OHV Community Speaks Out

Excellent article, Rick. Here are some excerpts:

We're proud of the organized OHV community and it really chaps us how the anti-access crowd gets away with vilifying and slandering the vast majority who responsibly use vehicles for recreation.

(Del Albright) advises an approach that simply does not tolerate illegal behavior from other OHV'ers. In a polite and non confrontational way, we need to let the 10% know that illegal actions just aren't acceptable. "[I am] afraid that the actions of these uncaring, indolent, boorish imbeciles will drive the general public and land managing agencies to start really pushing for road closure, vehicle build restrictions and more government interference."

Allow me to plainly say that I will not be swayed by the argument that our anti-access adversaries don't care if we are ethical or not, and they will continue to lobby for our complete removal from America's public lands. While that is absolutely true, it doesn't matter. The organized OHV community has a responsibility to teach proper backcountry trail use to our peers -- period. End of story.

(Brian Hawthorne is the Public Lands Director for the BlueRibbon Coalition.)