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

[doc700polaris]

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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.

[americanhighlander]

You go hiding on the news media to tell people out there.
And try write a newpaper report about it.
Or write a book about it and sell it to bookstores.

Your right about they are not many places to ride here in florida.
Look what happen to river bed in jasper.

I think you should write a story in the dirtwheels magzine
to try get message out.If we don't do something soon
we will losing alot places to our riding buddyies.

  It's always a idiot moron ruining for all our good riders out there.
They should repect the riding areas.

thanks,
amhighlander

[Ida_Mann]

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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@

[NP04Foreman]

well why dont oyu people try to buy some lots at River Ranch where you can ride on 70 Square Miles?!

[doc700polaris]

Well ,   
id,  the lairs, as you called it is the City of Ocala, Wildlife and game office, and the Sheriff's office.  That is the discussion going on as we speak. 

As we all know on Memorial day 2005, tickets were given out and bikes even taken over by the Big Scrub area, restrictions on certain riding areas were implicated.
If we don't stand up and talk with these agencies, all of our riding areas will soon be gone.  I feel the same way, about the night activities and trash dumping by bigger vehicle.
Who out there has seen a AVT or a dirt bike with a frig, stove, washer or dryer tied down, riding though the woods to dump. LOL   But if we don't speak up, we all loose in the long run.

As far as Friday nights out at the rodham dam area, If you know somethings going on out there, call and report it!  Because if you don't, what will happen, is what happening!    The bike and ATVs riders are being blamed, and our sections of permitted areas to ride will be limited, if not eliminated.

We as rider's, no matter what type of vehicle/s should stand up and take charge.  If the majority of people are not doing wrong, then let's let them know.  If the forestry department see we are picking up these areas, and taking care of the woods, maybe they will have a change of heart.   It can't hurt?

For all the stupid jerks, that do wrong, time will tell.  Word has it that, if you are caught racing on that road past the green signs, your bikes will be gone for ever and jail time! Which I feel is justifiable.

 

[Chuck_Norris]

Hey DOC welcome to the site and flaming all of us that ride responsibly and clean up after ourselves, pleased to have met you. ride safe. I am one of the you referre to as "You People". just because you see it happening there doesnt mean that the perps are members here. I am just a discusted over what is going on as the next fella. but you'll find a large number of our memebers here to be avid supporters of what is right and wrong.

[doc700polaris]

sorry if I come off strong,
I just love spending, clean, healthy time with my son and hate to see a beautiful thing get lost, because of a few jerks.

There are a lot of issues on the plate of the city of Ocala,  we as riders need to address the ones we can. This also will help us try to keep our options open with the Forestry department.
Every one knows it only takes a few to make it tough on the rest.

All I am trying to say is lets do our part in keeping things right, so things don't get worse.

If anyone has suggestions..............................


I think a clean up ride would be a great thing for everyone, maybe a different part of the forest each week-end. 
The park would be grateful, the ride would be nice, and I know the environment would love us!

Heavens we might make friends with the officials!

[Ida_Mann]

sorry if I come off strong,
I just love spending, clean, healthy time with my son and hate to see a beautiful thing get lost, because of a few jerks.

There are a lot of issues on the plate of the city of Ocala,  we as riders need to address the ones we can. This also will help us try to keep our options open with the Forestry department.
Every one knows it only takes a few to make it tough on the rest.

All I am trying to say is lets do our part in keeping things right, so things don't get worse.

If anyone has suggestions..............................


I think a clean up ride would be a great thing for everyone, maybe a different part of the forest each week-end. 
The park would be grateful, the ride would be nice, and I know the environment would love us!

Heavens we might make friends with the officials!

we HAVE done cleanup rides,,,,and have asked for help with bringing in a dumpster from the forestry service and have been turned down,,,,,,,we did the cleanup anyway.

as far as me calling the people/organizations liars,,,I still do.  And what does the city of Ocala have to do with anything in the forest,,,as far as I know the city of Ocala does not border the forest?

do youreself a favor and search through old posts to look for the cleanup rides and all the trouble we have encountered with the forestry service BEFORE you start spounting what you have.

