This won't be good for RI dirtbiking

[backinthesaddle]

State took this land way back to build a reservoir which was never built. We used to ride this, the sand dunes (suicidal on weekends) and where Amgen is now was a rough MX practice track. Lots of good dirt biking there way back. Some of it state land some private.

[e30addict]

I'd have a few holes in me if cops/epa shot at me every time I ran away. If someone is charging at you with a dirt bike, you move out of the way. Maybe if they circle back again with clear intent to run you over it could be justified, but I think most people on dirtbikes/atvs running are not looking back.

And wtf, MSP make over 200k a year? Good ol' boys.



Edit: As I look back on this post...a lot of judgement on my part. Maybe the dirt biker was legitimately threatening this cops life. And maybe this specific MSP trooper runs a gang squad or something else and is worth that much salary.

Carry on.

The incident was the one on 93 last year. Those bike life guys drive me nuts, but a death sentence is a little over the top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeyGaqQLn-8



He was part of the overtime scandal according to this article. https://www.wcvb.com/article/state-t...oston/29113812

The district attorney's office said Sheehan was the only one of the 13 troopers present who fired a weapon. He retrieved his rifle from his cruiser prior to the encounter and chose to fire the semi-automatic weapon instead of his handgun, according to investigators.

the angle at which the bullet struck the tire indicates the vehicle was parallel to Sheehan and was not heading toward him -- thus, the trooper was not in the type of imminent danger that would permit the use of potentially deadly force in self-defense.

We weren't there and there's two sides to every story, but it sure doesn't look like good decisions were made here.

[Chippertheripper]

this is a very productive conversation.

[csmutty]

That implies local ATV/ORV clubs don't, which is absolutely not the case. Pretty much every week of the year my local club for example has a work party rolling somewhere.

That's fair. There just aren't any trail systems around here for orvs, hence there aren't any orv clubs. Therefore they don't work on the trail systems they don't have.

[breakdirt916]

Totally depends on location. Arizona is not lacking off-road opportunities in any sense, freedom is alive and well. I wonder how long Maine will hold out, the new governor may not be off-road friendly..

I agree, tons of riding in the US...but I was referring more to central/eastern MA specifically as being closed off. Plenty of riding from your backyard in the sticks, forests, and deserts and select locations still close to schools/jobs/etc.

[R7]

That's fair. There just aren't any trail systems around here for orvs, hence there aren't any orv clubs. Therefore they don't work on the trail systems they don't have.

Back in 2005/2006, there was a group in RI trying to start an ORV club, it grew at a rapid pace...until we secured our first piece of land to have a ride on. Countless hours by many members were put into making a trail system on private land to hold a member event. Those events were the death of the growth, and the death of future rides at that property.
That's when I learned how selfish people can be. Dirtbikers were the biggest cunts, they said couldn't and wouldn't work on trails shared with 4x4 trucks and ATV's...and the 4x4 truck guys fought back bitching their trail section was to short. We needed numbers as a group to make any political progress, all the progress made, was gone mostly due to dirtbikers wanting all or nothing. Pretty sad!
The only way to secure your own riding in RI, is to buy your own land and make your own trails. Make some friends that ride and have land and trails, and swap riding spots.

The trails certainly don't maintain themselves, there's almost nothing about riding a dirtbike, atv or 4x4 that helps maintain trails. It's 95% human labor, so it you're riding nice trails, someone is maintaining them

[aldend123]

They don't allow OHVs at Big River, correct? Went Mt. biking there once this summer. Would have some fun terrain for sure. I like to hike/mt bike AND trail ride. I think if they allowed trail riding more places, lower volume of users might make it easier to share... or not. What a dilemma.

Far as I know, RI has zero legit OHV riding. Don't think there's any MX tracks either. Just the trials club, and you need a trials tire to ride it. However, they do have some special-use events that go through Big River. I've MTB'ed there, and I've ridden through it on a sanctioned event. It looks a hell of a lot like the place was pretty much built by motos. It's the perfect place in RI for it geographically. And there's plenty of hiking and MTB options to share. I'd wondered if there was a parking area for my trailer that was tolerated. Even if there was, I'm guessing things won't be too friendly in the short-term.

Correct, no OHV's at Big River. Foxboro (wrong, state, I know) does it right. They have a large multi-use area and there are selected trails OHV's are allowed to use within the network.

Same with Wrentham, Freetown, and Franklin. Just advertising for people looking for legit OHV locations.

Back in 2005/2006, there was a group in RI trying to start an ORV club, it grew at a rapid pace...until we secured our first piece of land to have a ride on. Countless hours by many members were put into making a trail system on private land to hold a member event. Those events were the death of the growth, and the death of future rides at that property.
That's when I learned how selfish people can be. Dirtbikers were the biggest cunts, they said couldn't and wouldn't work on trails shared with 4x4 trucks and ATV's...and the 4x4 truck guys fought back bitching their trail section was to short. We needed numbers as a group to make any political progress, all the progress made, was gone mostly due to dirtbikers wanting all or nothing. Pretty sad!
The only way to secure your own riding in RI, is to buy your own land and make your own trails. Make some friends that ride and have land and trails, and swap riding spots.

The trails certainly don't maintain themselves, there's almost nothing about riding a dirtbike, atv or 4x4 that helps maintain trails. It's 95% human labor, so it you're riding nice trails, someone is maintaining them

Interesting. I wonder if it was easier to be indignant when you had other places to ride that didn't have an EP at the gate. I feel like maybe enough time has passed to re-visit and see if it's a better outcome. But you've got some sweet trails of your own to ride so I can see why it's not high on the todo list. I've been riding NETRA a lot this year and think I'm probably past-due about getting involved with a club and put in some work. Eventually I'd like to have land to volunteer access to and return the favor.

