I remember overhearing a side conversation that took place last summer during the State trails hearing. One of the legislators directed a question towards some ATV supporters, "Why can't we make forest friendly ATV's, with quieter mufflers and tires that couldn't tear up the terrain?"
The answer was very telling, and highlights my opposition to ATV's: A supporter said "If we did, 10% of the owners would just change the tires and put on after market mufflers anyway".
Everyone seemed to accept this answer with a knowing nod, "oh ya, those ten percenters". Noone seemed to recognize what this meant: We are planning to build ATV trails knowing that 10 % of users are going to break the rules we say will keep the trails safe and quiet! And that we couldn't do anything about it, anyway!
That, and the ATV marketing, which emphasises racing and tearing up the track, just reinforced the idea that we are being "sold" one sport, but will be given another.
Family snowmobiling is just now taking back the sport from trail racers. It will be several years before we can see if it succeeds. But ATV users are already ceding that nothing can be done.
2 comments:
Just saw (and heard) the newest after-market product for an ATV - 2 sets of tank-tracks instead of tires. Wish I could post a picture of it here, it would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
I think I saw those outfitted on an ATV in Woodruff. Instead of working with the environment, there is an element in this ATV marketing that sees the environment as an obstacle to overcome.
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