Personal Recreational Vehicles

American's love their ATVs, jet-skis and snowmobiles. Most of these "toys" are designed for two or less riders, and provide thrills and pleasure for the few while disturbing the many. While there are practical, utilitarian uses of ATVs and snowmobiles, a vast number users just want to ride them as fast and dangerously as their skill allows. Unfortunately, these vehicles create a tremendous amount of air and noise pollution and environmental destruction. Aided by Federal laws on the books dating back tho the 1800's there is vehicular access to much of our Federal parks system. In the entire National Forest system - covering more than 190 million acres in 155 forests - only 2 forests, the Hoosier in Indiana and the Monongahela in West Virginia, do not allow off-road vehicle use. Use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone Park is up for review and it looks like they will be allowing some 750 snowmobiles a day to access the park. Towns like Easthampton on Long Island have regulations banning jet-skis from most public beach areas to protect the many from the few.

I'm not advocating eliminating off-road vehicles from the American landscape (it would never happen); but there has to be controls on their operation, noise and air emissions and terrain access. I have a home in a developing rural area, the Catskills, and I have seen mountain hiking trails turned into rock and bare root- strewn, mud-streams. Anyone hiking or living anywhere near an ATV or dirt bike enthusiast can attest to the disruption of nature and serenity that accompanies their use. Many states do not require any type of a license, permit or insurance to operate these vehicles and helmet laws are few and far between. I see 10-year-old kids blasting through the woods at 30 mph without a care in the world...and have had the same ATV novices pull out in front of my car on my road -- cluless that my car could accidentally crush them (they can't hear a thing).

Ultimately, large areas of our national parks and wilderness should remain accessible only by foot - to prevent the introduction of non-native plant species tracked in by vehicles used in other eco-systems, and to allow nature to exist as it should - undisturbed by mechanized intruders. Let specific areas and terrain be designated for off-road toys and let regulations reflect their hazardous characteristics and operation. Rant over.
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