I was thinking the other day about how difficult it would be for someone who doesn't ride a motorcycle at all to get in to dirtbikes if they don't have their own land. Show up at a harescramble without knowing how to get out of second gear? That's never going to be a positive experience. Even their 'fun rides' really aren't the ideal place for a complete noob to learn. This weekend's enduro had a quick closing announcement about 'bring a friend' to help keep things active. I think it's relatively easy to convince an experienced rider to sign-up compared to convincing people to buy their first dirtbike.

[Paul_E_D]

I think the dirtbike attitude has to do with an unreasonable desire for singletrack. I kinda get it. That would be ideal, but let's get some multiuse trails opened up first FFS.

[backinthesaddle]

Nothing in RI but the great trials at stepping stone. In 1978 we actually had an AMA national mx. It rained everywhere in R.I. but the track. I was there as were a few others. Never had another national mx again.

The big river trails and Arcadia trails were cut by enduro riders and scramblers way back.

[Rambunctous]

First thing to change is the mindset. Back freedom loving politicians. Fuck the Seirra Club loving bunch. You won't have a single spot to ride and street bikes will be electric with a top speed of 24mph if they have their way. Like to change a exhaust system? Try that and you could lose your machine. Change can start right in a forum of like-minded people.

[Falko]

One of the reasons mountain biking is so kick ass in New England. Can ride pretty much everywhere.

Be careful what you think there. Some areas are starting to get mtn bikes banned as well, citing excessive erosion on bike trails. My good friend has told me about several places they can't ride and going up against.

[csmutty]

Be careful what you think there. Some areas are starting to get mtn bikes banned as well, citing excessive erosion on bike trails. My good friend has told me about several places they can't ride and going up against.

Huh. Where abouts? Haven't heard about anything like that in Northeast CT.

[tls25rs]

Just a matter of time really.

The soccer Moms/Dads walking their dogs and the horse people will soon band together and find the latest enemy to "their" trail systems.

That mountain bike was so quiet that it came out of nowhere going soooo much faster than they should have been on "our" trails. They're going to injure someone one of these days we have to get them banned from "our" trails. They will go home and talk their politically active friends into submitting a bill that will get turned into a law and then the public areas that were set aside for "all" to enjoy will only be open for "all who like to do the same things I do" to enjoy.

The worst part about it is that most of the trail systems that have been made have been formed by one group or another riding on two wheels. Whether it was bicycles, dirtbikes etc. the trails were probably created initially by someone other than the people that look to get other groups banned from using them.

[aldend123]

That kind of thing has apparently already gone down in Marin, CA. The ebike thing is another factor too, where some of the pedal-mtb'ers don't want ebikes to share 'their' trails. Kind of a repeat of the problem described in a previous post about 4x4's and dirtbikers working against each other.

[typeone]

First thing to change is the mindset. Back freedom loving politicians. Fuck the Seirra Club loving bunch.

problem is, those "freedom loving politicians" still love (and usually need) development projects.

[nt650hawk]

Been on trails where the hollier than thow walkers laced trails with thorns to discourage mtb

[Paul_E_D]

Been on trails where the hollier than thow walkers laced trails with thorns to discourage mtb

I got the SERIOUS stink eye from some walkers on Monday. I was on old named roads too. Not single track. Also stopped, engines off, to let a professional dog walker by. 6 dogs all tangled up, a few of them off leash and chasing us. Fahk that. At least the dog walker thanked us.

[csmutty]

I was flying down a single track trail at a state park a month or so ago. At the bottom there was a woman on a horse yelling. Good thing she yelled because I would have never known to slow down otherwise.

[breakdirt916]

can't you RI'ers just drive a couple hours away from civilization for riding?

I don't even remember a lot of people in Foxborough/Wrentham

[Falko]

Huh. Where abouts? Haven't heard about anything like that in Northeast CT.

Sorry, more of a central mASS thing. But it's coming about. Everyone has to be offended today, no give and take anymore, just take and take.

[backinthesaddle]

What I don’t get is years ago Big River was taken by the state to build a reservoir. It was never built but now we have a fragile ecosystem there that powered vehicles can harm. Around the corner they are building a 90+ acre solar panel installation. No damage to ecosystem there??

[typeone]

What I don’t get is years ago Big River was taken by the state to build a reservoir. It was never built but now we have a fragile ecosystem there that powered vehicles can harm. Around the corner they are building a 90+ acre solar panel installation. No damage to ecosystem there??

see my "development" comment above.. .

[R7]

can't you RI'ers just drive a couple hours away from civilization for riding?

I don't even remember a lot of people in Foxborough/Wrentham

For some of us, it's hard the scrape up enough time to ride, let alone us up most of it driving to and from a riding area. Then add in having a separate registration for each state, just kinda takes some of the energy and desire away from riding other locations.

What I don’t get is years ago Big River was taken by the state to build a reservoir. It was never built but now we have a fragile ecosystem there that powered vehicles can harm. Around the corner they are building a 90+ acre solar panel installation. No damage to ecosystem there??

My town is going through the solar craze now, they are popping up everywhere. Personally, I think they are more environmentally friendly than most think. They can't be built in wetlands (big river is over 50% wetlands), they have large buffers to wetlands, and they have to plant and maintain a green growing cover under them. They are also a silent neighbor to residents, add huge tax money to towns, and add zero tax burden to local schools and municipality.

One argument that came up often with the ORV club in RI by the dirt bikers was, "we made those trails in big river, they are ours"... There was a long moment of silence when someone at the meeting asked if they owned the land the trails were cut on.