|
Motorized
outlaw behavior must come to an end. Recreationists
must start volunteer trail patrols and exert peer
pressure to curtail the idiot factor that will get
our trails shut down. We must support law enforcement
and encourage it on our trails and back country.
While
at the Moab Easter Jeep Safari I had the chance to
speak with some zealots from the Southern Utah Wilderness
Alliance (SUWA), as well as some respected Recreational
Planners from the BLM. I must say that something they
said struck home with me big time. It has to do with
the image of motorized recreationists.
We
have some work to do in the area of image. It seems
that the old adage can be true that a few bad apples
can spoil the barrel. The folks who don't play by
the road rules are causing us (organized recreationists)
a lot of harm. Allow me to call them motorized outlaws.
The
outlaws are sometimes getting off the road where they
don't belong. In Utah there are places where off road/trail
travel is significant enough to cause the SUWA folks
to rise up in arms. Even BLM folks see too much of
it. It is ruining the reputation of us law-abiding
riders to have outlaws getting off the road/trail.
Unfortunately, our image as a whole is being judged
by the actions of a few. It's happening on the Rubicon
and other trails as well.
I
say that our challenge for the future is to strategize
on ways to curtail illegal motorized outlaw activities,
thereby improving our image (or at least the perception
non motorized folks have of us). Obviously if we can
have the "right" image to bureaucrats and
politicians, our goal of continuing to have access
will be easier to obtain. Our credibility will go
up as will our results.
So
how do we go about that? The first steps are the same
as they've always been as far as I see it:
JOIN,
ADVOCATE, INCLUDE Others, and LETTERS (write 'em).
JOIN:
We must get folks to join organized recreation. Membership
means dues; dues mean having the budgets to fight
for access while educating the members on Tread Lightly!
principles and the rules of the trail. Outlaws are
mostly independents who are not part of organized
recreation. We should reach out to get them to join
us so they can realize the importance of NOT being
an outlaw.
ADVOCATE:
We all need to be an advocate for our sport. No more
sitting on the sidelines and cheering others on. If
you're not advocating your sport you're missing the
boat. There is little more powerful than a pitch from
the heart from someone who really enjoys what they're
doing. You are the one that can make a believer out
of your neighbor.
INCLUDE:
This year is the year to ensure you're taking politicians,
elected officials, and federal bureaucrats on your
trail rides/events. Include them in your sport. Show
them why we love what we love to do. Get on board
with the "Adopt-a-Ranger" program -- make
them part of your outings so they better understand
our perspective. Reach out to your family and friends.
Take them for a trail ride.
LETTERS:
We always need more letters. That's how the Sierra
Club does it; it's a numbers game. Do your share of
letter writing. If nothing else, at least express
your opinions and desires to ALL your elected officials
(local, state and federal), so they know how you feel
about land use and access.
Then,
after we do the above (I should say *continue* to
do the above, because many of us are already doing
that), we MUST police ourselves. I see no better alternative.
There
aren't enough federal bureaucrats around to catch
the outlaws. In fact, it's kind of obvious sometimes
that federal law enforcement officials pay more attention
to highway violations (National Park Service) and
organized (Special Use Permit) trail rides, than they
do back country outlaws.
It
would be easy to draw the conclusion that Park Service
gun-toters are a big part of our image problem. They
are not out there educating the independent users,
nor are they enforcing the rules in the back country
(unless it's an organized and permitted event). So
the outlaws run free and the Marshall stays in town
like the old west. I'm not saying all law enforcement
types are like that; but the Park Service sure has
more than their share.
So
yes, we need to police ourselves. If you drive/ride
by a violation of Tread Lightly! principles, or worse
yet, see a blatant Wilderness violation, stop and
do something about it. Tell the person involved what
they're doing and how it impacts the rest of us. Ask
them to stop. If they refuse or tell you to pound
sand, tell them you're taking their license number
(and maybe a picture) and reporting them to the nearest
law enforcement official. Tell them you're going to
report them to the folks who have adopted your trail
(such as the Friends of the Rubicon for that trail).
If
they're not cooperative, tell them you're making a
citizens arrest. Now DO NOT get a bent nose out of
this step. You don't need to *book em, Dano.* Just,
if need be, inform them you're making a citizens arrest
(hopefully with witnesses); find the first law enforcement
official you can; and turn your evidence over to them
(witness statements; license numbers, photos). It
compounds their problem when they don't comply with
your citizens arrest also. Talk to your Sheriff if
you're confused about this step. But at least gather
the data and give it to someone who can follow up.
Hey,
don't sit there and say to yourself: *Aw, the cops
and courts won't do anything about me reporting some
Wilderness violation hours or days after it happened.*
I say they will! They will if you push. You may have
to write your congressman and tell him/her what you
did (and provide the name of the officer you gave
your evidence to). But it can make a difference.
The
MOST important thing we can do is continue to strategize
on ways to improve our image and get rid of the impact
of outlaws. Your conventions, meetings, annual big
events should have a session wherein you help us all
come up with ways to enhance our image to the voting
public. It boils down to votes and the political system
that comes from those votes.
I
look forward to hearing about your ideas for improving
the image of motorized recreation.
Feel
free to write me if you have additional questions
or need any help.
Thanks
and keep recreating on your public lands, DEL
|
