ATV Happenings

“Thousands attend public meeting on ATV access

"It's Polaris' position .... Develop a plan that meets the objectives of more ATV trails, not less."

"... state Department of Natural Resources officials said it was the largest public hearing the agency has ever hosted."

”

“ATV's suck, everywhere they go destruction and litter follow. They are ripping the forests and gamelands to shreds around here with a trail of beer cans along the way.”

“That picture is interesting - the driver's wearing short pants, no knee/elbow pads and tennis shoes(?) while riding in rough terrain? Wonder why he/she's wearing a helmet?”

“Because it's easier to fix a knee or elbow...and harder to fix a brain.”

“this is the statement I hear while laying in my tent for hunting season in the Ocala National Forest. So, to me, they (the A.T.V. riders) know they're obnoxious.

In the Ocala National Forest the riders are not supposed to ride on the numbered roads, yet they scream along claiming they can't get to the riding trail without using the roads; moreover, they get around riding on the roads by using the road's sides (at 50 m.p.h.).

It all makes one appreciate more the National Parks System. But if money's the matter and the hikers are quiet enough I suppose the parks'll one day bring the noise too.”

“A man was shot twice in the leg by a state park officer in Bergen County yesterday during a clash between authorities and all-terrain vehicle riders, officials said.

The afternoon altercation broke out in the woods of Ringwood State Park in Mahwah, after three conservation officers confronted a group of people riding ATVs, which are prohibited in the park, according to state Department of Environmental Protection officials.

The confrontation led to a scuffle and "one of our officers did eventually shoot one of the riders in the leg twice," DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson said last night.

Fellow ATV riders identified the victim as Emil Mann, a 43-year-old Monroe, N.Y., resident. He was in stable condition last night at Hackensack University Medical Center, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Two officers were also hurt in the melee, said Jose Fernandez, director of the state Division of Parks and Forestry.

Lt. Kelly Gottheiner was treated for a head injury at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, N.Y., after being bumped by an ATV's handlebar, officials said.

An unidentified male officer was also at Good Samaritan last night after being bitten by an ATV rider, Fernandez said. Officials did not identify the officer who fired the shots.

Ringwood State Park is a 4,000-acre preserve amid the rocky, wooded hills of northern Bergen and Passaic counties, about 20 miles northwest of the George Washington Bridge.

http://www.nynjtc.org/externalnews/2006/atv2.html”

“He shot too low.”

“Hmmm, the man shot was from my area. What the hell was he doing all the way down there to ride?”

“lumberzac, different Monroe. This Monroe is near the state park.”

“There's too many Monroe's in NYS.”

“There are no signs where they were riding as they (the Manns ("ramapo Valley Mountain people") take them down. That said 4 wheelers are up there all the time. They are old 4 wheeler trails.”

“Just another example of the attitude of ATV riders. Just because they spend thousands of dollars to buy these machines they think they can go wherever they want with them.

A few years ago an officer was run over here by an ATV rider and was badly injured. The ATV rider left the cop bleeding on the road and it's a good thing someone drove by and called an ambulance. They caught the rider and he did spend some time in jail, but got off light for what he did to the officer.

Another rider was shot in the arm with a shotgun blast from a fed up landowner 2 years ago. The group of riders harrassed the woman and she shot one of them. The rider sued her and won, but didn't get much in damages.”