Author Topic: any tips for keeping strangers off your track? (Read 6827 times)

GO OVRIT · « **on:** July 20, 2013, 10:04:26 PM »

It's not actually my land, but my best friends. He has 52 acres that we cut a few miles worth of trails on and an open field around 10 acres that our track is on. It is located just over a mile off the road and in the edge of over 3000 acres that my hunt club rents/manages. One way in is cabled. The other way in is over 5 miles of hunting roads and a minimum of 3 cables depending which route you take. We basically ride sunday afternoons and random other days when we can. Somehow there are random people riding there lately almost every day. Sometimes people will show up while we're there and try name dropping to justify their being there. It got to the point about 5 years ago that we flattend the track and completly quit riding there. Some guy on a dirt bike broke his neck and none of us had ever seen him before. Turns out he lived an hour away and heard about the place from some guy on exriders that we didn't know either. Luckily he nor anybody else tried to sue. Its a huge safety liability and lately has also been plagued with thieves. Somebody stole a bunch of 4"angle iron I took out there for building bridges, a charcoal grill, a pull behind roller, and a water trailer I was building to wet the track. We have No Trespassing signs and cables and it seems to be getting worse. What else can we do short of camping out there with a 12 gauge? It would be ashame to have to shut it down again. We have a lot more invested this time to try flattening it again. I buried some pretty good sized boats this time for the table tops. Any tips that won't get me arrested are greatly appreciated.

Black Sheep · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2013, 11:44:57 PM »

I had a post then decided a pm would be better...lol

GO OVRIT · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2013, 07:57:35 AM »

That's a pretty good idea. Might give that a try.

jcs003 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2013, 08:16:15 AM »

build a fence is about the only reasonable solution. might be expensive though.

john

Pumashine · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2013, 11:20:16 AM »

Quote from: Black Sheep;4858

I had a post then decided a pm would be better...lol

Now you all got our curiosity going and then............

I almost died when I was 12 riding my yamaha 60 in the field across the street. Another cyclist saw me and came over to ride the trail I made. Head on collision around a blind corner. I had the throttle pinned. Punctured my intestines with the handle bars and spent a month in the hospital. The doctor spent all night going through every inch of my intestines to find the 2 holes. He was having a bad day and just about gave up.

Nothing you can do on public property. Even on private property putting up tripping wires will get you sued.

jcs003 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2013, 11:31:05 AM »

definitely do not do anything that could lead to injury or death. some a-hole pounded a steel pipe into the ground on a trail and my good friend hit and and nearly lost his foot. broke his ankle so bad it was hanging on by only skin. not that you would do that but frustration can push reasonable people over the edge. sorry if this was insulting. no harm intended.

john

Black Sheep · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2013, 12:11:04 PM »

Lets just say that making sure they get flat tires everytime they illegaly ride on your property is a sure way to make it so they will not come back again.

Meat · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2013, 12:25:31 PM »

Booby traps are illegal and immoral. You have to actively patrol the land, no way around it.

Black Sheep · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2013, 12:38:45 PM »

It is not technically a booby trap and not illegal. Trespassing is however illegal (and immoral) and when someone is illegaly on your property engaging in an activity that can cause them harm (like riding) through no fault of your own and your are in a postition to be held liable for their injuries you are immune in most staes from prosecution since the offender is trespassing.

GO OVRIT · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2013, 01:13:14 PM »

I definately don't want to do anything that is unsafe. We've got hundreds of tires setup as barriers and guides for the track, to try and keep people from skipping parts and wind up going the wrong way. We have some fencing where it's feasible. We have No Trespassing signs around the property line and "Be on property at own risk" signs around the track. Several of our core group brings young kids out there to ride and when somebody shows up that's not looking out for the kids it can get a little scary. Aside from the safety aspect, it takes a lot of time to keep a track groomed. It takes a lot to get me mad, but when I spend 4-5 hours on a saturday morning getting the place in shape and sunday afternoon when I get there to ride the place is paralysed.....:fighting0061:

christph · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2013, 06:49:50 PM »

I hear you about the possibility of blind corner accidents. I was even cautious about them and got into one--unfortunately the guy coming the other direction was not. I was on my Raptor, slowed down because it was a blind corner, and a guy in a buggy came barreling down the trial in the opposite direction. I flew through his windscreen and stopped with half my body in his front seat. I was lucky I had my helmet on because my head apparently hit the roll cage and deflected off. My handle bars and steering stem were bent forward because my knees hit them and my frame was severely damage. In the end it was about an $1800 dollar accident, e.g., new frame, new shock, etc. Looking back I'm just glad I had my helmet on. I don't know if it would have killed me but it would have been bad. Nowadays I nearly stop at every blind corner.

xTHUNDERCATx · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2013, 07:02:59 PM »

Quote from: GO OVRIT;4911

"Be on property at own risk" signs around the track.

Get rid of these, I can understand where you come from but the moment you put these signs up i personally would take it as fair game to ride the land, its what it implies to me. I would bet more then one person looks at it the same way. We had a local track at home that had no trespassing and ride at your own risk signs, but we were allowed to be there so having both signs up can throw out a confusing message.

GO OVRIT · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2013, 08:11:48 PM »

I agree about the signs sending a mixed message, but my vote counts a little less since my buddy owns the land. It didn't look too bad today. I guess the upper 90s and high humidity kept them away this week. I didn't really feel like riding very long either.

Puma and christph, glad you both came out alright. Do you still ride on 2 wheels Tony?

2strokesforever · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2013, 11:34:12 PM »

try something on the trail in that might flatten their tires but you will have to remember not to hit it yourself.

Tbone07 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 22, 2013, 12:33:19 PM »

I had this happen, only private property and it was sleds riding at night during deer hunting season. Boy was I pissed. I layed down some logs where they were coming in and out and put up no trespassing signs. Was about all I could do.