PBC teeing up to opt out!~

[Mudneck]

Hey just to give y'all a heads up. If I understood correctly Wednesday is the day the Commission votes to see if they will have a public hearing on the 27th of Feb.I just spoke with Mitra Malek,Staff Writer for The Palm Beach Post a little while ago. She is doing a story on ATV and public dirt roads should be in the POST Wednesday.Look for it & post it.

It seemslike the PBSO is pushing for the opt out due to complaints. I would like to here PBSO DEP 4 input on this prior to slamming the SO. Of course you know once the wheels are rolling its only a matter of time before they take that away from us as well. It almost feels like the money we spent in Titling & registering our ATV is spent persecuting us!

WHAT ABOUT MECCA?With all the commotion of the Ocala getting redirected & riding areas closed up looks like we will all have to travel out of state soon.

[PBSO_ATV_Deputy_4]

I can confirm, PBSO is receiving a very large number of complaints regarding ATV's and Dirtbike's. Related complaints regarding property damage, trespassing and noise have also drastically increased. Violations in the Natural Areas my unit patrols, especially around Jupiter Farms and The Acreage, has increased. PBSO had a recruiting booth set up at the South Florida Fair.To help promoting safe, responsible riding, we had one of our ATV's on display and handed out OHV and Titling brochures. A unit member usually manned the booth to answer questions. I met alot of good people who enjoy the sport and wanted to know how to ride legally and avoid complaints. Unfortunately, alot of the people who approached us wanted to know how to get us to patrol their neighborhood and criticized the new law. This is the first I've heard about the county exploring the opt out.

[Mudneck]

"we had one of our ATVs on display and handed out OHV and Titling brochures"

Its a real shame that a few seem to ruin it for all. What is really pathetic is that the Palm Beach county employees "S.O." is out there doing there job, handing out info for legally titling ATVs at the fair. In turn raising more money from those who had not yet titled there ATVs leading them to believe that by doing so it is ensuring there will be funds to purchase legal riding areas.When all it does is fatten an account that is most likely siphoned off for some other programs.

[Joedirt]

"we had one of our ATVs on display and handed out OHV and Titling brochures"

Its a real shame that a few seem to ruin it for all. What is really pathetic is that the Palm Beach county employees "S.O." is out there doing there job, handing out info for legally titling ATVs at the fair. In turn raising more money from those who had not yet titled there ATVs leading them to believe that by doing so it is ensuring there will be funds to purchase legal riding areas.When all it does is fatten an account that is most likely siphoned off for some other programs.

My Commissioners told me They do not have to provide us anything......If I bought a Sports car they are not obligated to provide an Autobahn. I still have not gotten a  response about the Registration money...Ignorance and Business as Usual mentality..are the biggest obstacles. Why change it if it does not affect My paycheck either way? Saint Lucie county epitomizes the Peter Principal - "The least Qualified person will be placed in the Job requiring the Most Qualification"....

[SomBch]

What we all have to realize is that in PB county there are many dirt roads . They are not just in the Acreage , Loxahatchee and Jupiter Farms. There are dirt roads (for example) in Westgate, there are also dirt roads in Riviera Beach. So , while all of the offenses may not happen out west , its all lumped together . To be honest , Im shocked that PBcounty didnt opt out in the first place. There are many other counties that opted out that are more rural , have less urban areas and are less populated. It was a matter of time before accidents or careless operation in some or all of PB county was brought before the commission by PBSO.  It was ours to lose and it looks like thats what will happen.

[Thrumud]

"we had one of our ATVs on display and handed out OHV and Titling brochures"

Its a real shame that a few seem to ruin it for all. What is really pathetic is that the Palm Beach county employees "S.O." is out there doing there job, handing out info for legally titling ATVs at the fair. In turn raising more money from those who had not yet titled there ATVs leading them to believe that by doing so it is ensuring there will be funds to purchase legal riding areas.When all it does is fatten an account that is most likely siphoned off for some other programs.

Well said ! I agree with you. 

