Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by Reg0928 »

Good work, Silverton! Hopefully the Silverton ban doesn't cause Lake City to get more overrun than it already is
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by Imcp »

hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm Someone fill me in on why everyone seems to hate OHV's? I love seeing them on the road when I go to Lake City and other mtn towns -- like a cool feature of a different culture. I also think if I were to rent one that I'd want to be able to drive around town -- especially in a place like Lake City or Silverton where things like the alpine loop are at your doorstep. The speed limits in small towns tend to be slow anyway, and they have to follow the same laws as cars (correct me if I'm wrong on this). They can't be any more of a nuisance than cyclists and their vehicular napoleon complexes...
It's not local culture, it is tourist culture dropped onto the communities. A bit like enjoying Nepal's culture because of all the Everest climbers. Sure most OHVers are fine but how many times can a person tolerate a caravan of loud OHVers with unnecessary flashing colored lights twice as bright as anyone's high beams driving through town on a summer week night?
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by XterraRob »

hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm Someone fill me in on why everyone seems to hate OHV's? I love seeing them on the road when I go to Lake City and other mtn towns -- like a cool feature of a different culture. I also think if I were to rent one that I'd want to be able to drive around town -- especially in a place like Lake City or Silverton where things like the alpine loop are at your doorstep. The speed limits in small towns tend to be slow anyway, and they have to follow the same laws as cars (correct me if I'm wrong on this). They can't be any more of a nuisance than cyclists and their vehicular napoleon complexes...
From what I've experienced:

- Going too fast around blind corners and almost striking my vehicle
- Tearing up trails and roads ruthlessly at full throttle
- Parking like idiots in this worst places

There are good groups out there that are respectful but I've seen a lot of asshats from Texas that give no f****.
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by Boaterzz »

hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm They can't be any more of a nuisance than cyclists and their vehicular napoleon complexes...
Solely based on this stupid thought, I can tell you drive a lifted diesel one ton, towing a toy hauler 5th wheel with a sxs in it. MAGA!

Douchebag.
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by RyGuy »

hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm Someone fill me in on why everyone seems to hate OHV's? I love seeing them on the road when I go to Lake City and other mtn towns -- like a cool feature of a different culture. I also think if I were to rent one that I'd want to be able to drive around town -- especially in a place like Lake City or Silverton where things like the alpine loop are at your doorstep. The speed limits in small towns tend to be slow anyway, and they have to follow the same laws as cars (correct me if I'm wrong on this). They can't be any more of a nuisance than cyclists and their vehicular napoleon complexes...
Most of the time I see OHV's these days, I see a lot of:
OHV's treating back country roads like a rally course. Go as fast as you can and who cares about anyone else around you.
Lots of people who have little to no understanding of trail etiquette. Especially in rentals...
A complete lack of respect to the environment. Driving/Parking off trail, cutting switchbacks, donuts in the middle of the road, etc.
A general attitude of "I paid $10,000 to come vacation here, and I can do whatever the heck I want" from a lot of the tourists riding them. Especially Texans and Okies.
Driving at night with lots of flashing lights, roaring exhausts and blasting stereo system while normal people are trying to get some sleep when out camping.

Basically they are a plague and more and more places are trying to ban them. Moab is also dealing with this mess: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/02/25/ ... -sleep-he/
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by hellmanm »

Boaterzz wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:11 pm
hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm They can't be any more of a nuisance than cyclists and their vehicular napoleon complexes...
Solely based on this stupid thought, I can tell you drive a lifted diesel one ton, towing a toy hauler 5th wheel with a sxs in it. MAGA!

Douchebag.
Dude, I'm a 26-year-old Subaru-driving guy with 2 degrees who can't stand Trump. You're making a lot of totally unfounded assumptions about me in response to a perfectly legitimate (and relevant to the thread) question -- which btw you didn't even address. Get off your high horse. Ty to others for your insight (especially the person who sent a detailed, thoughtful PM). I still have issues with this ban, but I have a better understanding of the various factors leading to it.
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by Conor »

RyGuy wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:17 pm
hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm Someone fill me in on why everyone seems to hate OHV's? I love seeing them on the road when I go to Lake City and other mtn towns -- like a cool feature of a different culture. I also think if I were to rent one that I'd want to be able to drive around town -- especially in a place like Lake City or Silverton where things like the alpine loop are at your doorstep. The speed limits in small towns tend to be slow anyway, and they have to follow the same laws as cars (correct me if I'm wrong on this). They can't be any more of a nuisance than cyclists and their vehicular napoleon complexes...
Most of the time I see OHV's these days, I see a lot of:
OHV's treating back country roads like a rally course. Go as fast as you can and who cares about anyone else around you.
Lots of people who have little to no understanding of trail etiquette. Especially in rentals...
A complete lack of respect to the environment. Driving/Parking off trail, cutting switchbacks, donuts in the middle of the road, etc.
A general attitude of "I paid $10,000 to come vacation here, and I can do whatever the heck I want" from a lot of the tourists riding them. Especially Texans and Okies.
Driving at night with lots of flashing lights, roaring exhausts and blasting stereo system while normal people are trying to get some sleep when out camping.

