Quote:
Originally Posted by 4X4
MAn, this sucks... The ATV & 4x4 crowd are taking the heat for garbage and general insanity.
It's the people that show up in their mom's minivan just to get trashed that are the real problem.
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While I agree the ATV crowd will probably get their fair share of the blame for what went on at McLean Creek
, the entire debate has kind of shifted from the destruction the actual 4x4's make to the impact drunk idiots have.
I agree with what you said previously, that there are many many ATV riders who are respectful of the environmental impact their rides have on habitats living in the wild, but it's the ones that don't do that and create their own trails that don't only make the wilderness far from pristine anymore, but also destroy the homes of many animals.
What we're hearing about now with the kids from high school coming to party is an entirely different animal and probably has nothing to do with ATVing, unless they got to borrow mommy's 4x4 for the weekend and don't know how the hell to use it.
I still think that if people want to ATV, they should send them into the grasslands where it's nothing but field. I understand that animals still use the grasslands as their home, but at least less creaks and rivers will be destroyed by spilled gasoline and mud seeping into the waters.
I've heard the argument that if only a few people are causing a mess then it's ok but it's sad to say that it's gotten to the point where I feel that to protect the environment you just have to shut it all down because those few people are causing such a huge mess that it's not only bad for the environment and the habitat there, but it's also bad for the rest of the people who want to enjoy the wildlife and see it preserved in its original state.
It's not like I'm some environmental hippy either, and while I think ATVing would be a hell of a lot of fun, I just don't see the need in driving four huge wheels down the forest creating new trails, sending mud flying everywhere and disrupting the animals.
The 4x4 website listed above isn't doing itself any favours either with some of the articles it's got posted.