Dirt Bikes and ATVs, Forced to be Unreasonable.

This article is in response to "Dirt Bikes Have Been Invading Your Backyard This Summer." I feel that the article was completely one sided and I want people to hear the other side of this argument. The title Forced to be Unreasonable is quoted from George Bernard Shaw: "Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world, unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people." This time I would like to attempt adapting the world to myself.

My goal in writing this article is not to force my views and opinions but rather to get people who do not ride to understand those of us that do. Once viewed, let the reader form there own opinions. The previous article that portrayed riders of ATV as delinquents but we are really the same as everyone else. I don’t believe you can pick us out of a crowd. We have a hobby that others may not understand. If I can reach the people reading this article to possibly understand, respect and accept our difference, I will have succeeded in what I am trying to accomplish.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I have lived in Sussex County since I was about four years old. I work full time (plus) and don’t have much in the way of free time. When I do have some free time, I enjoy my hobbies, one of them is dirt bike riding. I have enjoyed this since I was about fifteen. I am a law abiding citizen. I have been brought up to respect authority, to be courteous and to be responsible. I am not the perfect either. I believe that I have been best described as, "A fairly well adjusted and educated red neck."

Now to the main issue, Dirt bikes and ATVs. I have heard many of the accusations and generalization brought against dirt bike riders, and will try to make my best case against the most common ones.

Complaint: Noise

I will begin by admitting that some ATVs are excessively loud. Some two-stroke machines that are built for high performance are the loudest and most irritating. The only solution I can offer is to keep these machines far enough away so they are do not disturb residents (See Complaint: Trespassing). But this is not the case for all machines. There are other two stroke machines that are "enduro oriented" which are significantly quieter then their high performance counterparts. Then there are many varieties of four stroke machines that are no louder then a lawn mower and even at full throttle are quieter then a line trimmer or leaf blower. As far as the noise issue goes, consumer awareness and education is the key. I am confident that any type of machine can be fitted with muffler (silencer). This would help reduce noise emissions to acceptable levels. Of course, the user has to be willing to accept the losses in power that come with a quieter exhaust.

Complaint: Insurance and Registration

I have had multiple ATVs through my years of riding and I have never had a problem getting insurance for any of my vehicles. I have used the same insurance company for many years and they have covered my street legal bikes, my dirt bike and my ATVs without a problem. As for registration, I have found that the problem is with the DMV, it does not consistently handle ATV registration. I have seen people with regular street motorcycle plates on there machines, I have seen people with boat stickers on there machines and I have heard people say that they were told you cannot register ATV in NJ. Personally, since there is nothing to gain from registering an ATV (it does not give you a place to ride), I cannot justify the cost or the bother. On the other hand, if registering my ATV would allow me to ride someplace (See Complaint: Trespassing), I would register my ATV in a heartbeat.

Complaint: ATVs Destruction

Some people view a trail with loose dirt and no growing vegetation as destroyed. I will not dispute that ATVs do trample down growth on trails and bank dirt to the outside of turns. I do dispute the environmental damage that it supposedly causes. I am a nature lover and I have vacationed in the Rocky Mountains several times. I have seen what many people consider natural disasters (i.e., forest fires). The land is barren and blackened, quite the tragedy. The land has devastated and will remain this way for several years. But eventually the forests will revive and they become beautiful, vibrant, thriving young forests. There are some areas that are fragile and sensitive. For example, the high altitude tundra where the grasses only grow several inches annually. Areas like this must be protected. With my experience in riding, constructing and maintaining trails, I can say, without a doubt, that when a trail is not used for several summers, it will get overgrown and rough, as it was before the trail was there. No trail is destroyed beyond repair. Though this is my opinion, many people also believe this.

About Old Coal Trail, if the Mr. Gittleson is referring to the segment just south of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline (in the previous article), I would like to say that this section of trail was built on a wash, and whenever there is ample rain, that part of the trail becomes a stream, which will erode any trail unless it is made of cement or asphalt. I do understand that New Jersey is a small and heavily populated state, and if people use these public lands as they do now, to hike, hunt, camp and mountain bike, you cannot expect our forests to remain pristine. If people are leaving garbage behind, I completely and whole-heartedly agree that there is no excuse for it. I have hiked, camped, mountain and dirt biked in the woods for a long time. Seeing soda cans, beer cans and/or other garbage angers me beyond description. Anyone who goes into the woods should follow this simple rule "Carry in, Carry out."

