POLICE and Stupid ATV'er Racing in the RODHAM DAMM area

[MudDobber]

You think it's bad for ATV's....try running an airboat these days!  Given all the hassles of airboating and ATV'ing I have pretty much given up trying to appease anyone but myself.    

[Ida_Mann]

anybody ever talk to the ohv volunteers - i saw a few of them this weekend.

never seen one, but of course I would talk to them, why not?

Id@

Id@-

IT200 and Grizzlybear are OHV volunteers. I was, also, until last week. Time constraints forced me to resign.

yup, I'm aware of that, but I've still never seen them out in the woods.

Id@

[jwscroll]

I was at Delancy for that weekend and I was surrounded by rangers. I did see one volunteer ranger, but I didn't see any of them in the deep forest, I didn't see anybody to be honest with you. And that raises the question, how is the forest service going to patrol the whole forest? They can't, I saw that for a fact on thanksgiving.
The rangers definately see fourwheelers in two different classes, the sports and the oldfarts. I felt bad for anyone with a sport cause the rangers were paying special attention to them. Only saw the Sherrif a couple of times and we didn't really have much trouble in camp.
Croom sucks and I would never want to see ONF go the same way, I personally feel as though the trail system being instilled in January is the best compromise the forest service is going to give us at this time. We are essentially being forced to let the beginning of the end run it's course.
There was a group of people that tried to get people here to address the trail issue while it was still in the discussion phase, now decisions have been made and plans laid out, good luck getting the gov't to chage it's policy for a group that has no voting power cause we can't get along with one another well enough to save our own riding land.
The amount of riding land in Florida is a constantly shrinking area, the fight really needs to begin on a more local level, with city councils and property owners. You could also try something on a state level like contacting the governor, but trying to change things at ONF, good luck.

[needforspeed]

I was at Delancy for that weekend and I was surrounded by rangers. I did see one volunteer ranger, but I didn't see any of them in the deep forest, I didn't see anybody to be honest with you. And that raises the question, how is the forest service going to patrol the whole forest? They can't, I saw that for a fact on thanksgiving.
The rangers definately see fourwheelers in two different classes, the sports and the oldfarts. I felt bad for anyone with a sport cause the rangers were paying special attention to them. Only saw the Sherrif a couple of times and we didn't really have much trouble in camp.
Croom sucks and I would never want to see ONF go the same way, I personally feel as though the trail system being instilled in January is the best compromise the forest service is going to give us at this time. We are essentially being forced to let the beginning of the end run it's course.
There was a group of people that tried to get people here to address the trail issue while it was still in the discussion phase, now decisions have been made and plans laid out, good luck getting the gov't to chage it's policy for a group that has no voting power cause we can't get along with one another well enough to save our own riding land.
The amount of riding land in Florida is a constantly shrinking area, the fight really needs to begin on a more local level, with city councils and property owners. You could also try something on a state level like contacting the governor, but trying to change things at ONF, good luck.

I was told there is a difference between a ranger and an OHV Volunteer. I didn't see any rangers but I did see a few OHV Volunteers. OHV Volunteers are more fun to be around. It is the best solution to the problem, but what is to say that within a year's time, they do another DEIS, and DEIS states the problem is getting worse, they will close the forest. They have done that Pennsylvania or up state NY. The OHV's were using either a track of land or the forest land, they did another study and came to the conclusion that the trail system wasn't making a difference, so they closed the riding area down completely. That is only the tip of the ice berg, there is alot more. If you do a search on OHV forums, you will be surprised at what is going on. The registration fees in California went somewhere other than for OHV Trails. There are horror stories all over the place.

[stump66]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

People lets get real here! 
There are so little places to ride as it is now in the state of Florida.
To the racers that were racing this week end (11-25&26/05) in the Rodham Dam area, ON THE ROAD FROM THE DAM DOWN TO THE END!
The local sheriffs department will be out there on the week-ends, you nor I will know who they are!  IF YOU GET CAUGHT, You will be taken you to jail, and your bike's/quads taken.  IS IT WORTH IT?
You jerks are wrecking this for every one out there just trying to have a good time.  I was informed this week end that the Ocala Forestry will be closing a lot of the riding areas because of issues just like this, and people not staying off the number roads.
Why can't you guys just ride and have fun, with out ruining it for all the others?
GROW UP AND LET KEEP OUR RIDING AREAS.

