I hate ATV'ers

[Faceman]

I lost a trail through conservation property today. Nothing to do with snowmobilers/horsey riders/nature seekers/cyclist or bird watchers. We're all good. Lost it due to ATV's. Or to be more specific, 'what if ATV's start using this trail?"

ATV damage at present...nope but in several other areas of our trail system , yes.

Actually we lost (gave it up) another trail two weeks ago due to ATV/mud truck damage.

This one had no damage or threat of.

Oh, did I mention the possible rare/threatened fern they found yesterday.

So lose intersection 64 north to 62 and east to 48 off our trails..just the start of changes

intersection 122 has moved 2 km west, trail re-route to south and north

During my conversation with the land use property mgr from the conservation authority I was advised of the serious nature of the situation in our area. The Wiarton Trailblazers have one of the most scenic views in this end of the world (Skinners Bluff) and due to ATV infridgement and damage the Wiarton club might lose this trail.

I'm not looking for responses, just an FYI, they are coming, they will get us. They will cause many trails to be closed. I was doing my landowner tour this week and EVERY ONE expressed frustration over ATV's

[Canuck]

Faceman, I know you're not looking for responses, but this is terrible news.

When did people become bold enough to trespass on private property? Without 'fear' of consequences.

[dweese]

Yup and its just because of a very small number of ATVers does this happen. It only takes one rider to piss off the right person and boom trail is closed. Its the same thing with those few sledders that can't stay on a marked trail.

See this is why we need to bring back public flogging

[theedge]

That is really too bad Faceman

Maybe we should be buying the OPP some ATV's, since they're the ones doing all the damage.

[pvsledhead]

That is really too bad Faceman

Maybe we should be buying the OPP some ATV's, since they're the ones doing all the damage.

Actually the Wiarton OPP have atv's...

Its a lot of area to cover though,and they would probably only be patrolling the ATV trails.....

steve

[Reved]

It's not just ATVer's, it's a general lack of respect for someone else's property. Just because there is a no trespassing sign and a locked gate does not mean it applies to me. Look at the gates with cut locks, rammed gates, and paths cut around locked gates. Asks those riding though these areas and you get one of three answers. They either quickly turn around and head the other way when they see you. Claim their father, mother, brother or dog has permission to hunt buy the owner so they are allowed to ride here. My favourite, really I didn't no it was private property behind that locked gate. I'm sure many of these people are also sled who are familiar with the trails in the neighborhood.

[winterules]

You should say you hate ATVers that have no respect for how or where they ride . I'm a ATVer and have spent countless hours helping out the Sauble club building trails which give ATVers legal area's to ride . I enjoy ATVing all summer but I stick to the trails that are legal PERIOD . Please don't hate us all but the way you said it you hate me .

[Faceman]

WR. It doesn't matter. We are all tarred with the same brush, plain and simple. All of my landowners have no issue whatsoever with sleds but some are giving consideration to shutting down access because of ATV'ers. They do not differ between you/me and Joe Blow down the street. Sauble eh, go talk to the lady just west of the Sauble Golf Course...I got an earful yesterday..(not even my trails but she knew I was with a local club)

And for potential re-routes, its the threaten of an illegal ATV invasion that is stopping permission.

Me, I use my ATV for hunting (with permission) and trail work so I don't see offending ATV'ers but I've certainly seen the damage. I just staked a section at Bass Lake where the ATV's keeping going around our gates, so we put in more rocks and they keep going around wider and wider. The landowner is fed up. The farmer who leases is fed up. You are right but you too will learn to hate ATV'er as we continue to lose trails.

When GSCA closes Skinners Bluff access it will be because if ATV'ers. How do we fight this?

Sorry, my rant but its a fact of life right now .

[Fred Quimby]

I too am an avid ATVer. There is no doubt that sledding is more fun, but for the rest of the year when you cant sled, an ATV is and can be a fun powersport. It tees me off when these people abuse the trails, disregard land owners, trespass and do damage. Sledders do this too! Sledders that ride on closed trails (they are closed for a reason), discard beer cans, cigarettes and empty smoke packs, broken belts and other crap that get's tossed into the bush through the winter. Also nice to see morons with illegal cans, and who are often the same intelligence level who spin out in corners. Let's face it there are morons in every powersport category. I might suggest that you hear more about ATV damage because it is becoming more widespread in areas. ATV clubs are not keeping up with how this sport is growing. In areas where there are really well organized clubs, there seems to be less nonsense than in areas where there are no clubs for ATV's or smaller clubs that just dont have the resources of larger clubs. This is for sure a problem. ATV's are a growing market. The past two years I am seeing loads of them all Spring, Summer and Fall. I know the sales are up and it is becoming a family sport. Sadly many fools that are causing the problems are not club members but locals that feel it is fine to trespass (some feel it is their god given right to do so), tear up trails, booze it up and hit the trails, cause noise issues and a host of other problems. I don't know if there is a simple fix. I do know that ATV clubs need to be progressive, responsive, and organized in their approach, education and management of their resources. This is truly lacking in many areas. As this sport is growing fast the clubs need to keep up. I have said it before here many times. Snowmobile and ATV clubs need to forge partnerships for both to succeed. I am not talking about amalgamation, but at least partnerships for projects, resources and education and trail stewardship. I am not slagging any one group here and let me be very clear about that.