[tony pitts]

 
  whats real stupid to me is we cant even ride on dirt roads but they allow bicycles to ride down the middle of the road in packs causing traffic problems everyday if a bicycle can ride on the road i dont see why we cant.

[wilburz]

from the palm beach post today:

 Palm Beach County commissioners took the following action Tuesday:

• ATV restrictions: Gave initial approval to opt out of a state bill that allows riders of all-terrain vehicles to drive on unpaved roads during the day in areas where the speed limit is 35 mph or lower. A final vote is scheduled for Feb. 27. Commissioners supported the measure 6-0, with Mary McCarty away from the dais during the vote.

[gery350]

"we had one of our ATVs on display and handed out OHV and Titling brochures"

Its a real shame that a few seem to ruin it for all. What is really pathetic is that the Palm Beach county employees "S.O." is out there doing there job, handing out info for legally titling ATVs at the fair. In turn raising more money from those who had not yet titled there ATVs leading them to believe that by doing so it is ensuring there will be funds to purchase legal riding areas.When all it does is fatten an account that is most likely siphoned off for some other programs.

i couldnt agree with you more. as far as i can see there is no benefit to registering titles besides "feeding the hand that bites you."

[Mudneck]

Palm Beach Commissioners voted 6-0 to start the approval process to opt out. The BASTARDS!!!

[Mudneck]

This is the first I've heard about the county exploring the opt out.

I find that hard to believe,Since the SO was a leading push in the desicion.....

Its over now

[PBSO_ATV_Deputy_4]

Bushwacker,
I'm not sure where your getting your information. Those who complained to us were told to contact the county commission. We just printed up 1000 OHV brochures outlining the new law and were giving them out at the fair. With education and enforcement, we had hoped to avoid this. Unfortunately, Violations were getting out of control in areas such as The Acreage and unincorporated Lake Worth and Boynton Beach. Rider's were driving through people's yards, paved roads, sidewalks, golf courses, equestrian areas, parks, ect.... Rather than blame the county, blame those who caused this to happen. As for the titling it's needed either way to operate on public lands in the state. It's mostly for the easy determination of ownership and helps us in recovering stolen quads and dirtbikes.

[tony pitts]

 what public lands were losing more riding spots every day i own 4 quads and until i see something positive im not giving fl a dime. this whole sticker thing is a joke.just another way for the county to make more money for nothing.

[blupits04]

amen!!!!

[Mudneck]

Bushwacker,
I'm not sure where your getting your information. Those who complained to us were told to contact the county commission.

AS they did on your offices recommendation,I understand your between a ROCK and a HARD place,but is there an effort from the SO to come up with a legal riding area?

Well none the less. I just dropped 10 grand on a Rhino hoping I will at least be able to use it in the state management areas until someone determines its an ATV anyway and it gets banned there as well. At that point my daughters should be old enough to drive and than they will get JEEPS.I will pack up & head for the hills literally.So I got all this ATV STUFF and paid taxes on EVERYTHING and soon I will only be able to travel 4 hours to CROOM to use them.WHATS NEXT?

CROOM a golf course community?

Whatever the reasoning pointing fingers wont help now.My information cant be all that bad since I did know about the hearing when NOONE else did.

[miamigirlrider]

I say you all attend the meeting Feb. 27 and have a huge peaceful protest but first advise your Commissioners of this. For those of you saying they don't owe us anything INCORRECT! If you purchase something legally and paid taxes on it and titling fee which portion of it goes to the OHV for the T.S. Law then they must provide a safe and legal area to practive and use what you purchased. Its lilke saying buy a car or boat but you can't use it unless you buy a piece of ocean or road. BULL.

You want the complaints to stop officer then open up a park so parents can take there kids.
You want the injury stats to go down then open a park up so teens aren't left to run up and down a street where they can get killed.
You want crime states to go down involving thefts of ohv, generators, etc, then open a park up so kids are busy and not out there bored out of there brains causing rukus.
And finally you want the farm complaints to go down OPEN A PARK UP so people that are unresponsible and idiots stay of the crop and ride at the park WHERE YOU CAN ENFORCE SAFE RIDING EASIER.

