times 2

 

Easy there. I'm not condoning or justifying any sort of illegal activity. I'm just reacting to the post before mine. And if I recall right, AxleIke, you were the first one to mention the Moab closures, but thats besides the point. I'm just saying that shutting down more trails doesn't necessarily solve anything, since people who want to go 4x4 will have to go to other places, and the increased traffic on those trails will cause them to wear faster, and a hand full of people (who may or may not have otherwise done so) will continue to wheel on closed trails, or go and make their own. Thats a fact, people do that. I'm not condoning this at all if that's what you're getting at, and I'm not trying to justify this sort of behavior. If we work with tread lightly! our trails will stay open, and useable, so we can all enjoy access to our public lands. There is a handfull of people who will not chose to abide by these rules, and ruin it for the rest of us. I shouldn't have to explain everything I write, unless it's confusing, then I will. Don't trash my view there AxleIke. This thread is about what to do if there are pictures posted of Illegal activities. We can all work together to keep our trails open, so why flame me? Why don't you lay down some sort of constructive ideas on how to deal with pictures of illegal wheeling for all of us to consider?

 

I didn't ask for an explanation. Nor did i need one. You began bloviating and I took objection to it.

I already offered suggestions. The staff has a good idea of how to proceed.

Shutting down trails doesn't solve anything? Sure it does. It closes an area that was once open to OHV use. I don't know how they close things out in CA, but here it is done with cable, gate, cement, and deadfall. For us 4wheelers it sucks, but as posted in other threads, only a few of us care. And a great many hikers, bikers, equestrians, etc, are very happy.

The ONLY view that is acceptable to me is legal, on trail wheeling. ANY other alternatives are bull, so I will trash them. It sounds like you are on board with that. And now i don't have any more issue.

Call me a dick. I am, when it comes to this. This isn't my life, but it is a big part of it. I take trail closure extremely seriously.

Oh, and people who close trails are not stupid, they are quite smart. Why do you think they are so good at it?

 

You're not a dick because you stated your opinion. I'm not trying to cause any problems, I'm just stating mine, you didn't ask for an explanation, but you got one, mostly because I wasn't online to defend my statements of my previous post, and three people went to write it off as stupid. I'm not angry about any of this, I'm actually glad that there are people paying attention to this thread. So what do you propose we should do to solve the issues of what to do with the illegal pictures?

 

I think the proposal for illegal pictures has sorted itself out as far as I can tell. POST AN EXPLANATION. If you don't, the pic will likely get yanked. Even more importantly, get involved in Blue Ribbon Coalition or Stay The Trail or any other OHV advocate. They have been fighting for our rights for years... and they do it well!

 

My personal feelings on yanking pics are to yank any and all that even hint of legal issues.

However, I understand the issues people would have with that, and can think of any number of headaches it could cause.

I think the staff has come up with a reasonable way of doing things, and it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

 

Thats a great idea, when can we start?

 

*TRain Whistle*

End of the line, everybody off!

 

While the article is written about ATV's, we're all Off Highway Vehicles according to the USFS.

http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_6727627#28648

 

It sounds like everyone who's read the thread and has something to say has said it. How 'bout a shout from the mods to hear their position on this before it winds up (or ends in bloodshed)? It's been a couple of days since one of you weighed in. Thanks

 

Okay, I was away from the internet for a while, in the wilds of British Columbia, but I do tend to agree that this thread has run it's course.

Here's the current thinking:

We are going to rely heavily on the membership to report posts/threads/photos that they feel are illegal or portray wheeling/wheelers in a bad light. That might include obvious resource damage, wheeling in a known closed area, tearing down signs, obvious disregard for Tread Lightly, etc.

The hope is that by using the "Report Post" buttons, it will keep the staff from having to make too many unilateral decisions as well as allowing the membership to be somewhat self-regulating. Ultimately, the decisions to delete or not, rests on the shoulders of the staff. However, we can't spot everything on our passes through the forum and you might have knowledge of an area that we don't, so you might catch something we couldn't.

So, moving forward, please start using the "!" "Report Post" button to report illegal activity and questionable practices. We can see who reports what and may contact you for more information, if necessary, but we will not reveal that you were the one reporting something, outside of the staff.

Not everything that gets reported will get deleted and some things that don't get reported might get deleted, at the discretion of the staff. But, if multiple people report something, you had better believe it will get prompt attention. Don't leave it to someone else and don't assume that someone else will report it or has reported it. Just press the button to do your part for Tread Lightly and to help keep this forum as a positive influence.

Remember, we can see who is reporting what, so don't abuse the system. We have a couple of tools who seem to dislike each other and are reporting each others posts just out of spite. The staff does not find that humorous...

 

Duly noted Rob, - I think we have a group consensus now...

 

I didn't read the entire thread, but the "reporting" thing is a dangerous road to travel.

Land use in different areas of the country vary significantly, as to opinions on how that land should be used.

I feel very strongly about land use, as do others, to a similar level as religion and politics.

Tread lightly is a good policy to promote, but I think that is where the line should be drawn here. I belive this topic should be removed from the board, too many varying opinions and Laws are going to get thrown around and this will get messy. Promote "Tread Lightly" but encourage members and groups to visit their respective state websites to see what the local rules are.

Do a search for "Jarbidge shovel brigade" and you will see why land issues can get ugly. One of the few cases where the Federal Government backed down and the local residents got their road. I won't take a side here, but just point out the potential hornet's nest.

 

Its already been decided. Those issues have already been pointed out.

 

Going back more towards the beginning: my problem with this is that it is a very slippery slope - IE: What constitutes 'mudding?' I haven't seen a formal definition. For example, yesterday I was out on a BLM dirt road, and the recent snow melt had made it quite muddy in some places. To get to where I was going and back involved driving through some deep soupy mud. By doing this I'm sure it wasn't pure TL action since my tires were spinning and kicking up mud everywhere (stock tires was the reason for the spinning), but I don't consider it 'mudding' either. My truck ended up covered in mud and dust just because of the nature of the road I was on. I didn't go out there with the intent to go mudding, I went to go shooting and happened to get dirty on the way. So, what one may deem 'mudding' another may not. So where is the line drawn?

BTW I'm not a huge fan of mud just because of the work involved in the cleanup process.
And, just for the record, I'm a supporter of TL/LNT - I just don't want so much policing happening that I cant even drive out to the scrub to go shooting and drive on dirt roads.

 

so im in boise id and all there is here is dirt badger holes and sagebrush that has so many trails going through the desert you couldnt hit every one in a square mile within a day soooo i think im good i aggree that the 42's diggin in two wheel is bull

 

to be honest the occasional truck rooting up a field isnt all bad for the land becuase it aireates the soil, turns it over and opens it up to new growth. i know i tore the heck out of the field infront of my house on my atv then stoped riding and it got its first crop of grass soon there after prior to that it was a sand pit with a couple dog fennels and various other weeds now its coverd in shin tall grass

 

I say we leave the politics to the politician's !!!

 

agreed !!!!