This is gonna be a long post fellas, but I think I need to voice my opinion. I'm 25 years old and just recently got back into atv's (had 3 of them when I was younger like 12 to 18yrs old) but the riding areas around here are getting less and less. Most farmers aren't even letting people ride in wooded areas on their property (what is this gonna hurt?!!) I know people hunt on these areas, but the deer are not gonna leave, hell, they'll be glad they have trails to walk on and not make. They sure won't leave! I work at an oil refinery and we have explosions, fires and controlled chaos going on all over the 5000 acres it occupies, and anytime you want to see deer or wildlife of any kind all you have to do is go out side and look, they're all there. The biggest problem I have with riding areas is the prejudice against people with ATV's. There's a place about 3 miles from my house easily accessible by car, truck or atv. It's name around here is "canal banks". It's a manmade canal for shipping with dirt roads along the entire length, probably 8 or so miles long. Hills galore, trails, wide open flat lands, you name it! It's great! Well, people are allowed to take their vehicles down there, and go fishing, ride around, basically do whatever they want ( to a point)......except ATV's!!!!!!! Why!!!!???!!!! A 4x4 in my opinion, and I have seen proof, does more damage than an ATV will ever do to the ground. People get them stuck and create ruts and washouts all over, but they are allowed down there, the ruts will swallow an ATV!!! I guess my point is there are double standards and I'm sick of it! The government is getting, and has been for sometime, RIDICULOUS! All these tree huggers around the world have got to open there eyes and see reality, this is a free country (supposed to be) and people should be able to have a say without already being perceived as wrong. Remember the motto? Innocent before proven guilty. We're being denied rights to land to do what we love because someone else has to have control. Benjamin Franklin once said, "A government should only be in power for 200 years, then it should be replaced." Well, ours is over 200 and ours is getting to be what the forefathers wanted to get away from when they left England. Different topics, but the same jist. Oh yeah, I almost forgot this little tidbit, they let an enduro race for dirt bikes happen once a year on the same trails and lands that are open to everyone except ATV's!!? What's up with that? An Atv can fit through these trails, I know. I'm getting to feel like a criminal for doing nothing wrong except for doing what I like. I know there are certain places where you just shouldn't ride, but there are places where we should be able to, and are wanted by the FBI if we do. This makes no sense. I know there are groups around fighting for our rights, but I think we need to get even more serious about our rights. I've had ideas tossing around in my head about how to obtain land to ride on, like people in different states chipping in to just by a large lot of property just for our sport, I'm talking a lot of people doing this so the cost is small, but the effort together would be huge! I want to fight this law around here, to try and get this changed, but I know I can't do it myself. Everyone has to get together and make stuff happen! I know we are more stubborn then the tree huggers. Hell, when we get some roost thrown on us by our buddies, we do everything we can to pass him or her and throw our own roost...we need to throw some roost on the tree huggers and start turning things around. Thanks for reading this long message, and I hope this make you want to kick some dirt! Later

 

Just a thought on the farmers not letting people ride in their woods. They are probably afraid of lawsuits if someone does something stupid and gets hurt. My ex girlfriend went to Canada with her parents one summer and paid a neighbor kid to feed their cows. One day the kid goes into the barn and hops on their 3 wheeler and goes for a cruise. He ends up flipping the 3 wheeler on a jump and breaking a few bones (I can't remember which ones LOL) and had to go to the hospital. When my ex and her parents got back they found out that the neighbors were taking them to court! They were going to sue them 'cause their kid got hurt riding a 3 wheeler that he wasn't supposed to be on in the first place! After my ex's parents notified the sheriff and told him about the kid stealing the 3 wheeler, the other people dropped the lawsuit. So, I would be willing to bet that most of the farmers have no probs. with quads but are just afraid of being sued for trying to be nice. Later,

 

I regret the absence of riding areas.

Yet, I have seen a minority of riders, sounding off with blatantly loud exhausts near people's homes, cutting doughtnuts and generally raising hell on public roads, tearing up lawns and flower beds, littering (beer cans the most prominent refuse) without limit . . .

Those empowered to do something about inconsiderate abuse, HAVE--closing entire areas to ALL ATV riding. Considerate and careful riders are banned along with the "America's Most Wanted" wannabes and look-alikes.

Out of a thousand riders, citizens remember the one jerk who rode his quad through the jonquils and dasies of the service station landscaping plot, then tore up the turf of the hillside on his way to the adjacent trail, deafening every living thing within earshot with his loud exhaust.

What would you do, if you thought ATVers were diminishing your quality of life? Ban 'em all, if you could.

