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We believe reckless ORV riding is causing a growing problem of lawlessness across America, including ruining public lands, trespassing on private property, and vandalism. People are getting fed up. Read what newspaper editorial boards across America are saying.
"Not only was the recent crackdown by Shenandoah police on all-terrain vehicle riders who thumb their noses at the law a welcome action, it was also long overdue...For too long, arrogant ATV'ers — many who seem to think they have some sort of divine right to go wherever they please — have simply ignored the law. They not only go on streets, but also on private property without permission from owners. And there have been more than a few instances where ATV drivers curse or make threatening gestures to property owners who have the audacity to tell them not to go on their land. The crackdown is something for which ATV riders only have themselves to blame." The Republican Herald Editorial Board, "Illegal ATV'ers ruin sport for all," The Republican Herald (3/14/09) "But it's been our observation that ATV riders who disregard rules governing where they are allowed to go are more likely to also disregard rules of courtesy and outdoor etiquette — and in ATVers' cases it's pretty obvious who did the disregarding. That creates a very directed backlash that affects all riders, responsible or not." -- Great Falls Tribune Editorial Board, "Time for the annual reminder: Be a responsible ATV rider", Great Falls Tribune (10/9/09) "On May 11, 2007, a state water conservation officer confronted an ATV driver and his passenger, beers in hand, in Hickory Run State Park, where ATV riding is illegal. When the WCO stood in front of the yellow off-road vehicle and put in a call to park rangers, instead of complying with the officer, the ATV driver gunned his engine and took off. He drove straight into the officer, entangling his clothing and dragging him nearly a quarter of a mile from the access road to Drakes Creek Road. When the officer finally got loose and fell off, the ATV sped off...Flouting the rules is far from rare among some ATV users. These scofflaws all too often display a disdain for others, pushing the boundaries of approved trails, trespassing on public lands and private property and creating noise and erosion nuisances. Not all ATV drivers do these things, of course, but enough do to give respectful ATV-ers an undeserved bad reputation." -- Pocono Record Editorial Board, "Bring outlaw ATV driver to justice," Pocono Record (9/16/08)
"Unfortunately, it's usually the minority that makes rules and regulations necessary for the majority, and this would be a case of that. Peer pressure just won't do it. As we've seen in the past, it doesn't take too many irresponsible off-road vehicle users to do serious damage to the forest. Because of that, a fee should be in place to provide for enforcement of the trail rules. And when damage does occur as a result of irresponsible riders, the fee should cover repairs." -- Rapid City Journal Editorial Board, "Off-road fee has merit," Rapid City Journal (10/22/08) "The explosion in use of off-road vehicles, both two-wheeled and four-wheeled, in recent years has led to great damage to landscapes that can no longer be considered natural. Vehicles have been driven off existing roads and trails to the point that some areas are now webbed with what often begin as single-track ruts and later become double-track lanes on which nothing grows and which erosion further damages." -- Lewiston Morning Tribune Editorial, "Forest travel plans a response to real damage," Lewiston Morning Tribune (1/31/09) "Just as fees from hunters and anglers go to enforcing laws aimed to prevent abuses within those groups, off-highway vehicle enthusiasts need to recognize that problem and kick in to bolster enforcement and restoration efforts their sport needs." -- Durango Herald Editorial Board, "OHV fees, Reallocation, not increase, makes sense", Durango Herald (1/27/10) "...an all-terrain vehicle operator who flouts the law by going off of authorized roads and trails will make things tougher for other riders in the long run. Such an ATV rider may get away with his destructive scofflaw activities for now, if only because authorities can't come even close to patrolling all of the millions of acres of public land and thousands of miles of roads and trails in Montana...But over the long haul, instances such as those cited in last Thursday's Outdoors section of the Tribune are likely to create a backlash among folks who might otherwise not care if an ATV rider wants to enjoy public lands with them." -- Great Falls Tribune Editorial Board, "ATV riders: Don't be the bad apples who spoil it for all," Great Falls Tribune (10/7/08)
"The thrill of playing in the mud is apparently hard for some people to resist. Nothing else can explain the frequency with which riders of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) stray off designated trails to churn pristine wetlands into ugly rutted mudholes...But stiffer fines and penalties, including the confiscation of the machines of purposeful offenders, would likely be a more effective deterrent to riders tempted to play in the mud." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune Editorial Board, "Stiffer fines in order for ATV renegades," Minneapolis Star Tribune (9/17/08) "As is often the case, a small population of off-road riders have generated enough complaints and concerns to warrant action - both from the forest service and local enthusiasts. The forest service efforts in trail management and the private efforts to manage the growing off-road vehicle industry are positive moves that will result in more enjoyment for riders and a better managed national forest." -- Rapid City Journal Editorial, "Off-road efforts good for all users", Rapid City Journal (10/21/09) "Granted, illegal ATV trails are a problem. One estimate is that there are 2,500 miles of illegal trails on state forest land. But how does the DCNR plan address this? By encouraging more use of ATVs on public property? And with even more ATVs on the state-owned trails, how does this protect the environment. This plan, it seems to us, encourages more mischief, not less." -- Lancaster New Era Editorial Board, "State's ATV plan courts disaster," Lancaster New Era (1/2/08)
