Rebel Yell Canada Creek Ticket Thread

It's just jail you guys, what are you scared of? Seriously though, I'm all about stop the oppresion and give me my 40 mules, bla bla bla, but what will one day of lost wages cost you guys, I bet it's more than $75. I say screw em and do what Matt is talking about and head out west, it's alot better out there anyways. I'm in for a week next year.

This kind of stuff pisses me off. A group of LEGAL guys riding something that by all appearances is LEGAL get Ticketed.

Personally I'd probably end up paying the $75 fine especially if it didn't hurt my Insurance. An Attorney plus time away from work is costly. If you could just plead your case to a DA or Magistrate or someone then what's to lose, but it looks like this is more compllicated than that.

Most DAs/Magistrates etc are pretty sensible folks. Not long ago I got a ticket for making an illegal pass; I was 2nd in line at a left turn signal (green) behind a dump truck and I passed him on the inside leaving the light. Just my luck a cop is a ticket writing spree on the street we're turning on to, doesn't care why I passed just that I did and it was illegal. I got see the DA and tell him I was on a Motorcycle and the Truck was dumping gravel. DA throws the ticket out, no fines, no fees etc. So don't rule out you can't wan just 'cause you're the little guy fightin' the system.

I'd definetly make some calls to people in the NFS offices and even write your Districts Congress Rep and Senator about the situation (they won't get your ticket dismissed but it raises the awareness of the corruption and discrimination against our sport). You'd be amazed, but some of them will even personally respond.

I wrote Mary Landrieu (D) and David Vitter (R) about an issue regarding Health Insurance Discrimation towards Motorcylists that a Bill that was being put up for Vote in the Senate that would legally allow this discrimantion!! and told them to support us Bikers and other people who engage in "Dangerous Sports" and not vote the bill in. Mary didn't respond but Vitter PERSONALLY wrote back; (he said he'd vote NO) I was quite amazed.

I wish you guys the best of luck and it'll be a shame to loose a good riding area.

$75 is not worth it,,,,,,,,,,,,, thats what they are hoping for. They write the ticket and it's not worth fighting and their coffers are $75 deeper. When is it worth it? $100, $200 or $500?

I will keep fighting until I get you boys cleared or put in prison!

You must have plenty of time on your hands, because when I'm not working I like to ride. I know that area is a blast but I can breeze through it in 30 minutes or less. Hell I will knock it out of my 12 hour ride and add something else in and still have a blast. Lets just ride while we are young enough. If they would have came off HWY 60 this would have been a warning. The way they came through is what gotem the ticket. Just my 2 cents. On the other hand if they came through from 60 and the rangers were over on Canada creek beside the creek or near the Gaddistown gate they would have been ticketed.

Flux, I think you have the right idea about checking with the head ranger to see exactly what is legal and what is not. Having a map that showed the approved trails for dual-sport use would be a big relief for those that want to behave appropriately. Perhaps the forest service would see that as a sign that we are all not dicks raw hiding the woods for our own selfish pleasures. And Highland Park is not my first choice either, as I don't really care to trailer all the way to Cedartown for a few hours of riding on my heavy ass DR650. That area just doesn't have the same allure that Blood Mountain does for me.

~lloyd

I really do not have that much spare time either, but I'll make the time. Wrong is wrong. I am not trying to make this more of a Federal issue than it already is. I probably ride more in a month than most people do in a year,,,,,,,,,,, That is why I am so upset by this. If I am asked to play by the rules I expect that out of the rangers as well.

Hi Guys,
I'm glad you are not quitting the dualsport game. That would really suck if that was the outcome of this.
I third, fourth etc. the idea of going to the forest service office and talking to one of the head rangers about this. Hopefully they will have some common sense about this issue. I never thought of it, but the only ones who were really illegal were the rangers riding unlicensed atv's.
Personally, once the hunting seasons are over they will cut out the overtime and you will no longer see many rangers out and about seeking to generate revenue.
I just got back from a 2 week trip out west. They have some issues out there too. But, there is a lot of land and not too many people using it--unlike the N. GA. Mtns. We got a 20 min lecture in Canyonlands about not walking around out in the desert because we would be disturbing the "macrobiotic soil."
Lord willing and the creek does not rise, I will be back in Moab next spring. There is some great riding out there, but you had better be prepared--you are a long way from anything/anyone. Now that would be a BIG adventure if you went out there.
I have no problem throwing my DRZ in the back of my truck to visit somewhere distant. Since they do not make tires like on the Mach 5 where you can push a button and knobbies pop out/dual range transmissions, it is hard to ride a bike to where you can do some serious offroading. Do some truck pooling to share expenses and you are all set.
Good luck,
Doug

Moab would be a GREAT trip. I just wish I could take a week off when it's warm enough to ride out there. Oh yeah, everyone knows BMW's have that Mach 5 modification.

As far as the ticket thing goes, I have decided to pay the fucker. I don't have the time or the money to fight it, and frankly I just wanna get back to the point where I don't think about it all day anymore. It is all I have thought about since it happened. I still intend to follow up with the NFS and get more involved in the legal aspect of riding, but I gotta put this behind me at some point. I'm also a little worried that they will go berserk and put signs up EVERYWHERE (even though technically they don't need to sign ANYTHING to mark it as closed.)

Plus one on the signs and gates. Flux you need to head to Sylva. Check it out.http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268700

Looks like fun Mike. I really HATE having to toss the bike in the back of the truck though...absolutely cannot stand having to go back to home base to scoop up my things. A 690 would cure that issue.

You're bitching about a $75 ticket while trying to rationalize the purchase of a $8300 thumper? If that's not irony, I don't know what is.

Yeah, you're absolutely right. I should just bend over and let Uncle Sam RAPE me for my money instead of enjoying it the way that I see fit. :fyyff

Lighten up Francis. I was just fuckin with ya. Don't let the man get you down because of this one incident. Ride the KLR up here and I'll show you some dualsport rides. That bike will handle it (look at Willy-B) you know.

How about the 950?

With you riding it, no problem. Come on up before they close the trails for hunting season.

Maybe you missed the after sentence. No ill intention was meant, and I'd be happy to come up for a visit sometime.

I didn't see where their position is if not marked open it is closed. Did the fed take that stand?
The only way to fight that is a law suit against NFS.
Set up a trust fund to receive donations from both the 4wd and motorcycle community.
That would only force the Feds to mark trails closed. Not really anything to gain.

Forgive me if this is 205, but we have the same problem in Ocala. They are closing allot of the # roads that are on the map sold @ the ranger station.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida/recreation/ocala_ohv.shtml

So whatever came of this? I'm charged with the same violation off hwy 105 in Pisgah NF and have my court date this Wednesday. Wish I would have seen this thread earlier!

IIRC they all mailed in the $$

We all just paid it and moved on.

I actually ended up with 2 federal tickets that year both by Federal Rangers. The other one I got on the Natchez Trace Pky. Neither one of them ever showed up on my record.

Honestly, its not worth messing with the federal courts. Did they give you an envelope to mail to an office in Atlanta? All federal tickets go there.

If you can just pay it, I would.

How much they charging? Both of mine were $50 + $25 processing fee. $75 was pretty cheap to pay for a bit of fun.