NY, NJ, PA, VT, NH & ME area

[GRAZOR]

Sure would be nice to hear what riding is like in these states. I know here in NY it is very hard to even find a place while PA has some areas it is allowed and also some pay as you go parks.
Never heard much from any NJ, VT, NH Conn, Mass or ME riders.

Here where I am they do a couple of planned rides that get a bit costly but are for charity. Land owners allow access for these rides and these rides only. Seems like everyone is fearfull of law suits and NY has vast state forest preserves all over the place and all off limits to ATVs.

It has often been said that 95% of our states population only ever get to see about 3% of the land our tax dollars bought and protect. Between the Catskill Park and the Adirondak Park there is millions of acres but you need to be in tip top physical condition to hike in to any of it. WTF!

I have never seen or heard of such rediculous restrictions as we have here and the ATV industry does absolutely nothing to promote opening some of these lands.

NY requires every ATV/SxS to be registered and insured yet there is no place in this state where you can legally ride your machine except on public lakes when the ice is safe. It is almost as if all wheeled off road vehicles have some sort of Pox associated with them.

[caglezxj]

Originally Posted by GRAZOR

It is almost as if all wheeled off road vehicles have some sort of Pox associated with them.

Have you and others contacted the states congressman/mayor on this. Lately we have been getting grants to open off road parks. Actually did you know your taxes go towards parks and recreation and there is money set aside for this. If it is not asked for then they spend it on other things. Check it out.

[GRAZOR]

Originally Posted by caglezxj

Have you and others contacted the states congressman/mayor on this. Lately we have been getting grants to open off road parks. Actually did you know your taxes go towards parks and recreation and there is money set aside for this. If it is not asked for then they spend it on other things. Check it out.

This state spends any and all monies placed aside keeping our elected officials in the lap of luxury and trying to get our Transplanted Senator from Arkansas elected to the white house AGAIN!

Most folks here bail as soon as they hit retirement because they spent their lives electing officials who make this state impossible to stay in once you are on a fixed income. 65% of all NY state pension checks are mailed to other states! You won't see or get much change up here no matter who you talk to. It's a nice place to visit, I guess, but not a great place to live.

[caglezxj]

You are welcome to come to Alabama, but we have our own problems as well.

[lawn4fun]

I am from Upstate N.Y. on the Canadian border and have been riding atv's for the last 7 years. Most of
my riding has been in Canada because of no place to ride here. We have had meeting with the DEC and other
Government agencies to noavail. I sold my atv's and bought an 08 Polaris XP. At least I can ride with a
slow moving sign on the back and get some riding on the road ( not what I want to do because I rather ride
trails)

[GRAZOR]

What I have found in NY is you have to belong to one of the local clubs and ride with them.

I am not saying just to get with a bunch of guys who ride and go but rather to get into a club that rides where they have the permission to do so.

I wouldn't stop anyone from riding around where I live but if they get busted it gets expensive quick!
The clubs would probably have allowable trails to ride on where you won't have problems.

gary

[Polarisfan1]

[color=blue]Hello all .....i am from upstae ny .... ( finger lakes region ) and also looking for places to ride . I have owned snowmobiles & always had placed we can ride those. But when it comes to 4 wheelers , we don't have alot of places to go . Would love to get a club going around here & see if we can change that. Will be working on that this summer . Why is it snowmobilers get to ride in more places ...? color]

[GRAZOR]

Welcome Polarisfan1, Where in the finger lakes are you. I lived near Mt. Morris for a few years back in the mid '90s.

As for your question, "Why can snowmobiles go and ATVs can't". The state will tell you that snowmobiles cause no damage because they ride above the frozen ground and their tracks melt!

That argument we can't win! There still is no good reason why some state owned lands can't be open to ATVs except that the officials we continually elect refuse to hear our cries and are for the most part dead set against them.

The major expense for the hunting club I belong to is the insurance policy that protects the land owners. We are fully covered for now but the very first time someone gets hurt and sues either the club or a land owner then we too will be looking for a new place to ride. The insurance company has made it very clear they will not renew our policy if we have a claim resulting from an ATV accident.

I guess we all should look at this from a rather simple perspective. If I'm out riding on my ATV and hurt myself, who is at fault or to ask it differently, why should a land owner or his insurance company get sued because I did something that caused my injury?

A near by club just lost their insurance because a member flipped his machine going up too steep of a side hill. He broke his collar bone and wrist and tried to sue saying the trail should have been in better shape or marked as "Difficult" so that less proficient riders would not attempt it.

Another similar incident happened at a Jeep Ralley when a winch cable broke and the cable hit a bystander and left a nasty scar on her leg.

This entire mentality of sueing anyone and everyone is what causes these problems and I would be in complete agreement to a law that says "Any person who operates any off road vehicle does so at their own risk and has no right to sue"! Additionally, this should extend to any persons who are bystanders at such events or passengers in any off road vehicles.

At some point we all have to accept the responsibility for the things we do and our enjoyment should not be a get rich quick deal that 16 lawyers go to the bank with.

Gary

[ELK_HUN10]

Shucks. And I thought it was bad here. We have thousands of miles of trails and no time to ride all of them!

[mgreen50]

Come to West Virginia, we have tons of areas to ride. The Hatfield and McCoy’s trails system is well known and established and there miles to ride otherwise.