physicsjack
4-Wheelers Used to Transport Students
All terrain vehicles - or ATVs - can be fun when used for recreation. They can make handy tools for various applications.
But ATVs can become problematic to property owners, who in many cases are left with the bill for damage caused by ATVs. These problems range from noise that scares livestock, to problems with crop rotation caused by fallen plants. Trespassing causes problems for riders as well. They may hit a barbed wire fence, become injured because they don't know the terrain, or at the very least have to confront an irritated landowner.
Judge Mark Repp said that he has seen ATV-related trespassing cases with some frequency.
"We have a lot of problems with them (ATVs)," he said. "People who don't have the space ride them where they shouldn't."
Repp said that one of the problems is that people buy ATVs with misconceptions on where they can and cannot ride them.
"Right now there are no requirements for riding an ATV. Anyone can own one," he said. "People need to know when and where they can ride them."
Repp said that one area farmer described the problem very well using an analogy after his fields were damaged by four wheelers.
"It is like buying a horse and not having a place to ride or keep it," he said.
Repp said that he is a property and ATV owner who enjoys riding his machine. He said that he has had problems with ATVs riding on his property without his permission. He estimates that each year in Seneca County damages caused by ATVs range from $6,000 to $10,000.
"I have had people trespass on my property with four wheelers," he said. "It is irritating."
Sheriff's Deputy Dennis Wilkinson said that some people think an ATF license entitles them access to road.
"The biggest problem I have encountered is ATFs on the roads," he said. "This is not permitted."
According to WIlkinson, the state permit only allows riders the ability to cross the road to gain access to other riding areas. Wilkinson said that there have been a few collisions between ATVs and cars.
"If they ride on their own property I have no problems with them," he said.
Wilkinson said that many of problems seem to be caused by teenagers. If damage is caused to private property by a minor, parents could be held responsible and have to pay the costs to fix the damage. Wilkinson thinks that an education course is needed. He said that many problems are caused because people don't know anything about the machines that they purchase. Pamphlets are available through the BMV concerning ATV safety, but there is no state funded class.
"We really don't have any (education) and that is too bad," he said. "I keep pamphlets with me to hand to riders. I tell them to read while I write the ticket."
A common problem that he has witnessed is that some people don't realize ATVs are only built for one rider.
"They have stickers right on them that say only one rider," he said. "I point that out to people and they seem surprised."
Ron Zimmerman, Seneca parks director, said that problems have been created by four-wheelers in the parks.
"They tear up wildflowers and young trees," he said. "They cause erosion and scare wildlife."
Zimmerman said that the people who ride on the trails don't realize the damage they cause.
"When you kill nature it can be fixed but at a cost," he said. "Once you kill a wild flower or tree there is no guarantee that it will ever come back. Once erosion starts there is absolutely no way to correct the problem."
Zimmerman said that one problem is people don't realize how ATVs affect the eco-system.
"When people look at nature, they think it is endless," he said. "They don't realize that interruption could create problems so that those plants and trees won't come back for a long time."
Zimmerman said that there is no way of estimating the damage caused by ATVs in the parks.
"It is tough to put a monetary value on killing wild flowers, trees and causing erosion," he said. "I really have no idea how to estimate that."
Zimmerman is also a property owner who has had problems with ATVs damaging his woods and crops. He gave an example of a recent problem he encountered in eight acres of woods that he owns.
"They cut trees to make a trail," he said. "They said that I had a lot of trees and those that they cut didn't matter."
Zimmerman estimated the ages of the people who cut his trees at between 20 and 30.
"You would think that they would know better," he said.
4-Wheelers Used to Transport Students
All terrain vehicles - or ATVs - can be fun when used for recreation. They can make handy tools for various applications.
But ATVs can become problematic to property owners, who in many cases are left with the bill for damage caused by ATVs. These problems range from noise that scares livestock, to problems with crop rotation caused by fallen plants. Trespassing causes problems for riders as well. They may hit a barbed wire fence, become injured because they don't know the terrain, or at the very least have to confront an irritated landowner.
Judge Mark Repp said that he has seen ATV-related trespassing cases with some frequency.
"We have a lot of problems with them (ATVs)," he said. "People who don't have the space ride them where they shouldn't."
Repp said that one of the problems is that people buy ATVs with misconceptions on where they can and cannot ride them.
"Right now there are no requirements for riding an ATV. Anyone can own one," he said. "People need to know when and where they can ride them."
Repp said that one area farmer described the problem very well using an analogy after his fields were damaged by four wheelers.
"It is like buying a horse and not having a place to ride or keep it," he said.
Repp said that he is a property and ATV owner who enjoys riding his machine. He said that he has had problems with ATVs riding on his property without his permission. He estimates that each year in Seneca County damages caused by ATVs range from $6,000 to $10,000.
"I have had people trespass on my property with four wheelers," he said. "It is irritating."
Sheriff's Deputy Dennis Wilkinson said that some people think an ATF license entitles them access to road.
"The biggest problem I have encountered is ATFs on the roads," he said. "This is not permitted."
According to WIlkinson, the state permit only allows riders the ability to cross the road to gain access to other riding areas. Wilkinson said that there have been a few collisions between ATVs and cars.
"If they ride on their own property I have no problems with them," he said.
Wilkinson said that many of problems seem to be caused by teenagers. If damage is caused to private property by a minor, parents could be held responsible and have to pay the costs to fix the damage. Wilkinson thinks that an education course is needed. He said that many problems are caused because people don't know anything about the machines that they purchase. Pamphlets are available through the BMV concerning ATV safety, but there is no state funded class.
"We really don't have any (education) and that is too bad," he said. "I keep pamphlets with me to hand to riders. I tell them to read while I write the ticket."
A common problem that he has witnessed is that some people don't realize ATVs are only built for one rider.
"They have stickers right on them that say only one rider," he said. "I point that out to people and they seem surprised."
Ron Zimmerman, Seneca parks director, said that problems have been created by four-wheelers in the parks.
"They tear up wildflowers and young trees," he said. "They cause erosion and scare wildlife."
Zimmerman said that the people who ride on the trails don't realize the damage they cause.
"When you kill nature it can be fixed but at a cost," he said. "Once you kill a wild flower or tree there is no guarantee that it will ever come back. Once erosion starts there is absolutely no way to correct the problem."
Zimmerman said that one problem is people don't realize how ATVs affect the eco-system.
"When people look at nature, they think it is endless," he said. "They don't realize that interruption could create problems so that those plants and trees won't come back for a long time."
Zimmerman said that there is no way of estimating the damage caused by ATVs in the parks.
"It is tough to put a monetary value on killing wild flowers, trees and causing erosion," he said. "I really have no idea how to estimate that."
Zimmerman is also a property owner who has had problems with ATVs damaging his woods and crops. He gave an example of a recent problem he encountered in eight acres of woods that he owns.
"They cut trees to make a trail," he said. "They said that I had a lot of trees and those that they cut didn't matter."
Zimmerman estimated the ages of the people who cut his trees at between 20 and 30.
"You would think that they would know better," he said.