Be Clear About Why You Are Mad At ATVs

Filed in archive Rants on October 2, 2007

In a recent post I ranted about extremists claiming ATVs destroy "ground".

Someone commented that

Response from: Dave

Well- I have been hiking on some trails near my house for over 20 years. In the last 4 years ATVs have started using the same trails. They loosen the soil, the rain washes away the loose dirt. The trails have been destroyed in just 4 years. So I would say ATVs destroy the ground.

I kind of understand where you're going, but let me get this straight, Dave... You say ATVs destroyed the trail? You mean there's no trail any more?

And where did the "trail" come from, Dave? Did YOU make it by walking on that area for twenty years? You realize you "destroyed" the area much the same way ATVs "destroy" the area, right Dave?




Or was it originally like a "deer" trail, and you just made it bigger by walking on it? See where I'm going, Dave? For one thing, It's not just ATVs doing damage. And the damage they're doing to "the ground", is simply moving dirt. It's not "destroying" dirt. It may destroy plants, yes. And they will grow back, at least in the sense that they'll grow back in the same manner as they will on any trails you make by walking or riding a bicycle on.

Lets be clear about what we're going to get mad about. If you get mad about tire tracks in an existing trail, that's petty. If you get mad about a new trail being formed by ATVs, but you're ok with cutting your own trails by walking, that's petty.

But if you're mad about ATVs going off the trail and destroying plants where they don't need to be riding, I can get behind that. Just like I can get behind keeping hikers and bicyclists FROM DOING THE SAME THING. Just like I can get behind hikers throwing their trash all over the place. I see it all the time. I don't see ATVers littering hardly at all.

Lets just be realistic about what we get mad about.