The only forestry service representative that I have met and seemed at all sympathetic was Marla Pence who is only in Florida during certain times of the year,,I have a business card from her and her other residence in is LA. so I hope she is OK.

so anyway,,,welcome to the site.

Id@

[doc700polaris]

Spouting is not the subject here!
Spouting was about the racing, and not the trash!

So slap my hand another time,
as far as " a",  or "few" clean ups missions, its an on going thing.  We all need to do our share, and not point fingers!
As long as there are people in the area, and trash being left behind, the job STILL has to be done again.
Every time my family and I are out there, we bring in 2-3 large trash bags back out.  I certainly don't put that trash there!  Nor am I sitting and typing just words, about problems, WE ALL HAVE, AND WILL HAVE, as riders in the ONF.

As far as the city of Ocala, yes they do have a say, as how much of a say, only they know.  I did not make a statement that they are the only ones. All the agencies mention, plus a few others,  DO have a say in the actions that are taken, it called Politics, Revenue, and laws.  They want to preserve the wood land, or so they say, we don't need to give them more to complain about!

Instead of putting all the negative over tones and energy  into your notes,
try putting the energy into a solution.
Rome was not built in ONE day!
To lose something only takes a second, I don't want to see the ONF riding areas to be taken away.

As far as looking in the past I was born and raised in the area, and have seen the changes over the years.  I am  sure it's hard trying to get any state agency to do anything, but we as riders need not give up, but come together and try to make a change, STRENGHT COMES IN NUMBERS!

The spouting is stop doing wrong, and giving them more to complain about!

[Ida_Mann]

I would have more positive to say if I ever got anything OTHER than nasty looks from forest rangers when they see me on my quad, or hear that I own one.  The only forest ranger I have met that was actually nice to me was Marla.

I'm just sick of being beat down just because I like doing something that is completely legal and not hurting anyone else.  And I've been doing it out there since 1988.  I also used to take trash out of the woods every time I went till one day I was wrapping up a bag and leaving at the side of the road to pick up later when I drove by and,,,,whatdoyaknow, a ranger came by and I actually had to talk my way OUT of a littering ticket.

Id@

[doc700polaris]

I agree...................... some, but not all can be an  .

I don't know why they give you dirty looks, maybe one day when we meet, we can all ride together, they all have been nice to me and my family.

Don't give up on the forest and the trash, though, all of us need to help.

          Thank you for all the work and trash you have picked up.
                                                         Lee

[CABLEGUY1]

Every ranger I have ever talked to was polite and nice. Of course I was just as curteous to them. All the majority of them want is to be talked to with respect. If you have a chip on your shoulder they pick up on it and give you attitude in return. They are in effect johnny law in the forest and have the authority to impound bikes as well as make arrests. If the average person were to see what they see on any given weekend they would understand why some of them are standoffish. They witness everything from people drunk on ATVs, unsupervised children on overpowered quads, people riding recklessly without proper gear, stolen property, people littering, unsafe fires, etc etc etc. There are rules to abide to in order to ride in these areas and if you abide by them and treat the rangers with there deserved respect " without negative overtones" you shouldn't have any problems.    Your on the right track Doc700 Polaris. Yes we had clean up rides in the past and they were VERY successful. The more we do the better for the sport. Don't let  negative opinions persuade  you to give up on a good idea. Set the date and place and count me in. 

[americanhighlander]

Bring a video cam with you next time and catch the riders in act of wrong doing.

That might help alot to forest rangers.

[ronny86250r]

next time go and stop them tell them that they are ruining it for all of us , just over the weekend there were people from the koa camp ground riding in a place that was clearly posted no atv's they rode anyway so i stopped them and let them know they were ruining it for us that live here would you believe it it worked surprised me they did not go back there. i agree with you

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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.

[atvanimal]

so what are you doing about it other than complaining??

