ppb Posted May 7, 2015 Posted May 7, 2015 http://calgaryherald.com/storyline/how-much-did-two-off-road-users-get-fined-for-joyriding-in-the-river-a-record-1500-each Great to see the judicial system recognizing the impact to the environment and giving out some stiff fines. Let's hope the precedent allows for more large fines against the disrespectful off roaders. I would love to see the RCMP special task force be green lighted, it may help change some attitudes of some off roaders and the impact they have on the rivers and streams. 2 Quote
bigalcal Posted May 8, 2015 Posted May 8, 2015 A great start but we all know that there is no manpower to enforce these regulations....it's nice to know that a citizen can provide a video or a licence plate and get results. I'm telling!! Quote
troutlover Posted May 8, 2015 Posted May 8, 2015 from the article it seems like they know that it is an issue and they are pressing to have a dedicated task force. That would be a great thing. I think it would help organize a lot of responsible ATV groups as well. Ontario has a great community of ATV groups and trails. I think Alberta might get there one day if the laws get a little more support. 2 Quote
BurningChrome Posted May 8, 2015 Posted May 8, 2015 from the article it seems like they know that it is an issue and they are pressing to have a dedicated task force. That would be a great thing. I think it would help organize a lot of responsible ATV groups as well. Ontario has a great community of ATV groups and trails. I think Alberta might get there one day if the laws get a little more support.There are groups trying to do exactly this, but so far there has been very lukewarm response from ESRD. Some of the folks there (usually on the enforcement side) think it's great, but those higher up the chain could care less. In the meantime we've been using our own resources, grants, and volunteers to build bridges over streams but we just don't have enough to do this everywhere. Like you said, Ontario has a good community and so do lots of places in the states. Hopefully we can get there too. http://trails4tomorrow.ca/the5es.html Quote
Heimdallr Posted May 9, 2015 Posted May 9, 2015 It's nice to see, but we all know the uphill battle and the assorted staffing/funding/enforcement problems. With a new government coming in, now is as good a time as any to try and make some headroom on issues like this. 4 Quote
BurningChrome Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 A little news on the enforcement front. http://alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=380653EF8CA6C-D296-D4E6-2EB6CFB38FFC7D52 1 Quote
SilverDoctor Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 Unless the ATV crowd starts self policing, they will loose access to many areas. Quote
DonAndersen Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 Be afraid, very afraid. The RCMP officer is the only person doing ATV enforcement in Alberta. Wayne needs more people enforcing the law. 15,000 quads go through Rocky each weekend. The ripping & tearing has already started for the weekend. Don Quote
BurningChrome Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 Unless the ATV crowd starts self policing, they will loose access to many areas.But the ones already breaking the law will continue to do so and ride in the closed areas. Look at it this way if we were talking about poachers: Unless the fishing crowd starts self-policing, they will lose access to many rivers. The ATV crowd already does self-police just as the fishing community does with poachers, but as we know that doesn't stop the problem and you'd only be punishing the folks who stay within the law. Hopefully the increased presence of enforcement will make people think twice. Quote
DonAndersen Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 It is anticipated that wards of 150 enforcement types will attempt to keep the lid on in the Rocky area. Stars ambulance just landed. The carnage has started. And I agree till law breakers start to police themselves, nothing happens. Don Quote
DougC Posted May 19, 2015 Posted May 19, 2015 Just curious, a thread on Facebook showed up on my news feed (friend of a friend) of a group of people ripping up and down and basically doing donuts in what I assume is the Clearwater river in their ATV's all weekend. I clicked on the original posters profile and she's got a bunch of videos and pics documenting themselves all weekend and it's pretty disgusting. Is there an email address that this can be forwarded to in hopes of charges getting laid? I couldn't find one on the esrd site. She's got all the evidence right there on her facebook page, so it should be a pretty cut and dry case. Thanks. Quote
Current Posted May 19, 2015 Posted May 19, 2015 Try the ESRD Environmental Hotline 1-800-222-6514 Quote
Guest bigdirty Posted May 19, 2015 Posted May 19, 2015 Download the vids before they get removed. Quote
BurningChrome Posted May 19, 2015 Posted May 19, 2015 Download the vids before they get removed.Yeah, take screenshots as well if possible, but the videos themselves will be the most damning thing. Hopefully the quads have plates on them so they're identifiable. Quote
DougC Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 Thanks for the response's and PM's, hopefully the images and video will make it into the right hands and there will be enough to go on. On one hand I feel kind of guilty for trying to get somebody fined but on the other there is just no excuse anymore for pleading ignorance. There has been so much attention brought to the issue online, on TV, on the radio, in the newspapers, at trailheads, and backcountry info kiosks for so long that you pretty much have to know what you're doing is wrong but you don't give a damn and are doing it anyways. I'm getting pretty sick of seeing all our watersheds and trail's turned into giant mud bogs. Once the ATV's get done with them they are unusable by any other user group, whether on foot, horseback, or two wheels. Venting complete - that felt good... :-) 1 Quote
ÜberFly Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 Post a link! Just curious, a thread on Facebook showed up on my news feed (friend of a friend) of a group of people ripping up and down and basically doing donuts in what I assume is the Clearwater river in their ATV's all weekend. I clicked on the original posters profile and she's got a bunch of videos and pics documenting themselves all weekend and it's pretty disgusting. Is there an email address that this can be forwarded to in hopes of charges getting laid? I couldn't find one on the esrd site. She's got all the evidence right there on her facebook page, so it should be a pretty cut and dry case. Thanks. Quote
BurningChrome Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 Post a link! Please don't. Someone will feel the need to make a comment or something and the videos will be taken down before the authorities see it. Quote
albertatrout Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 I hope they put some effort into pursuing it, keep us updated. I have had absolutely zero luck with calling in this sort of stuff (usually get a call back a few weeks after everything has been deleted). Quote
DougC Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 I would love to post a link but I want the authorities to be able to take a look at it first before it gets taken down or the facebook profile settings are changed to private. I saved a few of the photo's but could not figure out how to save the video off facebook. I don't know any of the people involved and passed the link off to another forum member who has some connections so as of now he knows just as much about it as me and hopefully he'll be able to get it in the right hands. I don't really expect to hear anything back about it but at least I know I've done what I could. Quote
BurningChrome Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 but could not figure out how to save the video off facebook Quote
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