Solution? Self-policing won't work, given human nature--informing a drunken and boisterous party more environmentally-friendly means exist for disposing litter might be hazardous to one's health, anyway.

If ATVing, especially near urban areas, is to survive, designated riding areas with observed and enforced safety and behavior standards appears a workable trend to me. I didn't say I welcome further regimentation; however, some nuisances we must endure for privileges. For example, driving on public roads requires driver and vehicle licensing, vehicle inspection, insurance, and observing rules of the road. ATV riding may in time carry similar burdens, principally because of the actions of an inconsiderate, abusive minority of ATVers.

My thoughts, what are yours?

Tree Farmer

 

Its a case of a few bad apples spoiling it for everyone. Here is an example last year I purchased a personnel water craft while living in Florida. The state had been closing down riding areas & making accesss to the beaches a serious offense. WHY? Because irresponsible jersks riding fast within 50' feet of shore close to swimmers! No not every watercraft owner is this way, but when you talk to people about it their first statement out of there mouth is "watercraft are dangerous". I now live in Washington state (sold the watercraft) & we have a similiar problem here in regards to places to ride ATV's. The horse crowd has more trails than we do! They are trying to take the few trails we have left away!

I SUGGEST FINDING OR STARTING AN ATV CLUB & BECOME A MEMEBER OF THE BLUE RIBBON COALITION.

This is my 2 cents worth.

 

I agree with everyone's comments and opinions about this topic. At the same time, this is just my opinion, not saying this is any of your feelings, but people like to talk about how they don't like this and they don't like that, but they will never try to change what they don't like. I want to do something about it, I know there are ATV clubs around the country and the Blue Ribbon Coalition, but are these groups organized with each other? I don't know, but I hope the answer would be yes. Other groups of interest that get things there way, seem to be organized together, I assume. I think the majority of people who own atv's don't think about this problem with land use till it's too late, I know I did. I used to be able to go out and ride just about anywhere I wanted to, legally and responsibly. In my opinion, an overly loud atv or any vehicle for that matter sounds like crap. My car runs 11's in the 1/4 and it's not ridicoulously loud. Nowadays, people can sue for anything no matter how crazy. I would be ashamed to be these peoples' lawyers!!? I don't know, but I think we have to do more and more to get our lands opened up. It's gonna be a long time, but hopefully soon enough. Later

 

The answer is yes!!...... Ever since getting actively involved in trail issues. I have discovered an ever expanding network of some very helpful people. You would be surprised at the size of the network. Give me an e-mail, And I'll see if I can point you in the right direction.
Steve..........

PS..............
I have found miles of trails that are just waiting to be adopted. Who ever gets to these trails first, Can start the process.

 

fIREBLADE-Read my post " NY riders-where are they" and you will see what I am trying to advocate, but it seems if none of them care! Good Luck.

 

I just saw your post and think it is great! But, I don't think it should stop there. The next step would be to get other states to do the same, then join them. The bigger a force that can be brought together the better things will go for us. I just sent out some letters to a few place here in Delaware to find out some info on trails (if there are any) to see what I can do around here. Later.

 

Have read your article and pete/ny. You both have a lot to say that needs to be said. I just wrote one about clean up at Uwharrie, the place is in bad shape because of the recent snow storm. I dont belong to a club yet but I am willing to help clean up to have a place to ride, our future riding may depend on all atver's involement. I am not currently in a club but Iam looking to join one that share's my interest in maintaing current trails and maybe opening new ones.
Some of the fondest memories i have as a child was loading up the camper and motorcycles and going riding with my family and friends. This is somthing I want to share with my kids. And only through personal involment will we be able to continue doing what we all enjoy. But so far not one of my fellow Tarheels has replied. So I wish you guys much luck on your quest and hope you will do the same for me.
Scott Brumley
superduty1@excite.com

 

Hey Superduty. I think your the right kind of people that this sport needs. I hope I get more of a response then you did in your state, but it can't hurt anything to keep trying. I was just on a site called Terraserver (satellite images) and checking out the area around my house, probably a 10 mile radius and just looking at the land, woods and anything else. I know of a sand/dirt area thats about 1 mile wide and 1/2 to 3/4 mile deep and just decided to take a look at it. The place has signs up saying no unregistered vehicles and it is state owned. Well, on the satellite image, it is labeled as SPOIL, which is a dumping ground for the dirt they dig up when they dredge the canal right next to it. I would really like to know what answer I would get as to why atv's are not allowed in this area. The place is perfect, houses are on only one side probably a 1/4 mile away on the other side of some woods. I am really going to try to get some info on this place. Well, I wish you the best of luck, but remember when this initiative really gets going, your the kind of people who are going to of gotten it there. Later.