ALSO WE NEED TO KEEP THE TRASH PICKED UP. WHAT GOES IN WITH US, COMES OUT WITH US.  This is another issue the forestry has with the atv's, so lets not give them a reason to keep us out, but give them a reason to let us stay and play.

whoever told you that the forestry service is closing areas because of abuse is a liar, I will never believe it because I have seen WAY more destruction and debris obviously brought in by trucks or other means than an OHV.  Clean up? yeah, whoever told you that is ATVers fault is a liar as well,,,,just go to Rodman Dam on a Friday night, you will know where the trash around there comes from and it aint anyone riding an OHV.

Now, about the idiots racing down the road, it's clearly posted, and whoever did that, I think, needs their quad impounded for a while.

done ranting now.

Id@

I agree Ida. ATV'ers get blamed for all the trailer trash white,black,yellow,green or whoever they are. They are to poor ar to cheap or to drunk on whatever to make a trip to the dump and dispose of they're refuge/garbage the right way. Instead of punishing us they should MAXIMIZE $$$$$$ the fines for dumping and littering. Myself and whomever goes with me ALWAYS take out more crap then we bring. 

[americanhighlander]

get on cnn try send a video tape of
yourselfs in atv helmets cleaning up trash on trails.
Thats one way you get message out there to other atv riders.

[needforspeed]

If the Ocala National Forest had a few law enforcement officers patroling the area now and about 5 years ago, both rodman dam and big scrub,  this and the trail system may not be an issue. They need to give their Forest Proctection Officers more authority than just writing out tickets. They should have either law enforcement or someone with law enforcement authority, to hand these offenders a $500.00 ticket for the first offense, the second time, there machine get taken away permently, sold at an aution out of state, the money from the auction needs to come back to the trail system. It won't take long for these guys to get the picture. The only draw back with this, is they will steel your machine under your nose.

[Magnum330]

Well let me just say this. You meaning us respectable riders ride for fun and to get rid of some fustration and have fun with family and friends. Yes we may cut up a little and show off some but it's all in fun.

We see others that ride to just tear the heck out of their ATV and where ever they are riding cuz they only plan on riding till they find something else to tear up. They are the ones who spoil it for the rest of us. They ride for a few months to tick everyone off then move on to something else.

We want to ride for ever and pass it on to our children and grand kids it's family enjoyment and a learning event.

If you take a dozen eggs and their is one bad egg in the bunch it makes the other ones bad as well. So how many more good eggs will it take to make the dozen bad ones good again NOT.

So here it is. Their are bad riders and us good riders the bad ones make it harder for us good riders to keep what we have. Our reps and our riding areas face it folks THEY JUST DONT CARE the heck with us and it's up to us to fight for our rights.

Can I get an AMEN Someone!

[americanhighlander]

Well let me just say this. You meaning us respectable riders ride for fun and to get rid of some fustration and have fun with family and friends. Yes we may cut up a little and show off some but it's all in fun.

We see others that ride to just tear the heck out of their ATV and where ever they are riding cuz they only plan on riding till they find something else to tear up. They are the ones who spoil it for the rest of us. They ride for a few months to tick everyone off then move on to something else.

We want to ride for ever and pass it on to our children and grand kids it's family enjoyment and a learning event.

If you take a dozen eggs and their is one bad egg in the bunch it makes the other ones bad as well. So how many more good eggs will it take to make the dozen bad ones good again NOT.

So here it is. Their are bad riders and us good riders the bad ones make it harder for us good riders to keep what we have. Our reps and our riding areas face it folks THEY JUST DONT CARE the heck with us and it's up to us to fight for our rights.

Can I get an AMEN Someone!

I agree with you Magnum

They are some nutting bad riders out there on trails.
It could be drunk types out there.I guess they  don't  understand
about atv world.I hope all good atv riders win this fight in near future.


thanks,
amhighlander