Its easy to ban the use of something when you are getting rich of the sale of the same item.
If it wasn't for this death we are dealing with I would be out there doing a campaign against this opt out.

[americanhighlander]

I have heard this dude
on radio in gainesville and he doesn't like
global warming and  rush thinks: global warming is bull crap it's all lies
and try get people to joined  environmentists wacko's
and He thinks the environmentists our religion freaks
to brainwash others to joined there program for so many people to get involved with things.
But Rush  limbaugh is always right a lot things what he was saying on the radio talk show last week. 
But this guy tells it how it is even the United States of America..
he's more like a liberal independent type of person..
even Neal Boortz he's pretty good too so we need get theses guys to look
at new ATV law for the state of Florida
then he might get it all over the radio stations throughout the United States
 so a lot people might look into it so e-mail these guys they should help us out
with these things about the issues why ATVs should have the right to ride in this world
even farmers should have the right to ride on dirt roads..
but the law does not say about nighttime rides too..

I seen one my neighbors here when they come riding on the weekends on their
backyard ATV track and a lot of them do these nighttime rides when a slowdown,
but the cops don't usually come out here anymore because it's not worth complaining
it to them, all that time on complaints usually my other neighbors
don't complain very much around here in my neighborhood anymore.

So you people down in Palm Beach County you need get up and start fighting
for your protests and don't let the County betrayed you guys when
they passed at new ATV law during last year, sounds like they used you.     

You guys shouldn't get punished for your actions the other people should be punished
not all ATV riders, sound like child play for a classroom to me like
one person get the blame then the whole entire  class takes the whole blame
for one stupid person for their cause.. see what I'm saying about that.

So, you people down in Palm Beach County you need get the media involved with
this crap and start fighting your protests to make sure  don't going to opt out this law..
you guys shouldn't take blame for it and you guys pay all your taxes I can understand
so do you should make a complain about it if you start now you might get
chance to stop it before happens..

Thanks,
American Highlander 

PS: Let your freedom go don't lose it keep on riding your four wheelers
to the glory on a dirt road in the state of Florida for all adult ATV riders
to let the freedom rise and don't give up God will be your hands he knows who
did right from wrong, I always say, what comes around what goes around
and bite back to them..

Here's radio talk shows.

Rush LimBaugh
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com
Neal Boortz
http://www.boortz.com
You should get bumper stickers for your four wheelers to hang on
on the back of your taillights..

[Anoriginal]

I have heard this dude
on radio in gainesville and he doesn't like
global warming and  rush thinks: global warming is bull crap it's all lies
and try get people to joined  environmentists wacko's
and He thinks the environmentists our religion freaks
to brainwash others to joined there program for so many people to get involved with things.
But Rush  limbaugh is always right a lot things what he was saying on the radio talk show last week. 
But this guy tells it how it is even the United States of America..
he's more like a liberal independent type of person..
even Neal Boortz he's pretty good too so we need get theses guys to look
at new ATV law for the state of Florida
then he might get it all over the radio stations throughout the United States
 so a lot people might look into it so e-mail these guys they should help us out
with these things about the issues why ATVs should have the right to ride in this world
even farmers should have the right to ride on dirt roads..
but the law does not say about nighttime rides too..

I seem one my neighbors here when they come riding on the weekends on their
backyard ATV track and a lot of them do these nighttime rides when a slowdown,
but the cops don't usually come out here anymore because it's not worth complaining
it to them, all that time on complaints usually my other neighbors
don't complain very much around here in my neighborhood anymore.

So you people down in Palm Beach County you need get up and start fighting
for your protests and don't let the County betrayed you guys when
they passed at new ATV law during last year, sounds like they used you.  > 

You guys shouldn't get punished for your actions the other people should be punished
not all ATV riders, sound like child play for a classroom to me like
one person get the blame then the whole entire  class takes the whole blame
for one stupid person for their cause.. see what I'm saying about that.

