First Step in to ban ATV's in Florida

[UncleRico]

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060619/NEWS/606190378

[klutchbuster400]

Why ban Atv's from the state that sells the most of them?

[cubnfrank]

Florida is second in atv sales. The state collects sales tax, title fees, registration fees. All this money and then they want to fine you when you want to ride your atv .  Only because they haven't provided enough land to ride legally.  There is only a handful of places in florida to ride legally.  They must expect everyone to drive 3-4 hours to ride there ATV.  I don't get it

[americanhighlander]

Well, they are wasting our tax payer money for bu**s***  banning atvs  in state of florida on this crap..lol

Did you know alot people have atvs in the state of florida and they are 90% of owners that have them
and if they start doing that they are going have major florida worldwide atv protests across each srounding counties will come and help to fight this issue alot harder then you think..If they keep pushing this on banning atvs in state of florida they will be alot of major protest rallies across each county that go by and even in tallahadsee..  

Well,north port riders you better show up your quads
down there and protest very hard down there tonight and don't let them crazy jerks to win and those people like b*tch down there so much you need get a d*m life down there and look at the other places overseas they are getting worse on war of iraq over there don't understand how lucky you live in america and stop b*tching about atv noise and tearing up crap and they are riders do respect the trails out there.You need give people a second chance in life and you need give riders  a chance to let them ride there freedom down there,at least they don't do stupit crap like drinking and driving and trashing the place.. Shout like H*LL and don't give up!!! The Rich A**holes down there need get a D*m life down there about all these crazy make up Bu**S*** news iusses about banning atvs in state of florida..

Well,my best bet right now you need to show up this  meeting right now
you are the onies that you can make a differences in life the way things are changing in
this part of world we live in..

Thanks,
amhighlander 

PS:Keep on Fighting Don't Give Up Your Freedom Rights to Ride by. 

[Southern4x4]

I say we ban party poopers,on the other hand heres a good point for us
 My kids aren't out partying, stealing, drinking and vandalizing.

[MadMudder]

Yea besides the atv manufactures aren't gonna let them ban atv's completly. They really cant and besides they make too much money to do something stuipid. BUT! What they can and already has done is take away places to ride them just because a few irresponsible a holes trashed the place and tore up the trails. Im not gonna go and rant because Am did that for me ^.  And I stand by him and anyone else that will help get our places to ride back 100%.

[americanhighlander]

Yea besides the atv manufactures aren't gonna let them ban atv's completly. They really cant and besides they make too much money to do something stuipid. BUT! What they can and already has done is take away places to ride them just because a few irresponsible a holes trashed the place and tore up the trails. Im not gonna go and rant because Am did that for me ^.  And I stand by him and anyone else that will help get our places to ride back 100%.

I agree with you on that one. [We need get our riding areas back to 100%  ] 

[logger]

North Port passed the ordinance last night - better luck next time. It was 4 to 1.

[VForcedave]

Another one bites the dust. Notice the rider in the picture. 2 up, no helmets, oh well. 

[cubnfrank]

dave, what picture with no helmets

[lswjth2]

Is there anyone here that went yesterday to the meeting? if so how many people went??

[MachineDog]

A buddy of mine has had all five of these. What happens next? lol
"For ATV violators, a written warning is issued on first offense, a $100 fine on the second offense, a $250 fine on the third offense, a $500 fine on the fourth offense and a $1,000 fine or 90 days of jail time on the fifth offense."

Seriously though, taking away riding areas is NOT the answer. This will only produce more people going to a smaller area. Which just isn't safe. All most of us want to do is ride the trail with our buds and family, camp out, eat in the wilderness among the trees and wildlife. But, there's always the retards that have to tear it up and give us a bad name. Also they say mudding can destroy the invironment, I have seen to fact that mud itself can destroy an environment. But, amazingly on a lot we check out sometimes we've seen fish flopping around in moist mud with about 100 little baby fish in a watery part next to them. Those fish still live in this tiny pond about 15 feet wide. We make a point to avoid them when riding, amazing how far you can go to survive. BTW, the pond finally filled back up again with the last few rains.

[Dr.Dirt]

The end of riding quads legally in the state of Florida is very near.

[lswjth2]

How many people showed up to the meeting???

[jetski dawg]

isw ...city hall was filled which holds two hundred... about 20 people was for the ban ordinances ,the rest was riders.. thanks to everyone that showed up to support atvs

[americanhighlander]

Does this mean to all ATV riders at north port area will be going there to ride in there riding areas or not?