"Off-roaders have long resisted attempts to regulate the Rubicon. Rafters and hikers reacted the same way when permits were required for the Grand Canyon and other wilderness areas. But let's face it, folks, this is California, with 37 million people. If we want to leave our landmarks for future generations, we have to manage them for the benefit of all." -- The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board, "No more delays on rules for the Rubicon," The Sacramento Bee (2/9/09)
"The U.S. Forest Service has begun imposing travel restrictions on off-road vehicles, and it's about time. Rules requiring off-road vehicles to remain on designated roads and trails were proposed back in 2004 and took effect in 2005, but they haven't been universally enforced. That's in part because it's hard for forest officials in good conscience to ticket some of these off-roaders. Even though they're on trails that are unmarked, and thus illegal, it's often hard to tell because the paths are so well-traveled. Still, damage to public and private lands has gotten worse as a result, while forest officials have moved at a snail's pace to shut down so-called "ghost roads."...In the White River National Forest in Colorado, about 1,000 miles of illegal roads crisscross the terrain...Former Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth says that if even 1 percent or 2 percent of ATV users go off route, "the cumulative impact is tremendous."... But even without the maps, off-roaders should be put on notice." -- Denver Post Editorial Board, "Off-Road Riders Are On Notice," Denver Post (09/01/07) "Racing through the woods on these machines destroys vegetation and habitat and tears up trail beds. Under this measure, violators will be easier to identify due to the requirement that these vehicles be both registered and numbered." -- Press of Atlantic City Editorial Board, "Regulating ATVs / Better than nothing", Press of Atlantic City (1/19/10) "Jefferson County Sheriff Roger Mulch has seen enough. The sheriff said late last week he is troubled by a rising number of all-terrain vehicle accidents within the county and will step up his department's effort to deter them...And people have been hurt, especially this summer in Jefferson County. Those who are not operating the ATVs as part of farm tasks are not allowed to operate them on county roads. And the sheriff has placed them on notice." -- Mt. Vernon Register-News Editorial Board, "Targeting illegal ATV use in Jefferson County," Mt. Vernon Register-News (8/11/08)
"All-terrain vehicles look like great fun for recreation, and the agile four-wheel-drive buggies are great tools for farmers and ranchers. But too often, we hear about careless accidents involving ATVs..ATVs are a motor vehicle, and as we've seen in the news lately, ATVs can injure riders. Respecting the machine for what it can do is the first step to avoiding injuries. The second is have the foresight to protect one's self just in case the ATV gets away from the rider." -- Journal Courier Editorial Board, "Quick Take: ATVs aren't as safe as everyone thinks," Journal and Courier (6/7/08)
"The popularity of quads has resulted in a seven-fold explosion of use in the past decade. The Tonto now has more ORV users than any other forest in the country. Forest officials had no choice but to try to contain the carnage, and every responsible user must support that effort." -- Editorial, Payson Roundup (10/27/09) "If Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo wants to promote Kentucky as a destination for adventure tourism, he should make clear that ATVs don't belong in wildlife areas, nature preserves or parks...Irresponsible off-roaders tear through woods and streams, with no regard to property lines or trail markings, leaving giant mud holes, invasive species and wrecked streams in their paths. The public's interest is in enforcing the law to protect public and private property, not inviting more destruction." -- Lexington Herald-Leader Editorial Board, "Keep ATVs in their place," Lexington Herald-Leader (8/22/08)
"After the levee failures in Hurricane Katrina, every metro area resident ought to understand the importance of caring for and maintaining flood protection levees...Unfortunately, the illegal dumping is not the only example of individual residents neglecting levees after Katrina. Since that storm, officials and residents in parts of Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes have complained about people riding all-terrain vehicles on levees. The off-road vehicles can cut deep ruts into earthen levees and eventually cause problems that could lead to serious flood risks. The riders of those vehicles -- just like those residents now dumping debris and trash on the levees -- did not stop to think how their actions could hurt them and others protected by the levees. Officials and other residents protected by those levees should not tolerate such selfish attitudes." -- Times-Picayune Editorial Board, "Not just the government's job," Times-Picayune (9/11/08)
