I know most of you know...but just to drive this point home. I was reading an Arizona ATV site, and this thread caught my eye.
The more people realize....Moronic behavior will doom our sport/activity...the better.
We were up near Potato Lake this weekend for Restless's GPS poker run.In the afternoon after the run we all were sitting around camp when a Coconino Ranger pulled in. He got out and walked up to us and asked " is this the RA group". We weren't sure how to answer since we thought he was going to bust us for no permit. We did say yes and he said he wanted to thank us for our efforts as a group (RA) to ride responsibly and follow the rules of the forest service. He went on to admit that the forest service was a little deficient in their signing of the roads. I got the impression that it was from lack of funding, however, in the next 2 years the forest service (all over the country) was going to start shutting down the forest due to ohv abuse. He said it was mandated from Washington, and they have no choice. He said this was the result of the 5% of people who are idiots (my word) not the 95% who ride responsibly.
He went on to mention that the RA forum and others were being monitored. That's how he knew we were up there riding this weekend.
Folks, this is a wake up call. we are losing our rights to ride as a direct result of a small % of morons. He said some of those morons were RA members and that law enforcement was monitoring them.
He also talked about enforcing the street legal requirement. They are actively enforcing that in the Coconino. He said he wasn't concerned about mirror or horns, but he was looking for the MC plate. So, if you want to ride up in the coconino, be legal, and stay on the posted trails.
This ranger (i didn't catch his name) was very polite and generally positive about RA members, but the message was very clear. We are
going to be losing our riding areas due to the morons out there.
If he reads this post, I would encourage him to contribute actively to this forum to help us do better. I am sure others on this forum would like to hear more directly from the forest service. The forest should not have to be shut down. Together, in partnership with the forest service maybe we can stop this trend of being shut out of the forest.
Any of the riders up there this weekend that listened to the ranger please chime in and correct me if I misrepresented what he had to say.
Just remember, the OHV community is being watched closely. More closely than I realised.
The more people realize....Moronic behavior will doom our sport/activity...the better.
We were up near Potato Lake this weekend for Restless's GPS poker run.In the afternoon after the run we all were sitting around camp when a Coconino Ranger pulled in. He got out and walked up to us and asked " is this the RA group". We weren't sure how to answer since we thought he was going to bust us for no permit. We did say yes and he said he wanted to thank us for our efforts as a group (RA) to ride responsibly and follow the rules of the forest service. He went on to admit that the forest service was a little deficient in their signing of the roads. I got the impression that it was from lack of funding, however, in the next 2 years the forest service (all over the country) was going to start shutting down the forest due to ohv abuse. He said it was mandated from Washington, and they have no choice. He said this was the result of the 5% of people who are idiots (my word) not the 95% who ride responsibly.
He went on to mention that the RA forum and others were being monitored. That's how he knew we were up there riding this weekend.
Folks, this is a wake up call. we are losing our rights to ride as a direct result of a small % of morons. He said some of those morons were RA members and that law enforcement was monitoring them.
He also talked about enforcing the street legal requirement. They are actively enforcing that in the Coconino. He said he wasn't concerned about mirror or horns, but he was looking for the MC plate. So, if you want to ride up in the coconino, be legal, and stay on the posted trails.
This ranger (i didn't catch his name) was very polite and generally positive about RA members, but the message was very clear. We are
going to be losing our riding areas due to the morons out there.
If he reads this post, I would encourage him to contribute actively to this forum to help us do better. I am sure others on this forum would like to hear more directly from the forest service. The forest should not have to be shut down. Together, in partnership with the forest service maybe we can stop this trend of being shut out of the forest.
Any of the riders up there this weekend that listened to the ranger please chime in and correct me if I misrepresented what he had to say.
Just remember, the OHV community is being watched closely. More closely than I realised.