Basically they are a plague and more and more places are trying to ban them. Moab is also dealing with this mess: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/02/25/ ... -sleep-he/
I hate to admit i don't make it to the san juans as much as i would like. But my experience is completely opposite of what is described here. It's all those hikers overcrowding trailheads - sleeping illegally and then bitching about the noise. What's up with them making a bunch of racket at 4 am next to my campsite? And they poop everywhere...
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by IntrepidXJ »

hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm Someone fill me in on why everyone seems to hate OHV's?
I've done a lot of driving on the backroads in the San Juans over the years, and I can tell you from first hand experience that as the number of side-by-sides on these roads has exponentially increased the past few years, the roads have gotten torn up pretty badly. There are a couple of roads that I used to drive regularly that I just won't any more because they have gotten so bad. A lot of the people that rent these vehicles just want to keep the throttle to the floor and don't realize (or care) how much they are tearing up the roads when they do. That's my main gripe with them, although they can also be pretty annoying in the small towns, especially for the people who live there and have to hear them buzz around constantly.

That said, I am happy that Silverton has voted to ban them from the roads in town. I used to love visiting Silverton frequently, but have stopped going there as much ever since the side-by-sides started taking over.
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by Peak200 »

Super happy they banned them
Bye bye
They are a scourge to the backcountry
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by RyGuy »

Conor wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 1:49 am
RyGuy wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:17 pm
hellmanm wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:51 pm Someone fill me in on why everyone seems to hate OHV's? I love seeing them on the road when I go to Lake City and other mtn towns -- like a cool feature of a different culture. I also think if I were to rent one that I'd want to be able to drive around town -- especially in a place like Lake City or Silverton where things like the alpine loop are at your doorstep. The speed limits in small towns tend to be slow anyway, and they have to follow the same laws as cars (correct me if I'm wrong on this). They can't be any more of a nuisance than cyclists and their vehicular napoleon complexes...
Most of the time I see OHV's these days, I see a lot of:
OHV's treating back country roads like a rally course. Go as fast as you can and who cares about anyone else around you.
Lots of people who have little to no understanding of trail etiquette. Especially in rentals...
A complete lack of respect to the environment. Driving/Parking off trail, cutting switchbacks, donuts in the middle of the road, etc.
A general attitude of "I paid $10,000 to come vacation here, and I can do whatever the heck I want" from a lot of the tourists riding them. Especially Texans and Okies.
Driving at night with lots of flashing lights, roaring exhausts and blasting stereo system while normal people are trying to get some sleep when out camping.

Basically they are a plague and more and more places are trying to ban them. Moab is also dealing with this mess: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/02/25/ ... -sleep-he/
I hate to admit i don't make it to the san juans as much as i would like. But my experience is completely opposite of what is described here. It's all those hikers overcrowding trailheads - sleeping illegally and then bitching about the noise. What's up with them making a bunch of racket at 4 am next to my campsite? And they poop everywhere...
Conor, while I agree the new wave of COVID hikers is certainly similar in their general lack of education and courtesy, spend some time on the Alpine Loop in the San Juans during the summer. You'll be impressed just how reckless, dangerous and annoying the OHV hordes down there are. I've nearly hit several who were ripping around blind turns in the road at 45MPH plus on Engineer and Cinnamon passes. Got into an altercation with a group of Okies with a couple other forum members when they came up to the top of Cinnamon Pass and let a big dog loose who tore off trying to kill a nearby Pika. When we asked them to get a leash on the dog, the guy actually had the balls to walk over and then tell me "I paid $15,000 to come here and be on vacation and I don't give a $hit what you think, I'll do whatever the hell I please! Now piss off!" And then one of my favorites is when a group of them does this in the middle of the night and you are camping anywhere within a mile of the road: https://youtu.be/obZzL4ub1aI?t=943

It's a legit problem in the San Juans and I am glad it's starting to be addressed.
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by Dave B »

At risk of sounding supportive of SxS (which I'm not), I found them to be far more polite and follow trail etiquette better than Jeep drivers. I had to wait >30 minutes for a group of 19 (!!!) Jeeps to descend off of Imogene Pass last month, they had no clue what a fuster cluck they created, and didn't care.

Spent the rest of the time on Alpine Loop/Black Bear stuck behind slow ass Jeeps completely unaware of anything behind them.

SxS still suck and good on Silverton for banning them on streets, but they're definitely not the only problem.
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Re: Silverton city limits OHV/SxS ban

Post by Aphelion »

Dave B wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 8:03 am At risk of sounding supportive of SxS (which I'm not), I found them to be far more polite and follow trail etiquette better than Jeep drivers. I had to wait >30 minutes for a group of 19 (!!!) Jeeps to descend off of Imogene Pass last month, they had no clue what a fuster cluck they created, and didn't care.

Spent the rest of the time on Alpine Loop/Black Bear stuck behind slow ass Jeeps completely unaware of anything behind them.

SxS still suck and good on Silverton for banning them on streets, but they're definitely not the only problem.
I've been stuck behind slow Jeeps, or had to wait while they ignored right-of-way, but it's pretty much always been behavior I could chalk up to ignorance or obliviousness. UTVs seem to cater towards people who enjoy being assholes. I've had an armed and intoxicated group in UTVs deliberately block myself and a few other people from leaving a parking area while they had a shouted conversation about where to go next. I've been nearly run over walking the road up to Lake Como, because nobody gets a UTV so that they can move at a reasonable speed and give pedestrians time to move aside. Sure, Jeeps drivers can suck, but it's quieter, more excusable, and they don't seem to be getting off on it.
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