Lake Elsinore, CA - NEW PROGRAM TARGETS ILLEGAL OFF-ROADING

[stuntcycle]

So I guess if you want to ride in "illegal" riding areas without getting in trouble then you should be a cop. Where do I sign up? All this money was robbed from our green sticker fund. Environmental members now out number MX members on the OHV commission so this is what we get. We don't get green sticker money going toward opening new areas and keeping up on current OHV areas. Instead the police get 4 of the worlds most expensive Honda 400EX's($67,000) and riders that do fund raising on them. "Department officials said their aim is to steer riders to one of the half-dozen designated off-roading sites in the county". Half a dozen riding areas? Where? I think we need to call "R.O.V.E. Riverside County Sheriff's Department Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement Program"

http://www.co.riverside.ca.us/sheriff/rove/ and find out where these "half dozen" riding areas are. That's my rant. Read the story below and it will all make sense.

_____________________________________________________________________

New program targets illegal off-roading

R.O.V.E.: The Lake Elsinore area was chosen for patrols this summer. The coverage may expand.

05/29/2003

By DOUGLAS QUAN

THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

Illegal off-roaders in the Lake Elsinore area may be seeing red this summer.

Small teams of Riverside County sheriff's deputies will be roving the back country in red all-terrain vehicles, searching for violators under a new enforcement and education program announced Wednesday.

The program, dubbed R.O.V.E., for Riverside County Sheriff's Department Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement, was formed with a $124,000 grant from the California State Parks Off-Highway Division.

Enforcement efforts will focus on the Lake Elsinore area this year, but the department hopes to expand the program across the county within three years.

"Now, we can fight fire with fire," said Riverside County Sheriff Bob Doyle during a news conference to show off the department's four new all-terrain vehicles.

Department officials said their aim is to steer riders to one of the half-dozen designated off-roading sites in the county.

Unauthorized off-roading on undeveloped public and private property can damage environmentally sensitive areas and ruin the quality of life of nearby residents, officials said. Also, when someone riding in an unauthorized area gets injured, ambulance crews can have difficulty reaching the area to provide help. .

In 2002 alone, the Lake Elsinore sheriff's station received 444 complaints related to off-roading, Doyle said.

"It's gone up every year," he said.

Mead Valley resident Everett Price, who attended the press conference, said he welcomes the new enforcement program.

The area where Price lives, near Rider and Una streets, is a haven for illegal off-roading, he said.

"All hours of the day and night, you have off-road vehicles," Price said. "They rip through there like it's a playground.

"Just because there's an open lot doesn't mean you can ride there," he added.

A first offender can expect to receive a $100 fine, said Capt. Bill Walsh of the Lake Elsinore station.

R.O.V.E.

Find more information about the program and a list of designated off-roading sites at www.co.riverside.ca.us/sheriff/rove or www.ohv.parks.ca.gov

http://www.pe.com/localnews/southwest/stories/PE_NEWS_nsatv29.5805d.html

[DesertChris]

My buddy has a 400EX, they are no match for any WR ?

[MOmilkman]

Yea, but these are $17,000 400EX's. They have got to have nitrous or something to justify that.

Back in 97 (I think) they started to instituite a fee program out here in our local neck of the woods. It was supposed to improve the area, expand the campground areas which it has but on the downside all of our funding has turned the trails into pavement. It almost sucks to ride some of the trails now. When they (cement blocks) get wet you can end upside down real fast.

[DRz400e]

If I lived out there, they would only be able to ticket me if they caught me ?

[Machster]

Who in there right mind would pay 17k for a quad?. I mean, lets get real. Another good example of our government overspending. Wish I was the dealer who got that order.

[Brian_in_Long_Beach]

If I lived out there, they would only be able to ticket me if they caught me ?

Good luck out running a helicopter.... A friend of mine in HS had the same bright idea. They ran him into the ground like a rabbit and then gave him a bill for the helicopter operating costs.

Brian