So, you people down in Palm Beach County you need get the media involved with
this crap and start fighting your protests to make sure  don't going to opt out this law..
you guys shouldn't take blame for it and you guys pay all your taxes I can understand
so do you should make a complain about it if you start now you might get
chance to stop it before happens..

Thanks,
American Highlander 

PS: Let your freedom go don't lose it keep on riding your four wheelers
to the glory on a dirt road in the state of Florida for all adult ATV riders
to let the freedom rise and don't give up God will be your hands he knows who
did right from wrong, I always say, what comes around what goes around
and bite back to them..

Here's radio talk shows.

Rush LimBaugh
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com
Neal Boortz
http://www.boortz.com
You should get bumper stickers for your four wheelers to hang on
on the back of your taillights..

Awesome!!!

[Gato]

this was very well put you guys gotta go to the Feb 27 meeting united and don't get all out of wack 1 well spoken person to simply say I as the people around me are not the ones doing wrong yet we are the ones that are getting punished cause you gotta understand the ones doing it illegally know they are and will continue by BPSOatv saying call your commission they get rid of the responsibility for know once the opt out goes in effect the ones doing it wrong will continue doing it wrong and the PBCPD will have to go and try to catch the perps while they are doing it!                                                       HERE IS THE SMART WAY OF DOING SOMETHING THE COPS SHOULD JUST TRY TO CATCH THEM WHILE THEY ARE DOING IT CAUSE BROTHER ALL THAT IS GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THE LAW GETS KILLED IS SIMPLY THE COPS ARE GONNA HAVE TO HANDLE IT IN THE LONG RUN. BUT LIKE MGR SAYS IT IS EASIER TO PUNISH ALL THEY TRY TO CATCH THE PERPS my.02 I am in Miami and this crap is on Tuesday if not I'd try to help remember UNITED don't get all crazy that is what they want and expect.

[PBSO_ATV_Deputy_4]

I would like to know more about the law regarding the tax collected for the titling. If someone has a link, please send it, as I would like to have a better understanding of it. As I currently understand it, it's a STATE tax, not a county tax. The STATE has provided riding areas where it feasibly can. I don't think the county is obligated to provide riding areas. If thats not the case, the STATE or COUNTY would have to provide snow if someone bought a snowmobile. Operating a motor vehicle on public roads and lands is a PRIVILAGE, not a RIGHT. The county commission and law enforcement has to look at the big picture, not just yours. If you have 100 people complaining about the lack of riding areas, and 1000 people complaining about reckless ATV operation, the math is easy to compute. Just providing riding areas doesn't solve the problem. There are legal riding areas no more than 45 minutes from Loxahatchee and Jupiter Farms. Yet, riders choose to cut fences and trespass on private property and natural areas. Most I've stopped said they don't feel like trailering to a legal area and would rather ride out of their front yard. Owning an ATV is no different than owning a boat or a gun. It has to be transported to a safe, suitable and legal location for use. It's that simple......The county isn't going to provide a canal system to navigate a boat from your front yard and you can't just stand in your front yard and fire a gun in all directions. Those who choose not to accept this only make things more difficult for those trying to do the right thing. As violations continue to rise, more and more counties will opt out and the view of the ATV community in the eyes of the general public and law enforcement will diminish.

[AintSkeered]

PBSO, where's a legal riding area 45 minutes from Jupiter Farms? Holeyland/Everglades WMAs? They're unrideable(underwater/hunting season) 9 months of the year.

[backwoods boy]

there aint no legal riding areas unless you own land dont tear stuff up if your ridin a race bike go to a track to kill yourself n let us other folks have fun w/o breakin 500 decibals n lettin everybody n there grandmother know we are there i live in the ''city'' n i know of enuff wooded ridin areas within 5 minutes of my house to never run out sure cops have stopped me they usually just run there mouths act tuff n   then go get a donut so wat im tryinto say is if your gunna ride especially utes n mud bikes be careful n dont dump crap all over n dont drink n drive etc...and the cops will prolly leave you alone or just run there mouths act like you give a rats tail [keyword act] n listen to wat they say n then keep ridin    