"ATV riders sometimes adopt a Second Amendment mentality - they have a God-given right to ride where they please and the public be damned. That doesn't endear them to the populace. Homeowners are anguished at convoys of four-wheelers roaring past their residences, tearing up their driveways, eroding their ditches and putting the fear of God in motorists who can't see them approaching...Policing riders is of concern locally, as to who will pick up the costs. Only one deputy patrols trails, checking for licenses, helmets, alcohol use and other violations." -- Park Rapids Enterprise Editorial Board, "Legislating change for ATV riders will challenge us all," Park Rapids Enterprise (10/8/08)
"Sometimes pandering is a poor political tool, although that's never stopped politicians from using it regularly. So it is with a piece of legislation this state's two U.S. senators, Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr, sponsored to kill an agreement reached this spring in U.S. District Court. The pact, signed by local officials, business interests and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, put an end to the National Park Service's longtime failure to forge an off-road vehicle management plan...That raised howls from coastal business owners, who saw financial doom racing toward them...Shortly after Dole proclaimed the suffering, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau released its statistics. It turns out things are pretty peachy. Receipts for the first six months of the year are up 4 percent, despite a sagging national economy and a persistent wildfire that has frequently blanketed the Outer Banks in smoke...Life is going back to normal. Except for Dole and Burr, who just got caught in shameless, pointless pandering." -- Fayetteville Observer Editorial, "False alarm: Dole, Burr rush to remedy a problem that doesn't appear to exist," Fayetteville Observer (8/11/08)
"Pennsylvania has the dubious distinction of recording the most fatalities relating to the use of motorized all-terrain vehicles of any state in the nation...We're not saying you shouldn't have fun on these enticing vehicles. But that fun should not come with ignorance of their safe use." -- Intelligencer Journal Editorial Board, "A dubious ranking," Intelligencer Journal (2/27/08)
"ATVs have an abysmal record in Ohio's public forests. Although permits are required and rules say riders must stay on trails, observe safety rules and avoid damage to the land, riders routinely go off-trail, ripping up hillsides and hastening erosion. They blast through creeks, fouling the water. Loud ATV engines scare off wildlife and disturb hikers and birders. ATV riders also have a history of ignoring private-property signs and riding onto adjoining private forests, continuing the damage there...Many riders are law-abiding, but the bad actors have done harm that might be irreparable." -- The Columbus Dispatch Editorial Board, "Watch the woods," The Columbus Dispatch (4/3/09)
"The law is designed to provide legal recourse for property owners who are tired of having their land ravaged by ATV enthusiasts. The landowners also complain about the noise created by the vehicles property owners should not be forced to allow their land to be used with no restrictions for the recreation of ATV riders. People have a right to use their property as they see fit, and that includes keeping ATVs at bay. -- The Herald Editorial Board, "ATV rules needed," The Herald (9/12/08)
"A few years ago, the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation commissioned Utah State University to survey riders. The poll found that almost half of ATV riders prefer to ride off established trails...The survey also suggested that the fear of getting caught and ticketed was a far bigger concern for riders than preserving the environment...ORV enthusiasts have to take the lead on this. They have to admit that it isn't just a "few bad apples," but a significant portion of riders who go off trails and damage wilderness areas. We urge all riders to give this all more thought, and take more care to stay on the trails and preserve Utah's superb landscape." -- Daily Herald Editorial Board, "ORV riders must take lead," Daily Herald (10/9/08)
"The U.S. Forest Service has developed a trail proposal in the Black Hills National Forest to reduce unrestricted off-roading. A lot of people who enjoy off-roading won't like it. It's exactly what needs to be done...But we believe a big change is just what is needed. The number of off-roading participants and the damage done have grown substantially. And there's no real reason to do the damage in the first place. The whole purpose of a national forest is to set aside land to keep it from being developed and to preserve it in it's natural condition. With so much of the rest of the U.S. being developed, preserving national forests becomes even more important. We endorse the idea of creating off-road trails in the Black Hills National Forest and prohibited random off-roading throughout the rest of the forest." -- Editorial, "Off-road plan for Black Hills is just what is needed now," Madison Daily Leader (9/12/07)
"George Washington and Jefferson National Forests officials are right to crack down on free-wheeling scofflaws who illegally ride on federal land, particularly when the Forest Service has taken steps to accommodate all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles with designated trails." -- Editorial Board, "A Welcome Crackdown on ATVs in the Forests," Roanoke Times (1/14/07)
"Parts of the Amon Creek Natural Preserve might look enticing to an ATV driver, but the area isn't meant to be torn up by motorized vehicles...With the help of neighbors and the Richland police, we hope the day will soon come when everyone treats the Amon preserve like the treasure it's become." -- Tri-City Herald Editorial Board, "Off-road vehicles have no place at Amon Creek," Tri-City Herald (8/15/08)
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