[800X]

Just because they shut down the trails to snowmobilers dosen't mean ATV'ers are going to stay away from these areas. If landowners think that shutting down trails is the answer, then they're dead wrong!

[Diceman]

just a personal observation but I know more trails that have been lost or land and home owners becoming upset from guys on sleds having those annoying loud mufflers ..kinda like the guys in 4 cyl Honda Civics that put on those whinney mufflers thinking its a dork extender.....I know people who live by both atv and sled trails and they much prefer atv season than sled season.....Cheers

[02Sled]

just a personal observation but I know more trails that have been lost or land and home owners becoming upset from guys on sleds having those annoying loud mufflers ..kinda like the guys in 4 cyl Honda Civics that put on those whinney mufflers thinking its a dork extender.....I know people who live by both atv and sled trails and they much prefer atv season than sled season.....Cheers

All it takes is for some idiots either ATV or sled to ruin it for everyone else. A friend of mine has a large acreage that after many years he reluctantly stopped letting it be used for a snowmobile trail. It was because of ATV's. He liked having the sleds since they cut and maintained a trail through the trees on the back of his property. He and his family would walk there in the summer.

Then the ATV's arrived. The gates where the trail entered his property were locked each spring. The ATV'ers started cutting the locks. He would be out walking the trail expecting to have a nice easy walk only to find deep ruts from ATV's playing in mud. He had to jump out of the way of ATV's racing across his property and pull his kids out of the way more than once. The guys on the ATV's were giving him crap for being in their way on the trail. He told them they were trespassing and they insisted they weren't since it was the trail. They couldn't understand it was his private property. They even complained that some jackass kept putting locks on the gates so they now travelled with bolt cutters. They just didn't get it. He ended up reporting it to the police and shutting down the trail replacing the gates with fence and rock.

The few ruined it for the many. Now there are also many responsible ATV riders out there as well that respect private property and behave responsibley. There are also jerks on sleds that ruin it for everyone else. All it takes is for a landowner to get annoyed by someone sledder or ATV'er who assumes it is their god given right to do whatever they want wherever they want just as long as they are having fun with no consideration for others.

[Diceman]

just a personal observation but I know more trails that have been lost or land and home owners becoming upset from guys on sleds having those annoying loud mufflers ..kinda like the guys in 4 cyl Honda Civics that put on those whinney mufflers thinking its a dork extender.....I know people who live by both atv and sled trails and they much prefer atv season than sled season.....Cheers

All it takes is for some idiots either ATV or sled to ruin it for everyone else. A friend of mine has a large acreage that after many years he reluctantly stopped letting it be used for a snowmobile trail. It was because of ATV's. He liked having the sleds since they cut and maintained a trail through the trees on the back of his property. He and his family would walk there in the summer.

Then the ATV's arrived. The gates where the trail entered his property were locked each spring. The ATV'ers started cutting the locks. He would be out walking the trail expecting to have a nice easy walk only to find deep ruts from ATV's playing in mud. He had to jump out of the way of ATV's racing across his property and pull his kids out of the way more than once. The guys on the ATV's were giving him crap for being in their way on the trail. He told them they were trespassing and they insisted they weren't since it was the trail. They couldn't understand it was his private property. They even complained that some jackass kept putting locks on the gates so they now travelled with bolt cutters. They just didn't get it. He ended up reporting it to the police and shutting down the trail replacing the gates with fence and rock.

The few ruined it for the many. Now there are also many responsible ATV riders out there as well that respect private property and behave responsibley. There are also jerks on sleds that ruin it for everyone else. All it takes is for a landowner to get annoyed by someone sledder or ATV'er who assumes it is their god given right to do whatever they want wherever they want just as long as they are having fun with no consideration for others.

totally agree...its not what is being ridden but the idiot who is riding it.....Diceman