Complaint: Riding on public roads

I do agree with some of Mr. Gittleson’s comments here. There is no reason for anyone to race through a residential neighborhood at excessive speed. I also believe that anyone riding dirt bikes or ATVs should wear proper riding gear. Since we live in a country environment (I have bears passing through my yard several times a week), I see no reason to implement a rule like, "ATVs can be driven on secondary roadways by a correctly equipped and trained individual as long at the vehicle is proceeding slowly and safely." This is based on the root of such events. An individual wants to get to a riding location and the only way to get themselves and their ATV there is to ride on the roads. Since this is illegal, the best way to avoid getting caught is to transverse the distance quickly. If necessary, conceal the vehicle once they arrive at their desired destination. If they were allowed to use the road as long as they operated the vehicle at a safe speed, they would.

Complaint: Trespassing

There are legal places for people to ride these vehicles, such as the New Jersey ORV Park located in Chatsworth. The other is a farm in Upstate New York. I live three hours and two hours away respectively each way. Isn’t there any place in northwest New Jersey that can be designated as an area for ORV use? A designated area must be large enough to satisfy the multiple types of riding that people enjoy. Some people like to run around a track as fast as possible, other people like to follow a trail that run for several miles. If there was a adequately size area within a reasonable distance, containing different types of terrain to satisfy most of the riders, I am confident many ATV riders would make the effort to ride in these specified areas. In turn, the number of people riding in restricted and privately owned areas would decrease. Another benefit, a properly selected and used area would reduce residential noise and riding on public roads.

Complaint: Liability/Lawsuits

Riding ATVs can be a dangerous hobby. If there was a designated area, a waver or a release should be signed. This should be a legally binding document stating that they proceed at their own risk and the owners are not responsible for any injury or damages.

I would like to share some of my riding experiences and some of its benefits. In doing so, I hope to give people who have never experienced ATV riding an understanding as to why many find it so enjoyable. This form of recreation allows people to get out and experience nature. I even know of handicapped individuals who benefit from this activity. One can stop to enjoy a view, listen to a flowing stream, or even listen to the silence. Anyone who enjoys the outdoors should appreciate this. One can get away, not only physically but also mentally. Like many other individuals, I encounter issues and problems that are constantly accumulating. Like most, I tend to dwell on these issues and they can become overwhelming. When I climb on my dirt bike and go for a ride, I am forced to focus on my riding. Doing this takes all of my attention. I am forced to put aside those issues and problems, even if for only for a little while. Another benefit is exercise. Depending on the intensity and duration of a ride, it can be the equivalent of multiple hours in gym. I also exercise to keep in shape for riding. Riding is not only a way to exercise but also a motive to keep in shape for riding. Then there is the camaraderie that you experience when you go riding with a group of friends. There are the skills that I learned from riding an ATV that have aided me, such as the ability to quickly assess and act in a situation, the ability steer into a skid to maintain control, and to know my limitation and the limitation of my vehicle. Also the ability to stay focused as when riding carries through to many other tasks where being focused is important. I also believe that these skills have assisted me to drive in congested areas such as Newark, Linden Hackensack. I have tried the street vehicle way. I purchased a road legal machine, passed the tests, received my license. I then came to appreciate just how dangerous motorcycles are when intermixed with vehicular traffic, especially in this congested area. Riding in the dirt, away from vehicular traffic, is much safer.

I believe that there are many people who share my opinions. All I want is a place (reasonable place) to ride my ATV. This is not an endorsement for people to go out and ride their ATVs on the roads, on state land or on someone else’s property. This would put us at odds with law enforcement officers and the judicial system. They are not our opposition, they are only doing their job. It is the legislators that make the laws that stop us from being able to ride our ATVs. To the legislators who are reading this, how about a law that safely enables ATV riders to enjoy their hobby?

As a final note I would greatly appreciate any feedback from anyone that has the same problem or shares the same views as I do. It would be comforting to know that I am not all alone here.  I prefer to be contacted through the local dirt riders club in Yahoo, do a search for "NW Jersey Dirt Riders" at "HTTP:\\clubs.yahoo.com".   I can also be contacted by e-mail me at steven00430@yahoo.com (Please note: the "00430" are all numeric). I will do my best to reply to all responses. If you do not have email please have someone email me in your behalf with your name and instructions how to get in contact with you. I will do my best to reply to all responses.