I'm glad you ATV riders that showed up for our support for our sport..
next time you in near future if theses things are happening again please go to the Ohv
meetings to show up and sometimes they do protest rallies there.. Well try to show up for those meetings
next time and Who knows we need  fight our riding areas before they  disappear in our lifetimes,
and next time we will never get a another chance to ride thoses riding areas again for the rest of our lives..

Thanks,
American highlander

[UncleRico]

Looks like it's time to invest in some River Ranch property.

That may be the only place left to ride soon.


At least you know the government can't go in there and take back the land.

[tekhanto]

Don't say that too quick it's on the A list of property to get and that was 2 years ago
when we went to Tallahassee to make a show of people for the committee.  They had it
that we wanted to be taken over till we said differently, so still up in limbo to today.

[UncleRico]

Hey Tek:

I heard that due to the fact that there are so many different owners spread throughout the world, (including up to 4 different people on each deed) that it would be highly, highly, unlikely to be able to take over that land (even if it were via eminent domain). 

The theory being that you would have to give each individual due process when attempting to usurp their land. 


I'm not sure if that's true, but it sounds like it would be a costly and time consuming endeavor for the state.

Peace Out,
Uncle Rico

[indianjoe]

Tekhanto is correct it isn't totally safe.

[tekhanto]

The way the commitee acted then and they had taken some property around Miami
if they want it bad enough it will go....it totally isn't they take the land you might still
own it you just can't use it like you'd want  you might have to walk to the area instead of driving a truck or ATV. They have the say on what it can be used for
Just figure where the Govt and/or tree huggers are involved it won't turn out for the best.!!!!

[cubanaso]

4 real they have taken away alot of land via eminent donain down here in the miami area im not 2 sure they wont do it there as well and its like they said if they want it trust me they WILL get it (come on man its the frikin government they will find a way) i just think we r loosing alot of valuably riding land very fast.
u know wat bothers me they took away a place down here we used 2 ride at cuz they "wanted 2 preserve the wetlands" they did this a few years ago and now they sold it 2 some home builders and they are now making homes on the place wich is bu** sh**

[qt314nfla]

I was there.  The meeting was so packed w/ OHV users that they had to create an over flow area.  As one person would get up they'd let another in.  Majority of presenters were riders and most did a very good job of presenting themselves and the issues at hand.

The head commissioner repeatedly referred to us as, "you people."  They complained about people coming there to ride that weren't from NP.  They complained that we were destroying the areas, not just the land and drainage but w/ dumping also.  Reality is the majority of the beer bottle dumpings are from their local kids (15-25) that have nothing to do.  They go out party leave their crap behind so they can go home w/o worry of having the evidence in their cars/trucks.  The big dumping comes from construction companies building there and from residents that dump their crap out there.

We did a clean up ride out there a couple of weeks ago and while the showing was not great the end result was great.  We filled up 3 large dumpsters.  ATV's took out the small stuff.  I filled 5 truck loads of crap which was mainly the construction and residential large trash that couldn't be hauled out w/ a quad.  Freak and I towed a boat that was being used for target practice only to find that it had been towed back to where we found.

There is an evident bias against riders there and any and all support is necessary.  There is strength in numbers, not this time though.  The land that we ride out there is privately owned property and has many owners.  The police have solicited the owners asking them to sign no trespassing affidavids.  They are protecting these absent owners from what we are doing. 

Our main goal is to find a place to ride legally like a park in Southwest Florida.  We go to the state and they tell us they have no land to help w/ the T. Mark Schmidt law.  They tell us to go to the counties and cities.  Then when we go to them they tell us that there is not enough land in a single parcel to work w/ either.  The Northport Offroad Association is working still to find something that will work for everyone.

If you are interested in participating go to the website and ask what you can do to help.  Even if it's just showing up for meetings it's a start.

[Thrumud]

If there is anything I can do to help, PM me.  I am from Ft Myers but Collier County is going through an issue simular to NP.  According to the media and local newspaper, Lee county commissioners are looking for a place for us to ride.  They won't say when or where but at least it's a start. Keep us posted.

Dennis

[qt314nfla]

I'm familiar w/ your battle over the Picayune Squares.  I was at the meeting at the court house and the rally in the parking lot.  I hope to be able to make it down there for the next event y'all have as well.  Vanessa on the North Port Comission is the person keeping us apprised of what's going on.  Get on her e-mail list.