Lebanon Tickets - The real story . .

[TrailDale]

OK,
Big thread on Lebanon Tickets - that's cool.

Sorry for not getting the specific details out eariler.
Here they are. From my personal meeting with the Director of Park Patrols for Dakota County:

Several riders were ticketed this spring for riding on closed trails, and for riding on the hiking/horse trails. The fines were typically in the $40 range.

The lone $140 fine was not directly a park patrol ticket, but was the result of:
1) Man walked his dog on the closed bike trails - with the dog off leash - not allowed - in both cases.
2) Other trail users called to report.
3) He was ticketed for dog off leash and hiking on closed trails.
4) He was a loud-mouthed jerk during the whole affair with the park patrol, "the trails belonged to him - he paid taxes - he can do whatever he wants on public trails, blah, blah, blah."
5) He didn't pay the ticket, and decided to have his day in court and explain his side to the Judge.
6) In court, he recounts his previous ranting "the trails belonged to him - he paid taxes - he can do whatever he wants on public trails, blah, blah, blah." to the Judge.
7) Park Patrol provides evidence that he's been ticketed for this same thing before.
8) The Judge finds him guilty (again) and fines him $140 for basically wasting the court's time.

It wasn't a rider poachng trails - just a trail jerk.



HEY - Yogi What's with the Avitar? Call the Avitar Police - I've been turned into a Sesame Street Muppet!:confused:
Although the added hair is nice . . .

[TrailPatrol]

I knew there had to be more to the story than we had heard. I said the ranger didn't set the fine, in answer to the threat to stuff it in the ranger's "orifi". In this case, the judge set it!

BTW, I got a really good laugh out of your new Avitar! :D

Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans

[gopherhockey]

Shhhh! Now that the real $140 story is out, we'll have bikers thinking they twice again about poaching trails... :)

Seriously though, I think it was good to hear the real story but to also realize that Dakota is out there willing to ticket trouble users regardless of what they are doing (walking, biking etc.)

Although I liked what the thread of a $140 fine has done among riders at Lebanon, $40 is still $40... I think well in the range of giving the message to people...

I think education and passing the word along to our fellow riders will go even further in helping out. I have been very encouraged by the number of new riders that have posted and shown some true understanding of the trails and what is involved to maintain them. I'm hoping that this is the year that word gets out among the guys on the trail and in the lots so people will simply chose not to ride in bad conditions regardless of the fines involved.

[martini]

Guess Chaco and I have been ileagle there a few times(more than a few actually....:confused: . I can honestly say I've not seen any signs posted about the leash rule. How serious are they about the leash rule? I've seen rangers in the lot a few times while Chaco is waiting for us to get going, yet they've not said a thing to me. He's not the type of dog that chases the first tail he sees. He actually stays on trail and just behind me the whole time. Unless I start going too slow that is....Need I be too concerned with this situation? I hope not, I love riding with him up there. Its great fun to watch him jump over the log crossings at full gallop!