Thoughts on ATV use in New Jersey.

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devilstoy

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Nov 21, 2008
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lindenwold
I've been in countless areas where ATVs have left scars upon delicate environs in the pinelands. For example, this past Tuesday, at the final bog visited, on the fringe of the Great Swamp, I noted to Al where an ATV had picked a path between two spaced trees, entered the bog, and did a huge loop in the wetlands. Really ...

Bill
there is alot of people who just dont care , the people who do that kind of stuff and the ones who decide to ride through the farmers feilds during crop season yea.... they ruin it for everyone
 

bobpbx

Piney
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Oct 25, 2002
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Pines; Bamber area
i dont have a problem with not be able to ride on state land but i wish there was just somewhere legal to go , but how is it ok for a dual sport dirt bike to be allowed ?

I owned a dual sport and may own one again. I have seen quite a few dual sport riders in my travels. They usually pass by quietly, respectfully slowing down when they see you. Not to stereotype them (but I will), they are usually over 30 years old, well mannered, and in it for the beauty of the scenery and the wonder of exploring the numerous trails.

Contrast that with roving packs of teenage ATV fans, whirling and spinning and cranking it up as wild as they can. Last year, I was driving my truck on Forked River Mountain business down the Tuckerton Railroad. One young wahoo in a pack of three of them coming towards me thought that I would be impressed by his wheelie at 30 MPH. It almost got out of control and hit my fender.
 

Ben Ruset

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Oct 12, 2004
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i dont have a problem with not be able to ride on state land but i wish there was just somewhere legal to go , but how is it ok for a dual sport dirt bike to be allowed ?

So here's the reason why dual sports are allowed.

You can ride a dual sport bike on any public road in NJ. It's classified the same as a motorcycle or a car or truck. It's legal for any road. Quads and MX bikes are not - you were only ever allowed to cross a paved road with them, not drive on them.

So when they established the ban they still wanted to allow trucks and SUV's on state land, so dual sport bikes, motorcycles, and anything else that is allowed on any road in NJ is safe to ride in the woods.

Sorry if it's a lousy explanation, if you read the ban it kind of explains it a bit better.
 

Aaron

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Jul 29, 2007
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there is alot of people who just dont care , the people who do that kind of stuff and the ones who decide to ride through the farmers feilds during crop season yea.... they ruin it for everyone

But just think, even if its .01% of all ATV riders that ride like morons and have 0 regard for the land. And right now we are having areas abused and damaged. By statistics alone if we had more ATV riders the percent would stay the same BUT the actual number or A Holes messing up the pines would increase.

And not to be inflamatory but why would anyone buy a ATV in NJ? Thats like living in the middle of a desert and buying a power boat.
 

LARGO

Piney
Sep 7, 2005
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And not to be inflamatory but why would anyone buy a ATV in NJ? Thats like living in the middle of a desert and buying a power boat.

I'm not trying to be funny here.
I don't really get that comparison. Could just be me.

g.

Oh, not Aaron's post but this is another thread with some fabulous grammar which really drives home the old argument for both sides.
O.K., O.K., I'll leeve it alone. Promiss.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ

They received a grant of about $340K this year for developing this park, but this is the first article I've seen about it since then, thanks for posting it. Finally someone is doing something. Too bad the state isn't involved as they agreed to be. That site is currently used for races from time to time. Good location; easy access, not much development nearby.
 

GermanG

Piney
Apr 2, 2005
1,108
430
Little Egg Harbor
Beacause people buy ATVs in NJ knowing they have no place to ride them, seems pointless to me :)

You might be giving the general public, who don’t frequent forums like this or do other types of research, too much credit. I’d be willing to bet that many first time ATV buyers have no idea how limited their legal opportunities to ride in the state are before they make their purchase . The guy trying to sell them one certainly isn’t going to stress that unpleasant reality.
 

Aaron

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Jul 29, 2007
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You might be giving the general public, who don’t frequent forums like this or do other types of research, too much credit. I’d be willing to bet that many first time ATV buyers have no idea how limited their legal opportunities to ride in the state are before they make their purchase . The guy trying to sell them one certainly isn’t going to stress that unpleasant reality.

You're probably correct
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,334
321
Near Mt. Misery
So here's the reason why dual sports are allowed.

You can ride a dual sport bike on any public road in NJ. It's classified the same as a motorcycle or a car or truck. It's legal for any road. Quads and MX bikes are not - you were only ever allowed to cross a paved road with them, not drive on them.

So when they established the ban they still wanted to allow trucks and SUV's on state land, so dual sport bikes, motorcycles, and anything else that is allowed on any road in NJ is safe to ride in the woods.

Sorry if it's a lousy explanation, if you read the ban it kind of explains it a bit better.