[backwoods boy]

almost as dumb as you not knowin the difference between a race bike and a sport bike i love ridin sport bikes and utes[and i'm 17 love goin fast and i'm not even that fat] i'd prolly even like a race bike but a race bike 450r yfz ltr arent built for cruisen the trails i was out last weekend on a trail in my truck around 10mph and a raptor comes tearin around a corner at atleast 50mphand nearly buries himself in my steel tube bumper then swerves to miss me n comes 2 inches from a tree and oh btw with a helmet on while riding a quiet bike you cant hear a 757 takin off so thats bs

[Gato]

but understand by opting out the county still kills the little riding of unpaved roads for those who still do it right and as for you analogy yes you tow your boat to a public or county run ramp which is still maintained by county workers as for picking up garbage from tanks and charging for parking see boating is a privilege that you get ticketed if you do something wrong they don't just opt out of it and close down the ramps.

[Thrumud]

On a previous post regarding Palm Beach County I had mentioned that riders in Palm Beach need to get their sh!t together.  You guys have to fight NOW or forget it.  Start hitting your county commissioners HARD !  Someone from this site, someone from this county needs to get BIG BALLS to step up to the plate.  Quit the b!tching AND DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOMETHING ! 

We got the pressure on Dade County, We got the SFWMD on their knees in Collier and have a temp spot and a 628 acres perm spot. I am fighting in Lee County and working with Park & Recreation for a 500,000 grant. Trust me guys, it works !

Need my help ----------------------> PM ME !

[sbripple]

so let me get this right.Because some people are speeding,which is against the law.some people are driving on paved roads also against the law.some people are complaining about the noise ,a diferent issue altogether.we may not be allowed to ride legally on dirt roads?If the pbso enforced the laws already existing we dont need to change anything.just catch the law breakers.I am not gonna stop driving up and down my dirt road,but I am prepared to pay whatever fine I get assessed.All I can say is the pbso better apply the enforcement even handedly,and not pick and choose when to enforce the laws.

[Gato]

that is what you guys need to go to this meeting and say like I said in prev. post why is the lawbiding citizen gonna get punished for the people doing wrong those people will coninue and then get caght why not just try to catch them without opting out??

[PBSO_ATV_Deputy_4]

Articcat,
I wish your solution was that simple. PBSO is making an effort to catch violators, but to no avail. Since Oct 1 when the new law went into effect, complaints and violations went off the charts. Many of the violators I've ticketed aren't on this website and have little regard for the law or respect for fellow citizens. Their attitude is, "I bought it and will ride where ever I want, when ever I want because I have rights." The Acreage/Loxahatchee is a major problem area. These riders drive over fences, tear down signs and ride at all times of the night. Most residents have tried lawfully fencing off the canal banks on their property, only to have a violator run it down at 2am and run through their yard. Most flee from deputies when they try to stop them. The general public is fed up and took it up with the county commission. I had one lady tell me she had more respect for drug dealers than ATV riders. She said "Drug dealers stay in their turf and are not racing through my yard waking me up at all times of the night! This is my yard and these thugs violated my personal space!" This is only a sample of the complaints we hear. Others have threaten to shoot at riders or string cables across trails. The other problem is, most ATV riders on this site complain about the lack of riding areas. I can tell you, having riding areas doesn't always solve the problem. It may reduce it some, but most of the violators my unit has stopped said they want to ride out of their front yards and have no desire to load up their ATV and take it anywhere. It wouldn't matter if we opened up the JW Corbett WMA to ATVs or made Mecca Farms into an OHV park. Because of how this area is laid out, any canal bank or vacant field becomes a riding area because it's closer than a sanctioned riding area. Underhills is only about 45minutes from Loxahatchee and even closer for those in Jupiter Farms. This is not a Palm Beach County problem, it's a statewide problem. Some areas are simply not conducive for ATV operation. I wish I had better news. I grew up riding in this county until it turned into a "city." I now patrol some of the very areas I used to go mudding in. I constantly hear, "I've been riding here for 20 years....." Seems the only "permanent" thing in life is "change."

