I'll give you a little back ground on the situation where I am when it comes to atving and snowmobiling. I'm 44 years old my dad bought me my first Honda 50 when I was 7. Like I say been doing the recreational riding thing for a long time. Used to be an avid sledder. I was even a paying member of the local snowmobile club up here for 15 years. Then I started seeing a trend, sleds got bigger in a hurry. Trails were groomed like highways and guys drove to fast,guys I used to run with all would have a drink when we were snowmobiling, but no one ever seemed to get hurt. Not sure why, maybe because we ran 250cc-300cc leds through the woods on ungroomed trails. Then people started dieing up here from a mixture of speed and booze.I got to the point that I was actually timid about going for a ride on a Sunday afternoon because of the big sleds and speed. I hated meeting them on the trails. The trail permits became unreasonable..$185.00 last time I joined. They always pushed the safetrails to ride on angle well patroled,alcohol not tolerated!!,but theynever inforced speed limits or dangerous drivers. It was like "Hey you can come here drive fast,drive stupid as long as your sober".Well needless to say I got out of sledding,still have the old sled but I don't go anymore. Now the locals up here have started an atv club, and I'm thinking here we go again. They are supporting and advertising the "safe trail and family fun angle" I'm against it. They say it will be a $25.00 per year cost and it won't go up. They have hounded me to show them exsisting trails for getting to other local communties,I have refused. Call me selfish but I don't want the orginized club rides and the step up in police patrols that will follow. I've seen it like I said with snowmobiling and didn't like the results. The wierd thing is this one trail they were inquiring about I have known about for years and myself and a few buddies use regulary. Well they finally found out about and set out on a weekend long ride, the atv club and it's responsible members. It ended with the RCMP helicopter evacuating a ladywho had been seriously hurt when she went over the handlebars(she was the passenger). Jezz even I have forgotten what my point was I've ranted so long. Oh yes now I remember. I'm against rules regulations and organized clubs...I think???. They can preach to me all they want about no tolerence of alcohol and safe and fun trails to ride but I won't listen becasue I've been down that road before. Like I said don't like drunks on the trail either but don't over regulate me.

 

Thank the drunks and idiots for the stringent regulations.

 

Those are some pretty lofty threats that will get you cuffs with your children present if acted out.

#1 each of your children must have a valid ATV certificate on their person while riding or you will be fined.

#2 (from the WI DNR ATV Laws "WI maximum blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.08% and the limit is strictly enforced. HOWEVER a person can be under the influence of alcohol and in violation at lesser concentrations. AVOID ALCOHOL ALL TOGETHER WHILE RIDING" You will be faced with fines and imprisonment if caught.

#3 As for noise there is a 96 db test and this is not associated with your opinion.

As for not passing.. you sound like one of those guys that feels he owns the county forests and will intentially block someone from going around. When someone approaches me from behind I pull over and slow down at the first wide spot to allow the other rider and opportunity to get around me safely without having to ride on the wrong side of the trail for any length of time. When did you purchase all the Clark county forest?


As for the drunk that tried to run into Butcher and I.. The local sherrif will be issuing him a careless ATV driving citation. His WI dnr # is 2030895, red Polaris Sportsman 500.

This is not the first occurence I"ve had with a drunk ATV driver. Two years ago some door **** was on the wrong side of the trail in a blind corner that was 25' wide and nailed me. I went over the bars and with my quad cartwheeling behind me. The sherrif had an extensive list of fines for him and his insurance company covered $1200 worth of damage on my quad. We just about left this drunk out in the woods with his hands zipped tied around a tree.

 

You must have some wierd laws there. Glad I'm not from there.
A couple of guys write down anothers info then go complain and the sheriff gives them a ticket ?
If it worked that way everytime anyone seen someone they didnt like all they would have to do is get thier info, make up a story, and get a LEO to write them up.
Dont work that way here and I find it hard to believe it does there.

 

It is called crime scene evidence and witnesses

- smashed trail sign
- tracks going thru the woods
- smashed trees
- damage and marks on his quad that indicate his machine did the damage
- two witnesses to ID him

 

theres a good example of why people want to ban atving, we need more people to do things like this (reporting) the people that are out there ruining it for us people that enjoy the sport without the use of alcahol and some other unknown drugs, instead of a little fine,that person should of gotten a dwi,plus take is atv registration away for awhile, maybe that will make some of them folks think twice before messing it up for other people, job well done MNRAP. I think there are more out there that appreciate this kind of attitude and action that you have done

 

Way too many of you don't understand the difference between drinking and being drunk. You hear zero tolerance so much, you think it's pure truth and not just marketing by those who would take away all your personal rights. I don't get drunk, and I'm not bragging about 6 beers. I am trying to point out that if I had 1-2 beers I would NOT be drunk nor even close to it!

And yes, I actually DO own the Clark County forests! Having grown up there and as a land owner there, I pay taxes to not only own them, but have a personal interest in their well being. How about you? What's your vested interest?

 

I totally agree there is a difference between the guy that can go out and have a good day on the trails and have a couple of cold beers and the guy that goes out and gets wasted and drives. I'm going on an all day atv trip on Saturday, it will be 9am to 10-12pm. I'm taking a six pack with me. I won't be drunk and would have no problem stopping for authorities and even being tested for DUI

 

Im not pointing fingers at you jk, but like you said, you have personal interest in that land, well then you would care if someone was drinking and driving and tearing up the forest by running into trees,signs and causing other damage not just only to the forest but the reputation of other people with atvs, so it doesnt matter how much you pay in taxes, theres always someone around the corner just waiting for someone to mess it up and take the rights away of riding on your precious land, it starts some where, and this is a pretty good start

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: jkane13
Way too many of you don't understand the difference between drinking and being drunk. q]

I'm not trying to throw fuel in the fire, but after reading this entire thread, I think it's more a case of people don't understand the impression that is made on all ATV riders when someone sees an ATV and a rider with a can of beer in one hand.

The anti's don't see anything more than the common denominator here.........the ATV. Throw a beer into the picture and all of a sudden, we're all a bunch of drunken bastards who go out and tear up the woods. It doesn't matter if it's me or you (even though I'm allergic to beer).