Legal??

[Dragginazz]

My Brother in law says he has a write-up, or something that says it IS legal to run the 4 wheelers down the railroad beds. He says that regardless of what the signs say and all the grief they will give you, IT IS LEGAL, you just can't go off on any trails. I HAVE NOT seen this notice or whatever the Hell he has yet, but when I got down on the tracks, what's the first thing I see...notices everywhere and I got nervous. They seem pretty addimant on keeping us off. So I didn't go much further, it's pretty frustrating!
So until I see this paper he has, I'm just wondering if anyone can vouch for this, is it, or is it NOT legal to ride the beds here in NH??

[Stoneman]

Most of 'em are ILLEGAL to ride on. A select few are still LEGAL though. Doesn't matter if they're snow covered or not. The federal ruling that ATV's were 'snow-going vehicles' was changed. That ruling is what killed ATV use on most of the rail trails. When the feds gave those up to the state, it was stipulated that they be used for NON-motorized vehicles in the summer and ONLY by snow-going vehicles in the winter. NH stretched that for as long as they could by accepting ATV's as 'snow-going vehicles' and allowed ATV use on many of the rail beds year round because of that loophole...

Our good friends over at ATVWatch.com (I think that's what it is) challenged that ruling and won. Now, a 'snow-going vehicle' in NH is defined as something with TRACKS. As such, MOST of the rail trails in NH are CLOSED to wheeled vehicles now...

Again though, there ARE a very few rail trails that remain open for wheeled use. I just don't know off the top of my head which ones...

[Kurlon]

http://members.fortunecity.com/railtrails/NH/index.htm has a list of the various rail beds and what's allowed on them.

[Stoneman]

http://members.fortunecity.com/railtrails/NH/index.htm has a list of the various rail beds and what's allowed on them.

Good fine!

[Dragginazz]

Well, I guess she's still for sale then.

Thanks Guys, I appreciate it! Very informative Stoneman.

[breakdirt916]

http://members.fortunecity.com/railtrails/NH/index.htm has a list of the various rail beds and what's allowed on them.

I checked the list for MA, and as expected, there weren't any rail trails legal for OHV...

[Dragginazz]

I checked the list for MA, and as expected, there weren't any rail trails legal for OHV...

Yeah there's a shocker huh...thanks for checkin anyways. At least now with this snow I'll be able to cruise down the power lines once the sleds pack it down some. Of course it's still illegal, but F'em, catch me cause I'm runnin, they'll have to pull a pit manuever and put me into the powder first. Here's hoping for it to be caught on tape!!!

[Stoneman]

Well, I guess she's still for sale then.

Thanks Guys, I appreciate it! Very informative Stoneman.

What is it? I can spread the word around a few boards I'm on...

[Dragginazz]

What is it? I can spread the word around a few boards I'm on...

It's posted here in the FS section, think the 3rd or 4th page now. It's a 2007 TRX450, but I'm not trying too hard to sell it cause quite honestly I don't want to, but it is just sitting around most of the time now. I just hate the thought of taking such a loss but with the junk economy I can't really ask top dollar. But if you did find someone, I'd be willin to send you a lil' finders fee.

[TLC_CBR]

I checked the list for MA, and as expected, there weren't any rail trails legal for OHV...

Don't get me going.. There is an abondoned rail bed that begins at my doorstep at the office/shop that goes for miles from Framingham, Ashland, Holliston, milford and leads you to several trails and eventually to the power lines. I have been stopped a handfull of times by Holliston police. Most of them are cool about it and say until they are officialy opened as the "rail trail" they are not really pushing the issue with wheeled vehicles. One time a father and son duo where following me along the trail when we "politely and cautiously" passed a mountain bike rider, he met up with us where we stoped to meet and chat. He began lecturing the father and son rider how it was ilegal for them to be out here, yada, yada, yada. I stepped up and laid into him that the section we were now on was not purchased by Holliston yet and was CSX property and he too was tresspassing. Then I got into my taxes are being used to buy up these rail beds and they should be open to everyone. It went back and forth untill finally we told him to take a hike!!!!

[RyanNicholson]

Forgive me if I'm wrong... but isn't the "F'm I'm riding it anyway I'll just run if they try and catch me" mentality a big part of the reason so many trails are illegal, and land owners hate OHV's anyway?

