Savoy’s trails would not be in the best interest of either of these priorities.”

Savoy Mountain has previously been one of eight state forests where ORV use was allowed by DCR since 1996. The state agency does plan to open other Berkshire County forests to motorized use on May 1st with ORVs being allowed in Pittsfield State Forest, October Mountain State Forest, Beartown State Forest and Tolland State Forest. Recent and forecasted heavy rains may result in postponement of the opening until trails dry out enough for minimal trail impact and safe riding. DCR is evaluating the weather and conditions before officially opening on this date.

###


You can just see this coming... They cite "severe and irrepairable harm", yet this area is actually one that is sponsored and partially maintained by the Berkshire club. These trails have (had) maintenance. So that leaves the vague concern for public safety. What exactly does that mean?

The overall effect will be more stress on the remaining open areas as riders that used to legally go to Savoy will be forced to ride elsewhere, which they will eventually claim concern for irrepairable harm and public safety and close another...and so on.

How would everyone feel if it was mandatory to register and insure your fine chevy automobile, and then you found out you were only allowed to drive it west of I-91? They MAKE us register and tax us, and we get less and less. I'm by no means condoning the morons that make us all look bad, riding on private property, running from the law, etc., but for me going to the western part of the state is an all day affair that needs to be planned out. I too use my bike for pulling deer out of the woods, and ride it in a responsible manner, but everytime I drag a deer out of the woods I know I'm in danger of being fined...or worse. I actually joined a local fish and game club in part to have access to 100 acres with trails to ride. 100 acres gets small in a hurry after a couple of loops. It's frustrating to have the Douglas State Forest right next door with miles of solid trails and no riding allowed there. Used to be allowed, but no more. It's additionally frustrating to have areas in the east open to motorcycles only, no atv's. Used to be, you could play all day in Myles Standish state forest, but no more. See a pattern here? The more areas they close, the more stress is imparted on the remainder, the more areas they close...

My favorite part is that the registration of atv's is handled by the DCR who recently raised the registration fees to, in part, pay for more EPO's (Enviromental Police Officer's) on atv's to patrol closed areas to write us tickets to raise revenue to pay for... It's completely frustrating, and all you ever hear about is the bad apples and morons. The good work the trail clubs do rarely, if at all, makes the news.

Sorry to rant, but needed the vent.

MB

 

I agree 100%. There hasn't been any news about Myles Standish lately but here's a link that let's you voice your opinion. http://www.pstr.org/forum/links.asp. I always send an e-mail every so often just to keep it fresh....... So far George hasn't responded