[Off Rode]

This is not a Palm Beach County problem, it's a statewide problem. Some areas are simply not conducive for ATV operation. I wish I had better news.

The question is the State or the County willing to come up with some plan other than outlaw ATV's.  You know that the offenders will keep riding & gambling getting caught when there is no place LEGAL left to ride.  It'll be like drug dealers, they do it, they get caught, they do time, then they do it all over again.  It create's a vicious cycle, and one that will not be eliminated.  Thus, it gives drug dealers a bad name.  Is this a bad analogy?  The only reason I ask is because WE (our society) has not & cannot eliminate DRUG DEALING.  There isn't anywhere in this country that it is legal & we still have a HUGE problem.  Is THAT problem fixed?? I think not.

I would be hopeful that the state or perhaps a county could come up with some plan to work with the issue instead of ABANDONMENT.  Perhaps treating it like regular motorists.  Citations for infractions, etc. If they run from you I'm sure that ups the ante, confinscate the bike.  You already have a task force & I know that many other areas of the state do also in addition to FWC & other agencies.  Is anything of this nature possible or is it too late?

It's not an easy transition............and the easy way out we will lose.

[Gato]

what he is basically saying is not that it is his fault but it is easier to punish all to MAYBE catch a few BASICALLY that is why I think it comes down to semicommunist control SEMI

[Eworm]

Articcat,
I wish your solution was that simple. PBSO is making an effort to catch violators, but to no avail. Since Oct 1 when the new law went into effect, complaints and violations went off the charts. Many of the violators I've ticketed aren't on this website and have little regard for the law or respect for fellow citizens. Their attitude is, "I bought it and will ride where ever I want, when ever I want because I have rights." The Acreage/Loxahatchee is a major problem area. These riders drive over fences, tear down signs and ride at all times of the night. Most residents have tried lawfully fencing off the canal banks on their property, only to have a violator run it down at 2am and run through their yard. Most flee from deputies when they try to stop them. The general public is fed up and took it up with the county commission. I had one lady tell me she had more respect for drug dealers than ATV riders. She said "Drug dealers stay in their turf and are not racing through my yard waking me up at all times of the night! This is my yard and these thugs violated my personal space!" This is only a sample of the complaints we hear. Others have threaten to shoot at riders or string cables across trails. The other problem is, most ATV riders on this site complain about the lack of riding areas. I can tell you, having riding areas doesn't always solve the problem. It may reduce it some, but most of the violators my unit has stopped said they want to ride out of their front yards and have no desire to load up their ATV and take it anywhere. It wouldn't matter if we opened up the JW Corbett WMA to ATVs or made Mecca Farms into an OHV park. Because of how this area is laid out, any canal bank or vacant field becomes a riding area because it's closer than a sanctioned riding area. Underhills is only about 45minutes from Loxahatchee and even closer for those in Jupiter Farms. This is not a Palm Beach County problem, it's a statewide problem. Some areas are simply not conducive for ATV operation. I wish I had better news. I grew up riding in this county until it turned into a "city." I now patrol some of the very areas I used to go mudding in. I constantly hear, "I've been riding here for 20 years....." Seems the only "permanent" thing in life is "change."

If they opened JW and/or made Mecca into an ATV park THE PROBLEM WOULD DECREASE DRASTICALLY. Additionally, if you make the penalties and fines extremely high for the violators, once the places are open, then and only then will you see the problem come to a complete hault. PEOPLE WOULD DRIVE 30 MINUTES!!!Everyone would be happy. Happens in many states people!!!!
 

[MATT1969]

after seeing what holyland looks like i hope they don't Evan consider j.w Corbett for ATVs .i used to hunt holylands and now its seems like a ATV park instead of a hunting area.j.w Corbett is a wild life management area not a playground for ATVs and i can only pray they don't ever consider it.and by the way i have 2 ATVs and own differant lands about 2 hours away.j.w Corbett is about 4 minutes from my house,but would rather drive 2 hours then have Corbett destroyed  and trashed like holylands.