[Stoneman]

Forgive me if I'm wrong... but isn't the "F'm I'm riding it anyway I'll just run if they try and catch me" mentality a big part of the reason so many trails are illegal, and land owners hate OHV's anyway?

That's a HUGE reason! I was gonna stay away from it - I'm tired of the argument. It's a losing battle...

[Sheppo]

That's a HUGE reason! I was gonna stay away from it - I'm tired of the argument. It's a losing battle...

[Dragginazz]

Forgive me if I'm wrong... but isn't the "F'm I'm riding it anyway I'll just run if they try and catch me" mentality a big part of the reason so many trails are illegal, and land owners hate OHV's anyway?

I don't know, is it? You tell me, I've never been a naughty boy before. But it would seem to me that if that was a "HUGE" reason, then snow-mobiles would be banned from riding the trails as well. Or is it that all snowmobilers have the right mentality?
Well whatever the case I can assure you guys that if anymore trails get shut down, it won't be because I rode down the power-lines, or because they had to use thier snow-mobile riding skills to catch up with a guy on a 2 wheel drive 4 wheeler. Can't believe you guys thought I'd actually run thinking I had a chance against a snowmobile anyways, lighten up will ya, I was pretty much joking around if you couldn't tell.
Pit Manuever? Caught on Tape? Tough crowd!

[elissama]

The whole system for ATV use and laws needs revamping - its a no win situation pretty much at this point. For every small win politically it seems there are 5 losses. I think I'll put a rocket launcher on my quad and start drivin it to work... lets see if they try to stop me!

[Dragginazz]

I agree, it's a shame the way it is now. I have 19 million trails around my house and I can't ride on any of them anymore.

I went to Germany a few years ago, it was cool, I saw so many quads registered for the roads. They all had the flat track style tires on and the whole street legal convert kits. I saw this 1 Banshee, it was unbelievable. It was in a tight little town where the roads twisted through them. I would definitely NOT have the right mentality there!

[UngaWunga]

I don't know, is it? You tell me, I've never been a naughty boy before. But it would seem to me that if that was a "HUGE" reason, then snow-mobiles would be banned from riding the trails as well. Or is it that all snowmobilers have the right mentality?
Well whatever the case I can assure you guys that if anymore trails get shut down, it won't be because I rode down the power-lines, or because they had to use thier snow-mobile riding skills to catch up with a guy on a 2 wheel drive 4 wheeler. Can't believe you guys thought I'd actually run thinking I had a chance against a snowmobile anyways, lighten up will ya, I was pretty much joking around if you couldn't tell.
Pit Manuever? Caught on Tape? Tough crowd!

Yes, it only takes one rider to screw it up for everyone.

From another thread...
Bill info

More

I think this bill was introduced because one squeaky wheel had a disagreement with a rider on the ice oval there. So they talked their state rep into introducing a bill to ban all wheeled vehicles from the lake. Hopefully it won't be passed and set a precedent.


I got a ticket for trespassing in Raymond this summer. You probably know the area... I left the legal trail, maybe 20' into a clearing to look at a water crossing. When I turned around, there were the quad cops. The landowners were sick of people trashing their property, having bonfires out there, leaving trash all over, mudbogging in the swap... and asked the police to patrol the area. Cost me ~$70 because technically I was trespassing. No real way to fight it. Luckily we were on registered bikes, or they would've taken the bikes. Sucks, because that was a nice local riding area. No more.

[Dragginazz]

I can understand it only takes one Person to finally push someone off the edge, especially private property. Ya know, ya got them hidiously loud pipes at all hours of the day and night, making a mess out of everything, I understand why people get pissed, been pissed off a few times myself. But for the power-lines to be off-limits? Why? What damage could possibly result and who is it bothering? I don't know, it just bugs the shit out of me that snowmobiles can go anywhere...ANYWHERE! Why don't they just put wheels on the front and ride down the friggin street in the summer? Nothing at all against sleds, I'm getting one for sure next year. It just sucks I bought a fuckin 4 wheeler and can't ride anywheres around here anymore, we all have to lug the things around now.
Oh well, I'll get rid of it and get a sled for next year, just feel bad for the Old Man, he likes to stay close to home and shit. I'll have to continue cutting more trails for him, luckily the Neighbor has quite a bit of acreage out back!
Good luck, stay out of trouble.