That is a pretty good summery. I've been riding for a long time as many here are aware. The truth is (from someone who really knows) a quad or competition MX bike can be far more destructive than a dual sport motorcyle. As Bob stated, there are differences in the demographics of the people utilizing one vehicle over the other as well. But of course, the manner in which it is used it the greatest determining factor as to it's impact on the environment. In fact, I would go to say that a dual sport bike is the least damaging mode of gasoline powered transportation suitable for the pines, short of a conventional car (which is not suitable in some circumstances.)

I understand your frustration over places to ride ATV's but I strongly urge you not to draw comparisons to legal means of transportation. I could do more damage with my bronco than anybody could with an ATV, but if you start saying "why can't I ride my quad if he can ride his motorcyle or 4x4, it caters to the mind set that all vehlicular traffic should be banned. I know you, nor I, or most anybody commenting on the subject wants that.

Jeff
 

bobpbx

Piney
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Oct 25, 2002
14,146
4,252
Pines; Bamber area
But of course, the manner in which it is used it the greatest determining factor as to it's impact on the environment. Jeff

Well said Jeff. And here, I'll go further. I never minded seeing Enduro event tracks left over from sanctioned and well-run events. Thirty years ago, they probably did not do a great job routing "some" sections of the Enduro events around sensitive areas. But I see no problem continuing those kind of events as long as a biologist and someone saavy about geology is on hand during the track design. That, and of course the need to rotate the areas which they are held at from year to year. The pines could withstand these type of events since they are controlled and not a free for all like I have seen with ATV's in the bogs.
 

mudboy dave

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Oct 15, 2008
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atco
opentrailsnj.org
Im sure if all the people that want to ride put there money together they could get a huge lot of land and go to it.:words:
then you'd have people complaining about wetlands down there. looked into it already. if this is the case also i think the forked river marina should be shut down
 

dragoncjo

Piney
Aug 12, 2005
1,519
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camden county
Just a fyi what they are doing at the old chatsworth park is for a couple reasons, the downed trees serve a purpose for a endangered species. The park was destroyed because that area isn't patrolled by Conservation officers so they wanted to eliminate the urge riders may have to go there, which meant eliminating some cools orv areas there. Also if someone rides there, (eventhough it was closed as a orv park) and gets hurt on some of the jumps they had set up there NJCF risks getting sued(this is why you see private property signs there to protect themselves). Also NJCF hired a guard to protect the area from ORV use. Also for the two guys outraged about what they did to that place, what is the big deal?? NJCF is trying to make the area more nature friendly and protect it from illegal ORV use....what is wrong with that?

As for the dual sports I agree with Bob and Jeff. I see dual sports all the time as most of my explorations are deep in the pines.....these guys are always very respectful, at least 30 years or older and stay on the trails. I was hiking this last year and four saw me they actual shut down there bikes and waited for me to pass.....The guys quading out there are just looking to destroy habitat....I've seen this far too much at Manumuskin and Menatico down in cumberland county.......
 

BIGGMIKE101

New Member
Nov 30, 2008
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Just a fyi what they are doing at the old chatsworth park is for a couple reasons, the downed trees serve a purpose for a endangered species. The park was destroyed because that area isn't patrolled by Conservation officers so they wanted to eliminate the urge riders may have to go there, which meant eliminating some cools orv areas there. Also if someone rides there, (eventhough it was closed as a orv park) and gets hurt on some of the jumps they had set up there NJCF risks getting sued(this is why you see private property signs there to protect themselves). Also NJCF hired a guard to protect the area from ORV use. Also for the two guys outraged about what they did to that place, what is the big deal?? NJCF is trying to make the area more nature friendly and protect it from illegal ORV use....what is wrong with that?

As for the dual sports I agree with Bob and Jeff. I see dual sports all the time as most of my explorations are deep in the pines.....these guys are always very respectful, at least 30 years or older and stay on the trails. I was hiking this last year and four saw me they actual shut down there bikes and waited for me to pass.....The guys quading out there are just looking to destroy habitat....I've seen this far too much at Manumuskin and Menatico down in cumberland county.......

nature friendly my ass how can you call knocking down over a couple a hundred trees nature friendly ? AND YOU SEEN SOME DUAL SPORTS AND THEY SHUT THEM DOWN . .WHAT ARE YOU GOD IS THAT WHY THEY SHUT THEM DOWN THAT IS SO STUPID.AS FOR THE GUYS QUADING DESTROYING STUFF SPEAK FOR YOUR SELF .I BEEN RIDEING QUADS 4 25 YEARS AND IAM NOT OUT THERE TO DESTROY THINGS. YOU ALMOST TALK LIKE YOUR A RANGER?




/
 

BIGGMIKE101

New Member
Nov 30, 2008
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0
but just think, even if its .01% of all atv riders that ride like morons and have 0 regard for the land. And right now we are having areas abused and damaged. By statistics alone if we had more atv riders the percent would stay the same but the actual number or a holes messing up the pines would increase.

And not to be inflamatory but why would anyone buy a atv in nj? Thats like living in the middle of a desert and buying a power boat.

have you herd of you tube ? Watch those jeeps tare up those mud ponds and bogs and there not morons !!
 
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