[Ida_Mann]

Every ranger I have ever talked to was polite and nice. Of course I was just as curteous to them. All the majority of them want is to be talked to with respect. If you have a chip on your shoulder they pick up on it and give you attitude in return. They are in effect johnny law in the forest and have the authority to impound bikes as well as make arrests. If the average person were to see what they see on any given weekend they would understand why some of them are standoffish. They witness everything from people drunk on ATVs, unsupervised children on overpowered quads, people riding recklessly without proper gear, stolen property, people littering, unsafe fires, etc etc etc. There are rules to abide to in order to ride in these areas and if you abide by them and treat the rangers with there deserved respect " without negative overtones" you shouldn't have any problems.    Your on the right track Doc700 Polaris. Yes we had clean up rides in the past and they were VERY successful. The more we do the better for the sport. Don't let  negative opinions persuade  you to give up on a good idea. Set the date and place and count me in. 

I've met so many people from this site that I don't remember if I have met you or not, but if you have you would know that the way I am with anyone from the site is the same way I am with any of the rangers,,,or any stranger I meet.  I'm a nice guy, in fact I was having a very nice conversation with one of the rangers in her office one day when I asked why a certain area had recently been closed,,,that's when I got a nasty look and was asked "do you drive those dang ATV's?".  I took that hint to walk out before I said anything else.

I don't know what else to say about them, I'm sure there are other nice ones out there,,,just wish I knew what happened to Marla, she used to read the site.

Id@

[needforspeed]

i heard rumors there was tickets written all over the forest this weekend. i also heard a couple of atv were convicated by the police. rumor has it that due to the amount of people out of control this weekend, we may not have a place to ride, i heard they want to close the forest to all traffic.

[Ride1Rob]

What you guys need to understand is that if they're going to close ANYTHING down, it's not b/c of what happened this w/e. They've been planning to do it anyway. That's just an excuse to tell us ATVers. I've been riding in certain places in the past where a cop comes along and tells us to be careful and it's okay to ride there as long as we don't get on the roads... then 30mins later here comes another cop and tells us to leave and if he catches us again he'll give us a ticket. The point is... some peeps just hate atv's and don't want us to ride no matter where it is.

[Ida_Mann]

What you guys need to understand is that if they're going to close ANYTHING down, it's not b/c of what happened this w/e. They've been planning to do it anyway. That's just an excuse to tell us ATVers. I've been riding in certain places in the past where a cop comes along and tells us to be careful and it's okay to ride there as long as we don't get on the roads... then 30mins later here comes another cop and tells us to leave and if he catches us again he'll give us a ticket. The point is... some peeps just hate atv's and don't want us to ride no matter where it is.

thats what i was trying to say, thanks for getting that out without my ranting ;-)

Id@

[needforspeed]

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

[mudnuri]

If you see some jackbags racing, tell them to join FTR! We do it without the police chasing us. Although some act as if they ARE being chased by them!
 

[doc700polaris]

I agree that there is confusion on what are the legal areas to ride and what are not.  
I myself have not come across any rude police or rangers.
I agree also,  as to what the officials deal with on an every day or week end basis.
I have stopped many time to help someone injured, due to what ever!
I've been thanked and some of the rangers look for me or my car and tell me that there is a "person" riding fast, stupid and not safe, to keep an eye out for them in case they do get hurt.  So again here they are try to do whats best.

I also agree attitude has a lot to do with it, also with some of the officials out there, other moral issue factor in also.  This is sad when this happens, but, again they have the upper hand at that point and all one can do is be polite, and deal with those issues on a legal level.
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[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@

[doc700polaris]

And yes what they want to do is already in the works, but MAYBE we can stop or come up with a solution, that all parties will be happy with.
IT'S WORTH A TRY, I LOVE ONF AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE AREAS TO RIDE IN.

I have myself and also seen others tell people, stop that , usually it works, but then you come back in  a while and they are doing it again.  So
as much as I hate a tattle tail, I have to say call the officials and report.
In doing so, it again bring negative attention, where negative attention needs not be!
Ride responsible, safe, in the areas we know are okay to be in.
Every one do a little research, and let's try to come up with a/some solution/s and present it them.  What can it hurt?
Maybe they will give us some areas like Croom and they would will be happy and so would we???  Let's not give up!

[GSPKurt]

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.