vision2020
Fwd: The Curtailment of "Mudboging"...
Title: Fwd: The Curtailment of
"Mudboging"...
Bill, Don et al.,
I am somewhat surprised to see such a close-minded reaction to
"alternative" outdoor recreation. If it is not hiking
is it outside the realm of validity? I suspect that many of
those who would outlaw or even implement destructive devices to deter
OHV use are the very same "visionaries" who cry foul when
skateboarders are told they must stay off sidewalks and
streetsŠwhile simultaneously being provided with no alternative
terrain.
What happened to tolerance? where is the "vision"
of developing designated recreation areas? The charge against
skaters is that they damage property and threaten the safety of
others. Sounds like a similar charge to the one leveled at
ATV's, 4x4s, etc. So why be any less open-minded and creative
with this group?
This is not simply an issue from some far-off API story.
There is a vigorous body of recreators in the Palouse who seek to use
their motorized vehicles. They, like others in this billion
dollar market, deserve well thought out and equitable recreation areas
(remember equity?). There are no such locations in within a
reasonable drive. The same can hardly be said for other outdoor
recreation. Want to rock climb? Mt bike? hike?
Those and many more sports ARE provided for. Many were once
marginalized, considered to be "fringe", and experienced
being ignored. Any snowboarder from way back will remember those
days (and not very fondly).
The elitism that is routinely applied to OHV enthusiasts is
embarrassing and smacks of hypocrisy. Are there any sports
lacking "jerks"? Do any of us not find some group
whose members do not generally rub us the wrong way? And are
those not the groups we are most apt to avoid (and therefore remain
ignorant ofŠand even fearful of) and therefore to misunderstand?
How does user conflict equate to a right to outlaw and exclude a
sport?
Educating oneself about a group and then helping them by
providing for their needs is a far better approach than ostracizing
them. Marginalizing and making enemies of off-roaders has been
the approach used in recent decades by those wishing to protect
wildlands. Where has it gotten anyone?
Here's to showing true vision in the future.
s
ps- before chanting "Hayduke, Hayduke, Hayduke!",
recall that he drove a 4x4 (equipped--gasp!--with a winch)Šand
tossed beer cans asunder.
Visionaries:
All I can say is, "Heyduke
Lives"!
I'm with you, Bill.
Don Kaag (Who loves the wilderness and
despises motorized scofflaws and their illegal
depredations...)
From: bill london
<london@moscow.com>
Date: Sat Jun 15, 2002
11:36:22 AM US/Pacific
To: Vision2020
<vision2020@moscow.com>
Subject: mud boggers
The Thursday Lewiston
Tribune (6/13, page 1C) included an article
about tire-piercing spikes found in mug
bogs in the Pomeroy Forest
Service Ranger District. The spikes
were placed illegally. The spikes
were discovered because they punctured
tires on 4-wheelers that were
being driven through forest meadows
creating mud bogs.
The "mud-bogging"
(driving through the meadows) is illegal because
of the damage to water quality and to the
meadows themselves. However,
the authorities involved said they were
more concerned with the spikes,
and considered the placing of the spikes
an act of eco-terrorism.
While I do not support
the vigilante justice action of placing those
spikes, I certainly can relate to the
emotion and anger behind it. I
have seen beautiful mountain meadows
ravaged through the thoughtless and
wanton destruction by 4-wheelers and
motorcylcists. In just a few
minutes, the wet soils and fragile
flowers of a meadow can disappear,
churned to mud--which then fouls streams
and invites further desecration
later.
Given the
impossibility of stationing guards at every meadow or
catching any of the perpetrators in the
act, perhaps stopping
mud-bogging with spikes is not such a bad
idea. Maybe the US Forest
Service should place tire-piercing spikes
in areas where "mud-boggers"
go for their kinky thrills. The
USFS could post plenty of warning
signs. Perhaps the potential threat
to their machines would keep these
scofflaws on the roads and out of the
meadows.
The situation is the
same as the commion practice of police placing
strips of tire-piercing spikes on roads
when they are trying to stop a
vehicle in a chase situation. Of
course, the police do not place spike
strips randomly across roads. They
use the spikes when they are trying
to stop someone in a dangerous and
illegal act.
Same with the spikes
in the meadows. By definition, anyone driving
in the meadow is committing an illegal
act. A flat tire is better than
a ravaged meadow.
BL
--
Thanks,
s
* * * * * * *
*
Sean Michael
.dwg
Back to TOC