I work for a rather large road construction company. We own a couple gravel pits, gravel quarry, whatever you want to call them.

We do everything we can to keep people out, and we should. 2 years ago a 15 year old was killed on a Honda 300ex, seems he didn't notice the 30-foot high wall.

As a large money making corporation we were scared. We had large no trespassing signs, keep out posters, etc. But our lawyers were telling us to settle early and for a decent amount if at all possible.

To our surprise the boy’s father while being sorry and distraught over the loss of his son, took the time to say he was sorry his boy trespassed on our land. He was also sorry that his boy lost his life for not taking our keep out and warning signs seriously. He wasn't upset with us, he never has nor do I think he'll ever try to sue us. I am truly sorry this young man lost his life while doing something we all love, but I appalled his father for being honest with us and himself about who was ultimately responsible, his son.

I have made it abundantly clear to my loved ones if something ever happens to me while I'm on my quad, that it was MY CHOICE. No one is to be sued; no one other than me is to be blamed. I won't have a riding area closed if I make a mistake, or if I break the rules.

I would however sue and prosecute if someone intentionally put me in harms way. You may not place a shotgun at your back door with a wire attached to the door to shoot intruders, it's just purely not legal, and you will be prosecuted. Putting a wire across the trail is the same thing, if you ask me. We all need to take responsibilty for our actions, and trying to cut someone's head off with a wire is just wrong.

 

I hate people who do things like the wire across a trail, espacially on public property.

The Thursday before Easter I was riding through a trail that goes in to private property(the guy who owns it lets people ride there)and then to my friend's house who lives across the street from these trails. 2-3 hours later during my ride back there were 2 HUGE oak trees pushed over right across the only trail. I don't know if someone did it or the wind. Anyway, I was forced to find my own way around it. This was after a heavy rain storm from the day before and the hillside was slick. I lost traction and slid sideways into a tree stump. Bent my right front wheel 2 1/2 inches inward, cracked my swingarm, and left me with a swollen wrist for a week. I eventually found an old horse trail and rode out through that. When I tell people what happened they say "well its your fault for riding in the woods". Is it? I was riding on public land through a very heavily used trail. I followed the given path. Then only thing that was my fault was wrecking, I should have walked around to find a path instead of being lazy and riding. I havn't been back there since(rebuilding my blaster from the frame up thanks to that accident).

Another thing:
Down the road from me there is a gravel pit the township uses to store gravel for the winter. They used to let me ride there all the time as long as I didn't throw gravel on the road of rip up the piles too bad. Then along comes a group of drunks with their trucks and they do donuts in the pit all night long. The township would go down there in the morning and have to clean up empty beer cases and plow the lot flat.

That is kind of the same thing FMF has to deal with. If you have trails and open it to the public, eventually someone will ruin it for others by wrecking the place.

Why can't people take responsibilty for their actions? No one has the ***** to admit they were wrong or that they made an error in judgement.

 

was riding in the woods in upper greenwood lake, NJ right on NY state border ...was doing a road traversing running parallel down the road...middle of the road....flying...riding a 89 lt250r...come up to a farm house / barn on one side of road...house on other side...tight corner right at house / barn...15-25mph max...i was doing prolly 55-60...braked hard..slide off road...looked up where is was going....heading towards field....cool no problem...eased up on the brakes...shi*...barb wiring fence...3 strans...going to go through it...no way can stop....dropped it a gear...pulled the front end up slammed the throttle and the fence...braked hard as the wires broke...barbwires endup at the steering shaft below the handle bars...the two lower strans broke...and only one end of top stran broke and wrapped around my waist and tightened as i moved forward through the fence...i stopped...ffeeewwwww...no blood...no broken bones...still on the bike....woooo...that was scary...foul smell of poop fills my nose...not sure if it was in my pants or the cows...cause they were running the otherway when i collected myself...then i looked up..."shi*" ...farming coming across field on his utilty atv....damn....sorry for the fence farmer brown...unwrapped myself...kicked the suki...and off i shot...throwen grass and cowpoop.....after getten back to house...barb wire stripped the insulation off the ignition wires...i was luck on three accounts...barb wire fence lost and farm can't shot rocksalt that far...hehehehe....and the suzuki started....hehehe...haven told that one in a long time...hope ya enjoyed it...i didnt...but love to tell the story...great topic string...hope more tell stories...
herbdon out

 

Herbdon... that is the exact kind of thing that gives ALL OF US a bad name!!!

At least you could be man enough to take resposibility for you actions and tell the farmer what happened, and how you are willing to fix your f-up.

Don't get me wrong, I have done things similar in car... but with NO damage other than maybe some flattened soy beans (and I found out shortly afterwards that beans actually like stress, so I actually helped them out.)

Anyway... the point is that if everyone acted like a 5 year old and ran off everytime they goofed and had an accident that was THEIR fault, then we wouldn't be allowed to ride anywhere and I wouldn't blame "them" for making it illegal either... if we can't be responsible then we don't deserve to ride!!!!!!!!